Postpartum Depression Demystified: An Essential Guide for Understanding and Overcoming the Most Common Complication after Childbirth

by Joyce Venis, Suzanne McCloskey

If you're experiencing postpartum depression, you're not alone. Discover insights, support, and advice in this useful guide from two medical professionals who have experienced PPD themselves. Impacting 1 in 7 people after childbirth, postpartum depression is the most common complication following pregnancy. Yet this serious mood disorder, characterized by sadness, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and guilt, insomnia, and thoughts of harming the baby or oneself, continues to be widely misunderstood and frequently misdiagnosed. In Postpartum Depression Demystified, renowned medical experts Joyce Venis and Suzanne McCloskey—who have experienced PPD themselves—turn their combined expertise into an insightful and supportive guide for everyone living with and seeking to understand this condition. Venis and McCloskey cover the important topics, such • The nature of PPD and how it differs from other perinatal mood disorders • How to recognize and cope with the symptoms • How to obtain an accurate diagnosis • Key risk factors and how to minimize them • Medications and therapies • Getting the support you need from your partner, family, and friends • How PPD can affect your relationship with your partner and your baby • Nurturing yourself through recovery.

256 pages, Paperback

First published March 7, 2007

Reviews

[Natasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book if for no other reason than the descriptions of the different types of postpartum disorders. It was super helpful to have terminology to describe more clearly what I had been feeling after having my child and a relief to see others experience similar types of things. It definitely made it easier to understand why I felt a certain way and helped me feel far more hopeful since their seemed to be an explanation. With that, I felt way more encouraged and was able to start returning to myself far quicker than I would have otherwise.

[Kati · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly useful, some of it redundant. I wish there had been more information on creating a plan of action in the event that PPD occurs, rather than how to recover once a diagnosis has been made. I know that when I finally was diagnosed with PPD after the birth of my son I no longer really had the energy to read a guide book about it. Now that I'm expecting again I had hoped to find some advice on how to minimize my risk and develop a plan in case it does happen again.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Both of the authors are survivors of Postpartum Depression; one is also a gifted author and the other a healthcare professional. That combination makes this both a practical and accurate book. There are more and more books which cover the topic adequately, but this one pulls together the best research into a readable and well-laid out format. This can be used to gain information (which I did as a refresher to a seminar I was teaching) or for quick referencing on particular topics. I highly recommend it for anyone who struggles with PPD.