So, what is contributing to your postpartum? Well, recent research suggests that postpartum depression is not just a case of unbalanced hormones. What? You say? That is ridiculous. I too thought that, especially after I could not produce breast milk. The prevailing wisdom, "back then" (12 years ago) suggested that if ONLY I had been able to breast feed my daughter, then I would not have succumbed to "mental illness", or the baby blues, or depression, call it what you will.

After some research, I came upon "new" information that asserts that postpartum depression is caused by "inflammation". Inflammation which causes stress upon the body. What you say? But inflammation is what causes headaches and joint pain! That can't be. Can I cure this with aspirin? I thought the same thing. What? I suffered all that time when I could have just popped a "Bayer'"?

Well, actually, no. Upon further reading, it turns out that INFLAMMATION is a "big bad daddy" for postpartum women as well as people in general. But postpartum women are especially vulnerable. If your breast milk doesn't come in, if you don't get sleep, or you are stressed, (and what new mother isn't!) all of these things can contribute to INFLAMMATION, which in turn "stresses" out the brain and causes depression! And on and on!

I don't think there is an Aspirin or an anti-inflammatory DRUG big enough to combat or surmount the 'damage' wrought by the postpartum that I under went. I did not take "drugs", not even an ASPIRIN! Go figure! (Maybe that would have helped) I did TRY to get sleep, but my mind would not allow it. It just wanted to "sit up all night" and ruminate. I would not turn on the radio OR listen to music for days on end, but my HEAD would manage to find a song to keep me up all night. Maybe my brain was trying to "de-stress" or throw off some INFLAMMATION". Ya' think?

Well, apparently ST. John's Wart, an herb you can get at your local health food store, can help with this, ask your doctor! So does SLEEP and physical and mental support. ANYTHING to help you de-stress while you accept all the new and various difficulties associated with new motherhood. Personally, I wish I could have spent a few weeks at a spa! But, my wallet wasn't up to it. If I could have gone that route, I sure would have, but I was not so lucky, it was anti-depressants all the way along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which according to the research reduces STRESS! Go figure! Talking helps reduce stress, imagine that! Therapy was my avenue to manage stress, but it was a very very slow recovery from Postpartum Depression. I wouldn't recommend this as your only option, but it does help.

So, REDUCING stress is the BEST way, according to "the latest research" to getting "back on your feet" or rather back to "mental health". The brain stresses when the body stresses and then we start falling apart. More and more doctors are telling us, that we must DE-STRESS our lives if we want to live with less physical pain and more emotional well being. De-stress and find yourself a support system!