While it is crucial that women have as much information as possible when suffering a postpartum mood disorder like postpartum depression, I think it is equally important for family members to understand the role they can play in supporting these women — especially husbands. Having a supportive husband who understands what you're going through and provides the right kind of help plays a big part in recovery. I've been meaning to let all of you know about a great resource for new dads with wives/partners going through postpartum mood disorders — Postpartum Dads. You can go to the Postpartum Dads website by linking here. This site features information to help dads understand what women with perinatal mood disorders are going through, what they themselves are going through and what can be done about it. It also features personal stories of men who have made it through this experience and how they dealt with it. I think this is a wonderful resource, because men are very much affected by their partners' illnesses, often unsure what to do and unsure about their own feelings and how to deal with them. I also often point people to Karen Kleiman's book, The Postpartum Husband, which offers practical solutions for living with postpartum depression. We can't forget that the men are going through this with us, and they need help too!
For more on how dads can help moms with postpartum depression, click here.
