Dear new mom:
You wear the armor, the bandage, even though you feel raw and weak and exposed. It’s there. The wall is up so that you can take a breath, so you can feel safe when others are around and even when they are not.
And you might not even know if this is really you. Time will give you clues until it hits you and you realize the truth. The pieces fit together, the revelation. You can’t always see it when you’re in the midst of it. And that’s okay. It’s up ahead. And it will be all right.
You hope others will extend the grace, because you can not help it. But this is me telling you that it’s okay to talk about it. The sooner you say the words the sooner you will see their eyes shimmer with relief. Your words reveal. They are not alone. You are not alone.
Even if you speak it into your pillow. Let it out. We will hear.
~ Stephanie
Stephanie Precourt, mom of four, is a writer, blogger, and the producer/director of ListenToYourMotherNWIndiana. Follow her on Twitter @babysteph.
The 4th Annual Mother’s Day Rally for Moms’ Mental Health is presented by Postpartum Progress, a national nonprofit 501c3 that raises awareness & advocates for more and better services for women who have postpartum depression and all other mental illnesses related to pregnancy and childbirth. Please consider making a donation today, on Mother’s Day, to help us continue to spread the word and support the mental health of new mothers.
Yes there is always someone listening…even though you feel like the only one in the universe going through this.
Speak out and we will hear you.
Beautiful message Stephanie!!
Short and sweet. You are so right that it starts with a whisper but we should not be afraid to shout for help when we need it. Thank you for your letter!
Oh Steph, this is so true. As soon as I told people there was a reason why I was so different, everyone just let out a collective sigh of relief and embraced me. and then the healing started.
AMEN.
We will hear, we will understand, we will not judge, and most importantly, we will love you.
Very powerful words.
Speaking the words…sending them out into the Universe…sometimes that’s the hardest thing to do. It’s also the best. Thanks for the reminder, Stephanie.
Of course, I love your description of wearing the armor, because it’s so true that you have to protect yourself as much as possible, and your baby, during PPD. So glad you were part of the rally. Thank you Stephanie!
These 2 lines just hit me. “And you might not even know if this is really you. Time will give you clues until it hits you and you realize the truth. ” I didn’t realize how many signs I had until I was looking back at my experience.