Meet Shreya Mitra, a working professional and a mother of a super active toddler, who soon will be turning 4. A very strong woman who has been through many ups & downs from brain haemorrhage to baby’s clubbed feet to post-partum depression. She has always defeated these challenges with support of her loved ones. Shreya is an untiring advocate of maternal mental health and ran a campaign in June 2020, to help uplift women and talk about their maternal journeys and struggles.
Follow her on Instagram @raisingshaan for sneak-peak into her raw motherhood, tips & tricks on gentle parenting and how she is raising awareness about PPD.
Shreya says, “2 months into embracing motherhood I felt like I was not like other moms. I felt no connection, was unhappy, anxious and in constant rage. It felt like I was in pitch where people around were leading happy, normal, content lives and I was nowhere close to it..
First month post-partum I often woke up with fear that my baby had stopped breathing that something bad was about to happen. He was getting treated for clubbed feet then with plasters, bracing and a tiny surgery to happen in the 3rd month..
When did I know?
I had severe palpitation, anxiety attacks, headaches, MRI but it never got better until I read the word Post-partum Depression..
It was a relief. It was a huge relief knowing it was a disease to feel those feelings of helplessness, fear, overwhelming emotions, feeling left out even thought I had everyone beside me and that it was going to get better with time.
6 months later I confided in my neurologist who began to counsel me and that’s when things started to get better.
Yet I was Ashamed. I was horrified. I felt guilty.
How could I be a mother and feel this way?
Why was this happening to me?
It wasn’t until I started to google “Why don’t I like being a mother “, “Why do I not want to live after delivering?” is when I realised, I wasn’t alone.
I was functioning on an auto pilot mode after my son was born because there were things that had to be done. Agniv’s treatment was mid-way and his surgery had to happen. I didn’t focus on my physical and mental health. Needless to say, it got worse.
But the google search led me to Post-Partum Depression and forced me to do a lot of thinking and drove me to seeing a doctor.
Therapy, medication and counselling helped and making a whole new set of friends going through the same thing with children of the same age was very comforting.
3 years later my only regret is I wish I had known or been informed about postpartum issues during my pregnancy. I lost one whole year of my son growing up due to depression.
Postpartum issues are not acknowledged. It’s okay if you’re feeling numb, confused and alone. If you ask me my only advice is don’t try to survive this alone. Look for support groups, meet people online, and seek help if need be.
There can be numerous reasons for PPD, but there are several hormonal changes during and after pregnancy. During pregnancy, body produces two hormones – oestrogen and progesterone in high amounts. But as soon as you deliver there is a drop in the hormonal levels as it returns to its original levels before pregnancy.
These changes may trigger depression, baby blues and similar feelings before and after menstruation. Some women also suffer post-partum depression due to an irregular thyroid level.
All of this combined with drastic changes as a new mom may make you feel overwhelmed combined with societal pressure of being a great mom, a patient mom. The feeling of losing your life before you had a baby makes you vulnerable to PPD, Pre-natal depression and at times post-partum psychosis.”
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If you have a story which you would like to share or you know someone who has battled depression and can inspire others, I am all ears and ready to ink it.
Click here to know more about Postpartum Depression and their Signs & Symptoms.
