Conquering Postpartum Depression: A Proven Plan For Recovery [Paperback]

It is such a shame that such a common affliction is rarely talked about and even more rarely treated. Severe postpartum depression is one of those things that not every one experiences, but if it happens to you, you would sure want to be informed.

Dr. Rosenberg includes not only talk-therapy ideas, but drug therapy as well. Any kind of depression is a mood disorder and is heavily influences by hormones. And just as you would treat other medical afflictions, this one should be treated also.

Many women accept several discomforts as part of the "experience of being pregnant" (i.e. heartburn, morning-sickness, etc.). But there is no reason one should have to endure the pain of post-partum depression.

Please, for your own health, take a look at this book and keep yourself informed on the topic if you plan to get pregnant, because most obstetricians are not trained properly in this area.

Typically, giving birth and becoming a mother is supposed to elicit feelings of joy, yet PPD evokes a sense of hopelessness, helplessness, and fear. Coupled with debilitating depression, anxiety and occasionally, suicidal thoughts, it is critical that a woman receive immediate medical attention by a psychiatrist specializing in PPD. PPD is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed and many women suffer years before finding appropriate treatment. This book provides the essentials of how to empower oneself with knowledge and receive the proper care and follow-through.

This book is written in a clear, concise and user-friendly manner. It addresses risk factors, assessment and treatment of PPD, along with the physical, psychiatric and psychosocial aspects of the illness. Effective approaches to treatment address the importance of working collaboratively with a psychiatrist and psychologist specializing in PPD, developing and maintaining a support system, and addressing parenting skills. The tone of the book is supportive and reassuring and emphasizes that with proper treatment, the prognosis for recovery is excellent. I wish I had this book 8 years ago after the birth of my twins.

A fairly quick, easy read, this book truly captures the essence of the issues associated with postpartum depression, and presents the clinical side of the picture in very clear, accessible language. At the same time, anecdotes are used to paint very personal pictures of the entire gamut of emotional experiences often associated with childbirth. These examples help women answer the question, "Is this normal?", and determine when they may need additional assistance in coping with their emotional upheaval, dispelling many of the myths associated with child birth and the post-natal period along the way. The program outlined to manage the clinical condition known as "postpartum depression" is comprehensive and well-balanced, offering sufferers a proven recovery system. My one complaint is that all too often, this kind of comprehensive assessment and treatment is not routinely offered, and the reader should be warned that they may well have to educate themselves and, especially, to demand that they be taken seriously and that all aspects of the condition be addressed as thoroughly as Dr. Rosenberg and his co-authors suggest. The greatest strength of this book lies in its warm, reassuring tone, which normalizes the postpartum emotional experience for most women, and gently encourages others to recognize when they truly need assistance and to seek help when necessary.

Definitely a strong addition for the self-help literature on a widely (and sadly!) misunderstood topic.