Survival mode in motherhood is no fun. I lived there for a while and it sucked all of the joy out of me.  I was dealing with postpartum depression after the birth of my son and I felt like I could barely get by. I didn’t deal with postpartum depression with my daughter, so it caught me by surprise.

My list of to-dos was a mile long and I had no energy. I felt inadequate and I felt like I was missing out on what should have been a joy-filled season. I was living for naps and bed. I was so exhausted. When I was in this season, I felt like I would be an inconvenience if I asked for help. I felt like I should be able to manage my home and raise my kids well. I felt ashamed that I couldn’t just buckle-up and be good at this motherhood thing, so I didn’t tell anyone how much I was struggling except my husband (who was incredibly supportive).

I wish I would have been able to put away my pride and ask for help. I know people would have helped if I asked. Now that I am out of that season, I have a much easier time admitting that I dealt with postpartum depression.

So many women suffer from postpartum in secret. I’ve heard stories of women who end up committing suicide because of it and not a single soul knew that they were struggling.  This is such a tragedy. If you are dealing with postpartum depression, don’t keep it a secret. Tell someone, actually tell a lot of people. We need so much support in the motherhood game and we need even more when we are dealing with depression.  

Something inside me felt like I shouldn’t take it that day (please listen to your doctor). I decided since it would take a month before the antidepressant would start helping, I would try to personally get better in a month. If I couldn’t, I would take the pills. I called my midwife the following day and told her my plan, and she said I could try it (and she would check up on me).

These four tips helped me get out my dark period of postpartum depression.

4 Tips to Get Through Postpartum Depression

I started reading my Bible again and it made all the difference. Finding my identity in Christ helped to drown out my inadequacies. Truth cuts out the lies we tell ourselves.  Reading consistently gave my mind something else to dwell on.

I started viewing the depression as a season and not a permanent reality, it gave me hope.  I changed my expectations of a perfect Martha Stewart home. If my laundry or dishes didn’t get done, it was ok. This was really hard for me, but the most important job was taking care of my kids and myself.

Once my mindset shifted and I wanted to get better, my depression lifted quickly. If you are in this season friend, it doesn’t have to be forever. Get help, speak up, get some rest, and pay attention to what you are thinking. Postpartum depression shouldn’t be a taboo topic; you are not alone.

And for those of you who are not in this season, reach out to the new moms around you. They may be struggling, but will never speak up. Make them a meal, clean their house, offer to watch their other kids, etc. Let’s support each other through this motherhood journey.