Those of you who have been reading our blog have probably noticed two things:

1. We are hilarious (obviously)
2. We are bitter (obviously)

I've been thinking of how and when to talk about something that I struggled with for the first year or so of M's life.  I had post-partum depression, and it was everything and everywhere.  It was there first thing in the morning when my beautiful newborn son woke up to feed; it was there at lunch time when I struggled to seem put together and "normal" in front of my new mom friends; it was there when I fell into bed exhausted at 7:30PM and cried myself to sleep.

Right?

How do you put into words something (that luckily is becoming more talked about) that we don't feel comfortable sharing with others?  I've been wondering who would read about this blanket of darkness that some new moms struggle with, and also asking myself if anyone would care.  But that's not really the point, is it?  The point is that if just one mom reads the following article and can relate to it, then that's all that matters.  I questioned if I could, and also if I should, share something so personal with my friends, most of whom had no idea that I was struggling.  But again, that's not really the point, now is it?

Here's an article I found on Scary Mommy's website by Janelle Hanchet: http://www.scarymommy.com/new-mom-misery/  From the beginning to the end of the article, I found myself thinking: "That's me.  Exactly.  Me.".  So thank you Janelle for having the courage to talk about what most of us don't, and thank you for putting into words what I could not.  If you can find five minutes to read her article, it will be worth it.

No matter how overwhelming and scary it can seem: we are not alone.  Ask for help.  When the CLSC nurse comes to your house a few days after the baby is born and asks how you're doing: don't lie and pretend everything is OK if it's not (like I did).  Take people up on their offers of help.  Don't try to be superwoman and do it all, because you can't and you don't have to.

The light really and truly is right around the corner.