No matter how many times an expectant mother is warned about the baby blues, when they set in, it feels like you've been hit with a hormonal brick. I did not expect in my wildest nightmares that I would be suseptible to postpartum depression in any form. I had prepared thoroughly, had a supportive husband and family, and had no history of depression. Additionally, labor with my first daughter went incredibly smoothly. If I could make it through childbirth "successfully" what else was there to fear? Or, more to the point, what did I have to be depressed about? Even when we left the hospital and headed home, where my mother (who is also a doula - how convenient!) was staying with us for a week, I felt like I had everything under control.
Then came the first night away from the hospital. At this point I had probably gone at least 36 hours with very minimal sleep, and part of that was spent working hard to birth a baby! Lack of sleep + overwhelming responsibility of a dependent
