In today’s episode, we talk with Marissa Zwetow, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and owner of Postpartum Happiness (http://www.postpartumhappiness.com/about-postpartum-depression), through which she provides postpartum coaching and therapy. She is also the author of Postpartum Happiness: What to do when you love the kids, but hate the job (http://www.postpartumhappiness.com/book). Marissa tells us about her own experience with postpartum depression and all of the challenges she faced, and how that fueled her purpose and passion to validate, support, and help moms who face regret and other negative emotions after birth. We talk about the pressure and anxiety that can be imposed upon mothers by cultural and societal expectations of how they should feel about birth and motherhood. We discuss the dangers of comparison and the value of understanding. Marissa goes over some “taboo postpartum truths,” such as the birth may not go the way you want yet and it’s okay to feel disappointed, as well as there might be grief for your past life. Another is that it’s okay to not feel happy with the role of the mother, and how struggling mothers should seek the support they need without shame. We talk about working with your partner, and how you can reach mutual understanding. Marissa reminds moms that they are not alone, and how looking through support groups on social media can help you find your “tribe” of like-minded women with similar struggles. We talk more about diagnosing and dealing with more serious cases of postpartum depression and cases of psychosis. We give advice for fathers who are struggling with depression after birth. We recommend getting your free copy of the guide, 12 Taboo Postpartum Truthshere: http://www.postpartumhappiness.com/free-postpartum-article. 

• 1:40 Marissa’s Story

“I was on to the next challenge. So now it was breastfeeding, and that was disastrous. I didn’t produce enough milk, she didn’t latch correctly, and my daughter had reflux, which just really translates into colic.” 5:25

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