Postpartum Depression: Feelings of Guilt and Inadequacy New mothers can feel a lot of turmoil over their inability to bond with their babies -- as well as a host of other things they interpret as shortcomings as a new parent.
"Unfortunately, feelings of shame and guilt are things that women suffering from postpartum depression are all too familiar with," says Ho. "In fact, it's a very strong component -- they can feel guilty for not being interested in the baby but also for being more of a responsibility to their support systems."
Likewise, women suffering from postpartum depression are oftentimes plagued by feelings of inadequacy. Kleiman explains that it's common for them to feel like they've failed, to think that they shouldn't have had their baby, or even like their partners might leave them. Fueling the problem is the fact that many women, as Kleiman says, are notorious for saying they're fine when they're experiencing debilitating symptoms, because there's "so much shame and guilt that they don't necessarily want to ask or accept help."
But Kleiman urges women experiencing these symptoms or any of the indicators of postpartum depression to "take care of themselves and not let the shame and the stigma get in the way of doing what they need to do to feel good again" or to reach out for professional help.
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