The Mother-to-Mother Pospartum Depression Support Book: Real Stories from Women Who Lived Through It and Recovered By Sandra Poulin Berkley Trade Paperback, $14.00 224 pages, ISBN 0425208087

Review by Prescott Carlson

Postpartum depression is a real condition many women have to face after birth, despite what a certain Scientology-following actor nut job may say about it. Over ten percent of pregnant and postpartum women are affected by PPD, and certainly they have many questions about what is happening and if they will ever feel right with the world again. That's where "The Mother-to-Mother Postpartum Depression Support Book" comes in.

Edited by Sandra Poulin, who herself dealt with and overcame PPD, "The Mother-to-Mother Postpartum Depression Support Book" is a collection of women's experiences with postpartum depression, with frank and honest details about their symptoms, problems, and the steps they took to help them recover from sometimes crippling PPD.

The book is grouped into chapters according to the issues these mothers felt most sent them over the edge dealing with their PPD, such as sleep deprivation, breastfeeding issues, single mothers, and one of the most wrenching, thoughts of suicide and infanticide.

The book is an incredibly engaging look at the postpartum experiences these women went through. My own wife experienced rather severe PPD, and as a male without the ability to truly 100% understand what experiencing PPD is like, it gave me a new insight and appreciation for what she went through. I would highly recommend it to all fathers to help cope with the frustration they may feel with the struggle their wife/partner is going through.

While anti-depression medications and professional help is important, the added mother-to-mother support and knowing you are not alone -- not to mention the reassurance and hope from all these women who have recovered from the experience -- is invaluable.