The Postpartum Husband: Practical Solutions for living with Postpartum Depression

by Karen Kleiman

This hands-on guide includes straightforward, supportive information and specific recommendations to help partners deal with the impact of depression after the birth of a baby.

Genres: Mental Health, Nonfiction

149 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2000

About the author

Karen Kleiman is well known as an international expert on postpartum depression. Her work has been featured on the Internet and within the mental health community for decades. In 1988, Karen founded The Postpartum Stress Center, LLC, a treatment and training facility for prenatal and postpartum depression/anxiety disorders where she treats individuals and couples experiencing perinatal mood & anxiety disorders.

Karen has been interviewed for, featured in, and reviewed by local and national TV, magazines, radio shows and health websites. Her national television appearances include Inside Edition, The Oprah Winfrey Show, NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw and The Katie Couric Show. A few popular magazines that have featured her work or interviewed her include: Self Magazine, Fit Pregnancy, Parenting, Working Mother, Star, and Mothering Magazine. Karen is featured as an expert on PsychologyToday.com as a “Best Voice in Psychology” as author of her blog, “This Isn’t What I Expected: Notes on Healing Postpartum Depression”.

Reviews

[Mike Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are a dad whose spouse suffers from PPD, I recommend this book wholeheartedly as a starting point in your search for PPD support. Some reviewers mentioned this book is nothing more than a list of bullet points. While there are short chapters and bullet points everywhere, I found this book had many insightful suggestions. Almost all of the bullet points has several sentences. Personally, I think they could have just removed them and help make the flow a little better; the bullet points do make it easy to find information in bite-sized chunks. This book was very helpful as a dad whose spouse is suffering from PPD. There are many practical suggestions as to how and why I should do certain things. While I have yet to practice many of the ideas listed in this book, I feel like I better understand.

[Bill · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important primer for any couple dealing with post partum depression (PPD). And I mean couple. Although targeted to address the unique supportive role of a husband the information is highly informative for the wife with PPD. The author has produced an excellent, practical, easy to understand practical guide to the disease.

[Craig Conway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book is written by a practicing therapist with a masters in social work, so while she accurately talks to medications the book did not focus on anatomical, science or data discussions.

The book deals alot with acknowledging PPD happens, and dispelling guilt, blame etc. This wasn't a struggle for me, so it turns the book into a quick skim.

The book is useful as it lays out some timelines for risk and recovery that I wasn't fully aware of.

From past friends and family the warning signs resonated alot and seemed helpful. The author lays out decent evaluation criteria for identification and assessment.

Book does a decent job of "say this", "do this", "don't say this". In a couple cases the do vs don't seem very subtle in difference. I asked my wife about the similarities and she was helpful for explaining the difference.

I thought this book had some great tips for dealing with anxiety and depression generally, even if not related to postpartum.

Lastly, the author basically wrote each chapter as a 1-2 page bullet list or outline instead of lengthy novel style. As such it's a really quick read. I'm a pretty slow reader and I finished it in ~60 minutes.

[Marisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this, anyone who knows someone who is pregnant should read this, regardless if you are husband, wife, Grandma-to- be, etc...! It took me 2 hours to read so really easy to digest but has such important messages! Really reframes the post partum experience so you as a new mom don't have to feel guilty about EVERYTHING You're going through, and it's a lot! Recommend to EVERYONE.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Streamlined, which makes sense, given the topic and audience. And while I wasn't the audience, it was a nice read, in case I ever was in a place to recommend a book to a puzzled couple or partner.

I had forgotten I'd ordered it as a part of the postpartum doula required reading and had my husband read it after I had my daughter this winter. My husband found it less helpful--he thought the majority of the advice was incredibly obvious and while I went through a dark spell after the birth of our daughter, he managed to support me with grace and patience. It was interesting to briefly discuss the reading--his family isn't spotted with mental illness as my own is, but he still manages to maintain the patience and caring needed when partnered with one who might not always feel balance.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

AWESOME resource for dads, partners, etc. who are in a relationship with someone struggling during or after pregnancy. Men typically want to "fix" their partner's depression or anxiety, and they can't. But there are things they can do to help support their partner and take care of themselves.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just gave myself a refresher on this wonderful resource for husbands. I love the way this book is divided into brief, 1-2 page chapters with bullet points, which makes for such easy reading and accessibility.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this to see if I should recommend it to my husband, but found it to be full of concepts and strategies that my husband was already doing. Would be a great book for some husbands, just not mine.

[Lesli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some may describe this as a bit simplified for partners but I liked the format (bullet points) and the straightforward data and easy recommendations. It can be a good reminder for husbands who want to support their wives as they work through their postpartum symptoms.

[Sunshine Wu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finished it within an hour, whole book written in bullet points for the underslept and impatient husband. Useful tips and advice to support spouses with postpartum mood symptoms