In recent years, the topic of celebrity postpartum has grown beyond “How did they get their body back” into honest, open conversations about postpartum depression and the challenges of becoming a mom. Celebrity moms have become more relatable and transparent about how difficult postpartum can be. Here are four celebrities who’ve spoken about their postpartum depression and what they’ve said about their experience.
What Is Postpartum Depression?
Many mothers experience something known as “the baby blues” after giving birth. Baby blues happen as a woman’s hormones dramatically change after labor. The baby blues can bring up sadness, anxiety and anger. Baby blues are common and impact 70%-80% of all new mothers.
Luckily, baby blues don’t require treatment, and symptoms typically disappear after 2 weeks.
While the baby blues are common, it’s essential to be able to distinguish between this condition and postpartum depression (PPD). Postpartum depression is a serious mental health condition that impacts how a mother behaves, thinks and feels. Unlike baby blues, postpartum depression can last a long time. Most often, PPD will start the first month after the baby, but it can happen anytime during the first year after birth.
Postpartum depression can negatively impact a mother’s day-to-day life and make it difficult to bond with the baby. Women with PPD often feel empty, sad and alone. Postpartum depression can have symptoms that range from mild to severe.
It’s critical to understand that postpartum depression is just as serious as any other type of depression. PPD should always be taken seriously and requires professional treatment to ensure the mom can return to living a fulfilling life.
Celebrity Postpartum: 4 Celebrities With Postpartum Depression
Many people turn to celebrities for inspiration, advice and guidance on important topics. In the last few years, several famous women have spoken about their experiences with celebrity postpartum. Let’s take a look at some of the most famous people who had depression during their postpartum journey:
1. Serena Williams
Serena Williams is one of the world’s most successful and well-known athletes. This famous tennis star has over 35 major titles under her belt, so the world listened when she started sharing the struggles of being a new mother. In a social media post, she shared her thoughts and emotions about not feeling like a “good mom” and “being in a funk.” Williams told her followers, “It’s normal to feel like I’m not doing enough for my baby.”
Williams has said she dislikes using the term postpartum depression and prefers to say postpartum emotions. When she came onto the Mamamia No Filter podcast, Williams said she chose the phrase “postpartum emotions” purposefully because she “felt like it was important to say something that a lot of people could relate to and understand … I felt like it was really important to talk about because a lot of people feel like the word ‘depression’ is bad, and just because you’re going through things doesn’t necessarily mean it’s depression.”
Williams cautioned her followers that if postpartum “emotions” aren’t treated, the condition can last up to 3 years.
Many media publications immediately picked up her posts and comments and praised her vulnerability and honesty. When new mothers see that someone as strong, powerful and well-supported as Serena Williams can struggle with PPD, it normalizes the condition for everyone.
2. Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen is known for sharing her opinions loudly and openly. She isn’t one to run from a complex topic, which was very apparent when it came time to share her experience with PPD. The former Sports Illustrated model said in an interview that her anxiety worsened with postpartum depression.
Teigen shared with Glamour that she’s had anxiety most of her life, but it was after the birth of her first child and the onset of postpartum depression that she realized she needed professional help for her condition.
Postpartum depression isn’t always immediately apparent to the mother or her partner. Teigen highlights this by saying she didn’t realize she had PPD until her baby was 3 months old. The new mom thought she was going through the baby blues, but eventually, her friends stepped in and urged her to get help.
Teigen says that while going through postpartum depression, it was “a sad existence. There were no highs. It was just a flatline of life for a few months.”
When celebrities like Teigen share their PPD experiences, they give other women information they might not know, such as that getting treatment can help and that baby blues shouldn’t last very long.
3. Courtney Cox
Former Friends actress Courtney Cox was speaking about her postpartum depression back in 2007, when very few women were comfortable talking about the condition. She said she believes postpartum depression happens and that “post-natal depression can be devastating.”
Cox shared that her postpartum depression didn’t begin until 6 months after her daughter was born. While this is a little less common, it does happen. Cox’s story is an excellent reminder to new moms to watch out for PPD symptoms anytime throughout the first year postpartum, as it doesn’t always happen right after your child’s birth.
4. Sarah Michelle Gellar
In 2017, actress Sarah Michelle Gellar opened up about her struggle with postpartum depression. She shared on her social media page that she “like a lot of women…. struggled with postpartum depression after [her] first baby was born.”
The Buffy the Vampire Slayer actress encouraged moms to know that they’re not alone and they should seek help. She said, “I got help and made it through, and every day since has been the best gift I could ever ask for.” Sharing her story so publicly, Gellar is helping women understand that there’s no shame in getting help for PPD. The condition can be overwhelming and encompassing, taking away the joys of new motherhood. Women should always feel comfortable knowing that when they get help, they make the best decision for themselves and their families.
Celebrity Postpartum Conversations Help End Stigma
Unfortunately, there’s still a lot of stigma around seeking help for mental health conditions. When celebrity postpartum conversations happen, they help challenge this stigma. These comments from famous moms have been crucial in helping women who might be going through postpartum depression understand that they’re in good company. Celebrity moms need to continue to openly share their experiences about motherhood, including the highs and lows, so moms know that they’re not alone.
Restore Mental Health
If you suspect you’re struggling with postpartum depression, know that many others deal with this condition. The best gift you can give yourself and your family is a mother who’s cared for physically, mentally and emotionally. At Restore Mental Health, we can help you get the treatment you need so you can enjoy motherhood without the cloud of PPD hovering over you. Contact us today to find out how we can help.
