‘It’s NOT postpartum depression. You aren’t suicidal.’ She said to buy essential oils. I feared the worst.:’ Mom’s postpartum depression dismissed for years, ‘I finally have the right people behind me’

by Yasmin Regan

“You just have the baby blues.’ That’s what I was told when I hysterically called my OB’s office at 2 weeks postpartum. I had summoned up the courage to finally call and ask for help and I got pushed aside and put in the same basket as everyone else.

I called through tears and said, ‘I think I have postpartum depression,’ which is hard enough to admit. The receptionist transferred my phone call to the intake nurse where she proceeded to ask a bunch of standard questions to ascertain if I was a risk to myself or others.

I distinctly remember her asking, ‘Are you having thoughts of harming myself or others?’ Too ashamed to admit I actually was having thoughts of harming myself, I quietly said no. She then proceeded to tell me, ‘It is NOT postpartum depression because you aren’t suicidal.’ She said, ‘You should try to calm down as much as you can because the stress can pass to your breastmilk and upset your 2-week-old baby’s stomach,’ as if I wasn’t feeling guilty enough. She told me to run to the store and buy essential oils. Feeling incredibly misunderstood and dismissed, I just said ok. She told me if I was feeling like this again to call and she’d ‘talk me off the ledge.’

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