This Isn't What I Expected Overcoming Postpartum Depression

Written by two postpartum experts, a definitive guide offering compassionate support and solid advice on dealing with every aspect of Postpartum Depression (PPD).

If you or someone you love is among the one in seven women stricken by PPD, you know how hard it is to get real help. This proven self-help program, which can be used alone or with a support group or therapist, will help you monitor each phase of illness, recognize when you need professional help, cope with daily life, and recover with new strength and confidence. Learn how to:

Identify the symptoms of PPD and distinguish it from "baby blues"

Deal with panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive urges, and stress overload

Break the cycle of shame and negative thoughts

Mobilize support from your husband or partner, family, and friends

Seek and evaluate treatment options

Cope with the disappointment and loss of self-esteem

Karen Kleiman, MSW, LCSW, an international expert on postpartum depression, is the founder of The Postpartum Stress Center in Bryn Mawr, PA.

Valerie Davis Raskin, MD, is a Regional Medical Officer-Psychiatrist with the United States Foreign Service. She was formerly Chief of the Psychiatry Service and the Hines Veterans Administration Hospital, where she worked in the Women's Health Clinic, and was cofounder of the Women's Psychiatry Service in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago.