2008 Woodie Awards
Postpartum depression: the truth behind today's new mother
Meghan White
Issue date: 5/2/08 Section: TNHealth
Sandra Galle waited as long as she could to have kids. In fact, she never really wanted them in the first place. But as her 40th birthday was approaching, she realized her biological clock loomed over her like a black cloud. In November of 2004, at the age of 39, Sandra gave birth to Jack and Layne, her fraternal twins.
Her first two months after bringing her two bundles of joy home from the hospital in Huntington Beach, Calif., were a blur.
"The best way I can describe it is a lack of interest in everything going on in the world and in my life, even the stuff that previously made me happy," Galle said. "I didn't care to go shopping, cook, wear nice clothes, or even spend time away with my husband. I felt like a robot in my own life, just going through the motions and having guilt for feeling that way."
Galle swears she never thought she was suicidal but recalls wondering why she did not feel like most new mothers, especially with two healthy babies.
"I tried hard to put up a front and pretend that I was enjoying my kids and being a mom," she confessed.
Two months into the post-natal period, Galle assumed her feelings must be caused by the natural fatigue from recovering from her Caesarean section and her hormones going haywire.
"I figured I was a strong enough woman to recover on my own," said Galle. "I needed the color back in my life."
Galle waited but the days turned into weeks and still nothing but the same old feeling. Finally, Galle's husband, Bob, encouraged her to go see a specialist. Gathering all the strength she had left, Galle dragged herself to her OBGYN, sitting silently in the exam room before breaking into tears upon her doctor's entrance.
"That was the light at the end of my tunnel," said Galle. "The visit was cathartic. I felt relief just knowing that I faced the situation and it had a name, and others suffered from it too."
Galle was prescribed to Zoloft for eight months and eventually weaned herself off.
Her first two months after bringing her two bundles of joy home from the hospital in Huntington Beach, Calif., were a blur.
"The best way I can describe it is a lack of interest in everything going on in the world and in my life, even the stuff that previously made me happy," Galle said. "I didn't care to go shopping, cook, wear nice clothes, or even spend time away with my husband. I felt like a robot in my own life, just going through the motions and having guilt for feeling that way."
Galle swears she never thought she was suicidal but recalls wondering why she did not feel like most new mothers, especially with two healthy babies.
"I tried hard to put up a front and pretend that I was enjoying my kids and being a mom," she confessed.
Two months into the post-natal period, Galle assumed her feelings must be caused by the natural fatigue from recovering from her Caesarean section and her hormones going haywire.
"I figured I was a strong enough woman to recover on my own," said Galle. "I needed the color back in my life."
Galle waited but the days turned into weeks and still nothing but the same old feeling. Finally, Galle's husband, Bob, encouraged her to go see a specialist. Gathering all the strength she had left, Galle dragged herself to her OBGYN, sitting silently in the exam room before breaking into tears upon her doctor's entrance.
"That was the light at the end of my tunnel," said Galle. "The visit was cathartic. I felt relief just knowing that I faced the situation and it had a name, and others suffered from it too."
Galle was prescribed to Zoloft for eight months and eventually weaned herself off.
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