Maybe it is because The Goopster does not contribute much to this week's newsletter, but it is really good this week. The subject is post partum depression. I am a guy and it is tough for me to understand what it is that women sometimes experience after giving birth. I only have seen and heard about the most awful cases where the new mom wants to die or feels totally disconnected to her baby and the world. Well, I still do not know, but Bryce Dallas Howard wrote an amazing piece in the newsletter about her own experience with post natal depression. She also went home from the hospital 40 minutes after giving birth. Umm, wow. You know that I would not send you over to GOOP unless it is worth your time. The piece by Bryce is totally worth your time. It is very long and very good. You can read it here.
40 minutes? Sounds very destabilising. At least stay overnight, resting.
ReplyDeletei don't mean to sound obnoxious and like a know-it-all, but you're talking about two different things. there's postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis (think: andrea yates). PP depression is caused by sleep deprivation and hormonal changes. PP psychosis is a serious mental illness and is linked to bipolar disorder. please don't confuse the two.
ReplyDeleteThese days they don't keep you overnight when you have a baby unless you have major complications.
ReplyDelete? My sister has had two babies in the past 24 months and they most certainly did keep her at least overnight. More to watch the babies in the baby incubator things.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I had my second child nine months ago and they kept us overnight the minimum required (two nights: birth was Thursday afternoon and they released us on Saturday morning). Both myself and my daughter were healthy, no complications. Also, my experience has been (previous child was four years ago)that there have a ton of tests that are done in those first 36 hours that are required depending on your state and also to just keep an eye on both the mother and baby's overall well-being. If you have a c-section, my understanding is they keep you even longer...
ReplyDelete"there are" not "there have"
ReplyDeleteWasn't there legislation a few years ago to require insurance companies in the U.S. to cover mandatory overnight stays for childbirth?
ReplyDeleteI didn't read it but I suppose she had other arrangements.
And "itsnotabear" I for one appreciate your clarification of the difference of the two conditions you've provided. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBryce Dallas Howard's account was heart-wrenching to read, but the honesty she expressed will hopefully encourage other mothers who might be experiencing PPD to seek help. PPD is something that is out of their control, and something that they oughtn’t feel ashamed about.
ReplyDeleteI love Bryce she is smart, well educated and didn't use nepotism to get ahead by starring in one of her dad's films. If only other off springs of movie stars and directors could be like her.
ReplyDeleteI felt real sad reading that. I bet it was cathartic for her to write it.
ReplyDeleteI love Dooce's blog (referenced on GOOP). Heather Armstrong is hilarious.
As if I wasn't scared enough already to have kids...
ReplyDeleteAnd I loved Bryce Dallas Howard before, but even moreso now.
YOU'RE A GUY???
ReplyDeleteHer honesty was amazing. Take note Lindsay, etc.
ReplyDeletei don't think it was the short stay so much as her feeling she had to do everything perfectly---no pain meds, for instance.
ReplyDeletepregnancy is a huge deal where you're the center of attention for a long time. it's like a long wait for christmas and you're santa who's bringing the best gift of all.
then you have the baby and the focus is no longer on you. and the baby cries and needs everything done for it and you get no rest. couple that with huge, enormous hormonal shifts, and i don't think PPD is any big surprise.
in fact, i'm sure it's far more common than we know because it's very scary to admit to those you love that you just aren't feeling it.
I had postpartum psychosis with my first child and spent time in the cracker factory. My family begged me not to have more children. I had two more kids and no problems and bonded instantly. My poor first son - I didn't bond with him until he was 8.
ReplyDeleteWell maybe they passed a law saying you have to stay overnight but I just know that the women I know here in VA had the baby and were sent home a few hours later.
ReplyDeleteWow, sunnyside. I'm glad you're okay, now. Kudos to you!
ReplyDeleteI didn't read it yet either, but I just love BDH. Your comments have made me want to go read it...
LOL @Harriet Hellfire
@sunnyside, glad you're okay. Thanks for sharing your story.
ReplyDelete@itsnotabear, thanks for enlightening us.
Harriet-
ReplyDeleteWho's a guy? lol
Oh duh... Enty
ReplyDelete-Just Another (Dumb) Blonde, apparently :)
Wow sunnyside - sounds awful. Glad you're better :)
ReplyDeleteBryce signed herself out. if you are physically okay and so is the baby, the hospital cannot keep you. I had a c-section on a friday morning and went home on a sunday morning, I was okay and so was my son. The docs weren't thrilled but I no medical insurance and didn't want the bill to be any higher then it had to be. Still took me 3 years to pay it off~LOL
ReplyDeletesunnyside1213~please don't be too harsh on yourself, it was something you had no control over
Bryce planned for a home drug-free birth, but a complication necessitated a transfer to a hospital, where she had a drug-free delivery. She refused the pain meds and checked herself out to go back home 40 minutes after the birth.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't that shocking when you consider that she never intended to be in a hospital- she transferred to make sure the baby's health wasn't compromised, and once he was born she went directly home.
It's a good article- she is very honest about how she felt and how hard it is. I like her, as an actress and a person.
That article was intense. I was petrified of PPD when I had my son - I have had some issues with depression in the past, nothing too major, but had been prescribed some anti-depressants many moons ago that actually made me really depressed and suicidal. I stopped the meds and was totally fine. Anyhow, when I had my son, I was terrified of going down that road. I did not, but it still is a fear that lingers as I plan for my second - it can happen any time.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate articles and accounts (including yours, sunnyside1213 - my son is 1211 by the way) because getting this information is so, so important. Now on to some less heavy stories....
Oh - and by the way - I had to stay in the hospital for about 24 hours after I gave birth to my son. He was born at around 6 AM and I left the following morning around 8 AM. We stayed the night for two reasons - one, my son had various tests done and two, my darling husband had a horrible stomach flu (we stayed in a "family room" where he had a bed, too) and was throwing up everywhere. Fun. I was ready to leave about four hours after the birth (but being that I was on about 4,000 mg of percocet, that probably wouldn't have been a good idea)... Make that three reasons why I couldn't leave right away. :)
ReplyDeletewhen i was a teenager, i witnessed first hand a worst-case of ppd. no, psychosis. so i was well aware of it and what it could do to a family.
ReplyDeleteluckily, when i was married to the asshole, i had no problems. wish my son could understand that i fell in love with him as soon as i got his shoulders out!
what's odd, is that i had ppd with my daughter, with a loving husband, supportive family, etc. mine affected me more in an ocd way. i didn't want any one else to touch her. so i didn't sleep. got the whole vicious circle thing going on. after 3 months or so, she and i were joined at the hip. (looking back, still ppd) she was my precious baby, and every body else got pushed aside.
mr. bunny's near fatal accident happened when she was @ 2-1/2. we DO know that she suffers from separation anxiety. this is when her weirdness surfaced. yes, we've been in therapy all these years.
but it all goes back to the post partum. i really believe that.
what was the topic?
That was a really good piece...what a scary thing. Makes me even more scared to have kids too. :(
ReplyDelete