Conquering Postpartum Depression: A Proven Plan for Recovery

Rating:
Summary: No one needs to suffer!
Review: I am a personal patient of Dr. Rosenberg and also know Dr. Greening quite well, and they are both excellent! I had a serious bout of post-partum depression after my second child and Dr. Rosenberg's approach saved me from doing a lot of harm to both myself and my family. (My obstetrician was of no value in this regard)

It is such a shame that such a common affliction is rarely talked about and even more rarely treated. Severe postpartum depression is one of those things that not every one experiences, but if it happens to you, you would sure want to be informed.

Dr. Rosenberg includes not only talk-therapy ideas, but drug therapy as well. Any kind of depression is a mood disorder and is heavily influences by hormones. And just as you would treat other medical afflictions, this one should be treated also.

Many women accept several discomforts as part of the "experience of being pregnant" (i.e. heartburn, morning-sickness, etc.). But there is no reason one should have to endure the pain of post-partum depression.

Please, for your own health, take a look at this book and keep yourself informed on the topic if you plan to get pregnant, because most obstetricians are not trained properly in this area.

Rating:
Summary: Necessary for all pregnant women and potential fathers
Review: Postpartum Depression seems to wander into the nation's limelight every couple of years due to large scale tragedies - the most recent example being that of Andrea Yates and the deaths of her children at her own hand. Based on the statistics offered by this trio of Michigan based doctors, it is surprising the topic doesn't surface with more regularity.

Nearly four of five women suffer from some sort of mood altering during and after pregnancy, on various levels. For the most part, even the women who are experiencing these mood changes view them negatively. After all, girls frequently look forward to having babies their whole lives, and why in the world would they not be excited, why would they be feeling down? Even more often, husbands, family and friends understand even less.

The problem with the women having concerns over their feelings is that they often do not let anybody know they're having them. In cases where the mood swings are slight, it leads to an unnecessary lack of pleasure with the pregnancy. In cases where full-blown cases of postpartum depression develop, the lack of discussion can lead to disaster.

Dr. Ronald Rosenberg has utilized his expertise in pharmacology, along with his position as an OB/GYN, and further studies as a psychiatrist to come up with a plan for recovery for women suffering at all different levels of this depression. His plan includes medical treatment, counseling - a field in which Dr. Greening is an expert, developing a social support system, and parent training skills, where Dr. Windell's skills come to the forefront. As the title states, this is a proven plan for recovery - with numerous examples of situations different women were in and how the plan affected their lives.

The book is written with a clean, concise style. Each chapter begins with "Points to Ponder in this Chapter," a listing of anywhere from three to ten issues that the chapter highlights. The chapters are also included in a very straightforward manner, beginning with an explanation of what postpartum depression is, moving towards how to determine if you, or a loved one, are affected, and up through the various stages of the plan to recovery.

This book thoroughly explains all aspects of postpartum depression in a manner that should make it easier for expecting mothers, and their families, to understand and accept what is happening. It is a book that all OB/GYN's should be forced to read (too many of them still don't understand postpartum depression well enough to help their own patients), and should be given to every pregnant woman, and read by her and the father of her expected child.

Rating:
Summary: An Essential Read for Pregnant and Post-partum Women
Review: Speaking as a two-time sufferer of post-partum depression and as a professional counselor, I found "Conquering Postpartum Depression" an invaluable resource for any woman coping with the terrifying effects of PPD. It is also an essential read for their families and the health-care professionals who are treating them.

Typically, giving birth and becoming a mother is supposed to elicit feelings of joy, yet PPD evokes a sense of hopelessness, helplessness, and fear. Coupled with debilitating depression, anxiety and occasionally, suicidal thoughts, it is critical that a woman receive immediate medical attention by a psychiatrist specializing in PPD. PPD is often misunderstood and misdiagnosed and many women suffer years before finding appropriate treatment. This book provides the essentials of how to empower oneself with knowledge and receive the proper care and follow-through.

This book is written in a clear, concise and user-friendly manner. It addresses risk factors, assessment and treatment of PPD, along with the physical, psychiatric and psychosocial aspects of the illness. Effective approaches to treatment address the importance of working collaboratively with a psychiatrist and psychologist specializing in PPD, developing and maintaining a support system, and addressing parenting skills. The tone of the book is supportive and reassuring and emphasizes that with proper treatment, the prognosis for recovery is excellent. I wish I had this book 8 years ago after the birth of my twins.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Book Therapy
Review: This book should become a regular addition to every therapist's shelf of prescriptive reading, right along side "Getting the Love You Want" by Harville Hendrix, and "The Dance of Anger" by Harriet Lerner. Parents-to-be could even place it alongside the classic baby preparation manual "What to Expect When You're Expecting."

A fairly quick, easy read, this book truly captures the essence of the issues associated with postpartum depression, and presents the clinical side of the picture in very clear, accessible language. At the same time, anecdotes are used to paint very personal pictures of the entire gamut of emotional experiences often associated with childbirth. These examples help women answer the question, "Is this normal?", and determine when they may need additional assistance in coping with their emotional upheaval, dispelling many of the myths associated with child birth and the post-natal period along the way. The program outlined to manage the clinical condition known as "postpartum depression" is comprehensive and well-balanced, offering sufferers a proven recovery system. My one complaint is that all too often, this kind of comprehensive assessment and treatment is not routinely offered, and the reader should be warned that they may well have to educate themselves and, especially, to demand that they be taken seriously and that all aspects of the condition be addressed as thoroughly as Dr. Rosenberg and his co-authors suggest. The greatest strength of this book lies in its warm, reassuring tone, which normalizes the postpartum emotional experience for most women, and gently encourages others to recognize when they truly need assistance and to seek help when necessary.

Definitely a strong addition for the self-help literature on a widely (and sadly!) misunderstood topic.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding Book Therapy
Review: This book should become a regular addition to every therapist's shelf of prescriptive reading, right along side "Getting the Love You Want" by Harville Hendrix, and "The Dance of Anger" by Harriet Lerner. Parents-to-be could even place it alongside the classic baby preparation manual "What to Expect When You're Expecting."

A fairly quick, easy read, this book truly captures the essence of the issues associated with postpartum depression, and presents the clinical side of the picture in very clear, accessible language. At the same time, anecdotes are used to paint very personal pictures of the entire gamut of emotional experiences often associated with childbirth. These examples help women answer the question, "Is this normal?", and determine when they may need additional assistance in coping with their emotional upheaval, dispelling many of the myths associated with child birth and the post-natal period along the way. The program outlined to manage the clinical condition known as "postpartum depression" is comprehensive and well-balanced, offering sufferers a proven recovery system. My one complaint is that all too often, this kind of comprehensive assessment and treatment is not routinely offered, and the reader should be warned that they may well have to educate themselves and, especially, to demand that they be taken seriously and that all aspects of the condition be addressed as thoroughly as Dr. Rosenberg and his co-authors suggest. The greatest strength of this book lies in its warm, reassuring tone, which normalizes the postpartum emotional experience for most women, and gently encourages others to recognize when they truly need assistance and to seek help when necessary.

Definitely a strong addition for the self-help literature on a widely (and sadly!) misunderstood topic.