My Journey Through Postpartum Depression and Postpartum Anxiety
As a mom of four, I love working with women through pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and motherhood support –because I. have. been. there.
My first son was an emergency c-section. My husband worked 1,000 miles away. I was in a different country away from my family. No one told me that it was not just the birth of a baby, but the birth of a whole new identity; the birth of a mother. I have never been here before. I didn’t really know what to do even though I used to be a nanny in college. I didn’t get a break. I read the books, but my baby was not doing the things it said they do like sleeping at those times, for those amount of hours (ah, 45-minute cat naps!). I was exhausted. I was lonely. I longed for joy, community, and rest. I was experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety.
Now, I had three other children, and I did get out of that pit. With help. With support. With a moms group. And we have a beautiful bond and attachment. I have joy restored to motherhood. I genuinely love being an intentional mom. I experienced redemption in then three VBAC births and ending with a supernatural, pain-free home birth for my fourth. I have worked with OBGYNs, GPs, midwives, and doulas. So, I love helping empower women through these tough stages, birth trauma, preparation, empowering births, transitions into motherhood, and parenting support.
This is part of my story of the birth of a mother, redemption, preparation, joy, and being in it with you. And I would love to support you along your unique story and journey.
If you are looking for counselling for postpartum depression & anxiety in Kelowna and Online; counselling throughout your pregnancy to prepare yourself well, and parenting support throughout motherhood, I would be honoured to support you!
Here is a story from Havilah Cunnington on her journey through postpartum depression as well on her podcast and youtube that encouraged my heart, and I hope encourages yours!
She talks through…
- What makes PPD different from “baby blues” and signs to help you identify it
- The role counseling and medication played in helping me recover from PPD 3x
- How we can approach mental health issues as spirit-filled believers
- Resources & practical steps for dealing with anxiety or depression
- If you or a loved one might be struggling with this, I would encourage you to talk to a doctor about it. Sometimes it can be tricky to see the signs and know what’s “normal” vs. what’s not.
No matter what you’re facing today, I hope this conversation encourages you that there’s a hopeful future ahead for you.
| It felt like I was under water. My mom was playing with Judah. Ben was outside barbecuing with my dad. I was holding a newborn Hudson in my arms. I could feel the love in my heart for him, but I also felt exhausted and numb, like everything else was happening without me. I’m naturally energetic and optimistic, sometimes to a fault. Even on my hardest days, I could always bounce back, but this time was different. I wasn’t bouncing back. During Hudson’s next pediatric appointment, I started talking about what I’d been experiencing. As the doctor checked Hudson’s heartbeat and temperature, she said, “It sounds like you have postpartum depression.” When she said it, my eyes filled up with tears. I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know what it was. When she finally named it, it felt like someone was handing me a lifeline. That same day, I called up a Christian counselor in my community and made an appointment. At the time, I had so much shame, I didn’t even tell my family I made the appointment. Mental health wasn’t something we talked about, especially in church. My plan was to get help and then never talk about again. When I gradually found the strength to open up about it more and more, I was amazed by how many people resonated with my experience. To this day, it’s one of the top things I get asked about consistently. Which is why we’re taking the whole month of August to talk about faith and mental health. Click below for Episode #320: My Journey Through Postpartum Depression |