I had postpartum depression and fear in 2020 after the birth of my first child. The birth was traumatic and when my husband went back to work, I developed an intense fear of being alone with my baby. This fear took away the joy in parenthood and became depression. I couldn’t find joy in daily life and had no idea what happened to me. I was not diagnosed with postpartum depression and fear. I spoke with my OB, who recommended a therapist, but when the time came for the appointment, I canceled.
I didn’t want to sit for someone and talk to them about my thoughts. Because of the idea I felt worse, so I looked in myself for answers. I have studied for years of spiritual topics in practice and coordinated in my body with the guidance of the Chakra system. I felt a deep hole in my heart and realized that I had lost my love for myself in motherhood. I had to go back to the cause to heal. In the process, old trauma and unsolved emotions came to the surface.
I realized that postpartum depression and fear were the result of something bigger, not the transition to motherhood. I used somatic practices and energy healing to cherish my love for myself again, every day, step by step. I saw my past in a new light and understood how my upbringing had contributed to my experience postpartum. I did not go through a significant trauma with the piece “t”, but we all have luggage that we take in motherhood of the way we grew up and the experiences we have experienced.
Hormones are only triggers in postpartum depression and fear.
Doctors will tell you that hormones play an important role in the causes of postpartum depression and fear, but I believe that postpartum depression and fear arise from unsolved emotions and traumas from the past. Motherhood brings these wounds to the surface. It makes sense that when we become parents, our mind returns to how we grew up. Moreover, if we have gone through challenges in the transition to motherhood, such as birth trauma, things can get worse.
I believe we have all experienced traumatic experiences. Not all were large, but common cases such as a parent with chronic fear or an authoritarian parent are traumatic experiences. Some of us may be more sensitive and find it a challenge to process these events. When motherhood comes into the picture, these unsolved feelings come back to us as strong waves. Hormones don’t make it easier, but they are only triggers. They activate a little deeper into us.
In my work as a mother coach and energy healer I have seen that postpartum depression and fear always have a cause. The blame for postpartum depression and fear on hormones creates a sense of inflammatory in motherhood and learns to rely on medicines to resolve the problem. I am not against medicines. I am against disproportionate narrow stories. My goal with this piece is to authorize you, Mama, to take your life back and cure your wounds. You can do this yourself or with the help of a professional.
If someone has gone through postpartum depression and fear and is completely healed, I know what is needed to heal. It takes courage to look at your shadows and see what you have brought where you are, but you don’t have to do this alone. If my approach resonates and you need support during your postpartum trip, I invite you for more information about my 1: 1 program, the Keizerin Mama Voyage.