{"id":5151,"date":"2012-09-15T18:36:08","date_gmt":"2012-09-15T16:36:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/zaparents-blog\/?p=5151"},"modified":"2022-06-22T10:34:06","modified_gmt":"2022-06-22T08:34:06","slug":"recognising-postnatal-depression-a-handbook-for-mothers-zahava-aarons-paula-levin-andy-taub-da-costa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jozikids.co.za\/blog\/parenting\/postnatal-depression\/recognising-postnatal-depression-a-handbook-for-mothers-zahava-aarons-paula-levin-andy-taub-da-costa\/","title":{"rendered":"Recognising Postnatal Depression: A Handbook for Mothers"},"content":{"rendered":"

As I began to page through Recognising Postnatal Depression<\/a>, just the first few chapters, I kept having to stop and verbalise out loud how much I wish we\u2019d had a copy when I started to experience symptoms of PND.<\/p>\n

But, even in the early days, I was too far gone to read it myself. That\u2019s why I think this book should be required reading for any husband who suspects that his wife isn\u2019t 100%. Or any granny, friend, sister\u2026<\/p>\n

As the authors say, upfront:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis book may not be for you but you may want to read it anyway since we can guarantee that many of the mothers you care deeply about are somewhere inside that rainbow [of reactions to having a baby: antenatal depression, postnatal euphoria, baby blues, postnatal stress, postnatal depression, bipolar mood disorders and postnatal psychosis].\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"postnatal<\/p>\n

It\u2019s written by three women: Andy Taub-Da Costa, Paula Levin and Zahava Aarons \u2013 two of whom have had Postnatal Depression and two of whom are mental health specialists.<\/p>\n

However, despite the authentic medical and psychological info in the book, its style and tone remain refreshingly \u2018real\u2019:\u00a0 They use \u2018yummy mummies\u2019, \u2018I\u2019 and \u2018we\u2019, \u2018throwing in the towel\u2019, etc. Un-scary language.<\/p>\n

The book defines Postnatal Depression, with ways to tell if you have it and what to do if that\u2019s the case. There are true stories from women who\u2019ve beaten it, including Sam Cowen and Deborah Patta.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s also a big chapter on psychotherapy (which, together with a brilliant psychiatrist and the right medication, was what ultimately saved me). And the book concludes with a chapter on treating Postnatal Depression \u2018spiritually\u2019.<\/p>\n

For me, the strongest element of this book is the way it combines real medical thinking \u2013 Wolf, Winnicott, local psychiatrist Dr Rykie Liebenberg and others \u2013 with real human experience, in real human language.<\/p>\n

The only other book on Postnatal Depression I\u2019ve read is Brooke Shields\u2019 Down Came the Rain<\/em>, which I hated. (One of the authors applauds it, so that\u2019s something, but I read it in the midst of my own depression and it helped me not at all.)<\/p>\n

Unlike some of the mommies referred to in the Introduction, I\u2019m not a propagandist of \u2018blissful motherhood\u2019, because I do<\/em> honestly, unapologetically and (lord help me) publicly admit the hell I went through. But I do this because, when I was lost in the dark, I thought I was the only one. So, in a sentence, thank G-d for this book.<\/p>\n

This article was originally written for Jozikids by Tiffany Markman in 2012.<\/em><\/p>\n

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