Post Partum Depression

Last night I got a phone call from an old school friend. Among other things, she was calling to tell me that a mutual friend of ours had been suffering from post partum depression (sounds like it was largely untreated) and had killed herself several months after the birth of her daughter. This was an intelligent, hard working woman who had been trying to get pregnant for a long time. It sounds like she changed profoundly after the birth and was so depressed that she couldn't see an end in site.

I can not emphasize enough how important it is for family and friends of new moms to be looking for signs of a post partum mood disorder during the first year. When I've had a chance to wrap my brain around this a bit more I will be publishing information on post partum and where to get help. Look for it in the next few days.