Well it’s Wednesday again and as has been the case over the past few weeks, apparently it’s the WTF day as opposed to Friday for me. Today though – WTF seems almost too minimal for how insane and destructive this story is.
This week as I’m sure most of you read in the media, a mother in South Carolina killed her children and then drove them into a river in her car. Incomprehensible. Tragic.
This is NOT the basis of my WTF. Who knows what this woman was going through. No, I’m talking about AOL ‘News’ who had Pat Brown, a criminal profiler, comment on the story – he had this to say [the story has since been revised to take out the references to postpartum…sorry, too little too late – damage done].
“Most women who suffer depression after their children are born are suffering from post-how-did-I-get-stuck-with-this-kid, this body, this life? They may be depressed, but it is their situation and their psychopathic personality that brings them to kill their children, and not some chemical malfunction.”
WTF?!?!?! How dare you. And AOL – how dare you publish this??? What sort of expert is this?? I’ve written here about my own struggle with PPD. **I need a sidenote here, I keep trying to write and I keep being drawn back to this ‘psychopathic personality’ line and I’m so, so enraged that I almost can’t focus.** I was fortunate, I asked for help in time and I got it. And while I can only speak to my own experience, I found the right drug, caught up on my sleep and surrounded myself with support systems…and I was fine, in time. But how many women aren’t as fortunate? What about the mom who today decides, “I need help”, then googles post partum and gets that story – is she going to go for help? No! Never! She’ll suffer in silence like so many women have over the years.
Postpartum is real. If you want proof, check out the photo gallery at Postpartum Progress. I looked through it last night with tears going down my cheeks. These are the SURVIVORS and I’m going to be honoured to add this picture of Will and I to the gallery.
How dare anyone suggest we are a bunch of women longing for our old lives, wishing we didn’t have our kids. And how dare anyone choose to publish such a ridiculous inaccuracy. WTF indeed!
And thank you back for your awesome post Kimberly – you’re amazing!!
Thank you so SO much for posting this and taking a stand against this rubbish. I am so proud of you!
That picture…priceless.
Thanks everyone and Jen I’m so sorry tht you couldn’t let on to people – that must have been excruciating. Here’s a little update – which shouldn’t matter but to me, it did – Pat Brown is a WOMAN. And she actually feels that ALL depression is basically a term for people who can’t get it together. Nice. I’ll pass that on to the mulitude of sufferers that I know.
Sara – I have tears rolling down my cheeks. You are a credit to all the survivors of PPD! I agree how DARE AOL publish this garbage….you are amazing and you are an amazing Mom. Will’s amazing-ness is all because of you and your love! LOVE the blog as per usual…added a link to it on my facebook and would encourage others to do the same….am I allowed to say that?
Although never officially diagnosed I am convinced I had PPD after my first. It wasn’t until #2 when I felt, well, NORMAL that I realized OMG, I was in real trouble. It scares me sometimes to think about how I felt and what I was thinking but never, ever let on to anyone. I couldn’t sleep or eat but I didn’t want to appear weak. And I certainly didn’t want anyone to question my ability as a mother.
Shame on AOL. Women with PPD are welcome here!!
As a fellow PPD mom this article nothing short of offensive and more than a little dangerous. Did Ann Coulter write it?
Obviously someone who has never given birth.
God help them if they ever find themselves in the unfortunate and terrifying place we were in – but were able to get out of.
LOVE LOVE LOVE the photo!
PD – Love the photo
WTF indeed. Am enraged by that comment! And AOL – where is your integrity? While I did not suffer from PPD, I did encounter some moments early on with my son where I was sad, for no apparent reason. I can only hope that anyone who reads this article will have the common sense to know that PPD is real, it can be harsh and it requires help to overcome it.
Sara – good for you for being so open and honest about it.
thanks – that’s really sweet. The picture is courtesy of barebonephoto.com – I had the shoot after I was feeling myself – so I could see how far we’d come!
I love this picture!
You’re gorgeous and Will is just too cute for words!
The plain mauve/purple wall as a background is awesome too and the fact that you two are dressed in the same colours is super cute.