Stay at home mom with PPD

Hi there! I agree that you should see your doctor, or try to find a therapist. PPD is nothing to sneeze at. That said, there are things you can do to help.

Get outside, every day! Even if it's just for 10 minutes and you just sit on your porch, do it. It will help the depression, and if that's not motivation enough, remember that it's good for the baby too. She will love it!

Get moving, every day! You don't have to "work out." That's hard when you're depressed. So take a walk, or just do a few jumping jacks from time to time throughout the day. Walk up and down the stairs twice in a row. Dance with the baby in the living room. Do some light stretching. All of these things will help you feel better, and you don't have to work up much motivation to do them. Set an alarm on your phone, and just MOVE at least 3 times a day, even if it's just for a minute or two.

Do positive affirmations. Take a few minutes and sit down and write down all the negative voices you're hearing in your head. It will SUCK, but do it anyway. Whatever those negative thoughts are, write them down. Then on another sheet of paper, write down the opposite, TRUE things. Because you are beautiful, and you are worthwhile, and you need to know that. This part will suck worse, because you don't want to believe the positive things, but you need to do this. Then tape that list up somewhere that you will see it every day -- on your bathroom mirror, beside the computer, whatever. And read it, out loud, at least once a day. You don't have to believe it right now. Just say it. It will help. And any time you feel yourself thinking those negative things, correct yourself by saying the TRUTH out loud.

Take vitamin D, and a B complex. Every day.

Drink more water. I don't normally advocate measuring your water, but when you're depressed it's harder to read body cues, so for a start, divide your body weight in half, and drink that number of ounces of water every day. If you drink a lot of sugary, caffeinated drinks, don't cut them out completely, but try to cut them back a little. Sugar and caffeine help you feel better temporarily, but the crash afterward can actually make depression worse. Try to confine your sugary caffeinated drinks to the morning, and drink water in the afternoon and evening.

Increase your protein intake. It will help give you a steadier energy source through the day to avoid crashing.

Eat more fruits and vegetables. If you don't like them, try them prepared in different ways. Until you find something you enjoy, try chugging a cup of V8 every day. Those vitamins and minerals are important for healing your body, and when your body is healthy, your mind will be healthier.

Try to find a CD of upbeat music that makes you feel good, and listen to it every day! No angry or sad songs allowed. Only happy and peppy.

And above all else, keep in mind that this too shall pass, but it won't pass on its own. It's going to be hard work. There's no shame if you end up needing medication. But whether you take meds or not, you will need to put in the effort. And YOU ARE WORTH IT. I promise you that.