What are your favorite books about PPD? I thought it might be fun to have a thread of book reviews. I've read a lot of PPD books because when I'm sick I just sleep and nurse the baby and read and sleep and nurse the baby and read. I'd love some more recommendations. Here are a few reviews.
Why I Jumped by Tina Zahn
I skimmed through a lot of the beginning but the end was great! Tina came into PPD with a huge history and had a really hard road to healing. It is a heartening story. She talks a lot about her spiritual journey. I am a very spiritual person and was very discouraged that I didn't seem to get any help from my spiritual practices while I was depressed so it is encouraging to hear how much it helped her.
Another good PPD story is Brooke Shields' book, Down Came the Rain. It has been a few years since I read that one but it was a great read. One thing that was significant to me was how she was so surprised by the illness and thought it could never happen to her but realized later how many things in her life had made her more vulnerable to depression.
Women's Moods is my favorite PPD reference type book. It is scientifically sound and does a great job describing the biology behind depression. But it is also very encouraging. It contains a lot of stories of women treated by the authors and you can tell that the authors really care about these women and helping to validate them as well as treat them. Reading the book made me feel validated. The authors are in favor of antidepressants but also list a great "brain health" plan that has helped me in treating depression and preventing further episodes.
