I think this is some great advice here.  I also want to add the importance of family and friends.  New moms need people around them, often.  So make a point to call your girlfriend over for a cup of coffe, or join a Mother's group (you can find information about them online or through your church or even through you family doctor's office).  Isolation and lack of sleep feed depression.   Make it a point to get outside at least once a day, even if it's just to the mail box and back.  Make sure you wave to your neighbours when you do.  Somedays, a single smile and a quick, "hello", can make all the difference.  

  I am a military wife. My husband left for Iraq, he was gone for 7 1/2 months. In August, I went  back to the states on a family emergency. My grandpa was having open heart surgery (a triple bypass to be exact). I stayed in the states until September, when i couldnt extend my plane tickets any longer. However my grandpa was still in the hospital.
  
 I came back to Okinawa, and soon there-after my husband came home from Iraq. We had planned on going back to the states for an 18 day vacation. We flew into Kentucky where my husbands family live, and the first few days were good. Until I got a phone call. My grandpa had flatlined once again, and my mom told me that he was on life support and they were going to take him off within the next 24 hours. I got in my brother in laws car, with my mother in law, and my husband and spent 4 hrs going to Columbus to say goodbye to my grandpa. 
 
 2hrs I sat in the hospital, with my family. Crying...and slowly running out of tears, I prayed. I prayed for my family, and I prayed for my grandpa. They took him off life support. I saw the life drain out of him. Every ounce of self-preservation I had, was now gone. I thought I ran out of tears, but they still fell. As everyone left, my mom, my aunt and i sat and talked. It was getting late, and my husband and mother in law, were tired, and we still had a 4 hr drive home. 
 
 We went back to Kentucky, as soon as we walked in the house, my brother in law and his 2 buddies were sitting on the couch i sat down and smoked a cigarette, contemplating the idea of going to bed. I popped open a beer and took 2 sips before deciding to change. I went upstairs, and had a funny feeling, i was light headed and almost felt drunk, knowing I wasnt drunk I grabbed a pregnancy test. 
 
 I changed and took the pregnancy test, washed my hands and looked back at the test once more. I was pregnant. I didnt understand how this could be happening. I didnt understand how  the best and the worse things could happen all in the same day. I cried, I was scared, we planned on waiting 5-7 years before thinking about kids. We hadnt even hit our 2 year marriage anniversary. I finally called him into the bathroom, and he was stumbling for words. Not knowing what to say we went to bed and talked everything over.

 The next day I was upset with the passing of my grandpa, but overjoyed now at the fact that I had life growing inside of me. We set off in search of maternity clothes. We found some great deals *Okinawas selection of maternity clothes, or anything else for that matter is TERRIBLE, considering we have 2 places to shop, that carry IDENTICAL products* *THERE is NO walmart, no motherhood, NOTHING*

 That night, i got a phone call. My mom had sent a red cross message to my husbands command so that we could stay for the funeral. It had went through. 2 days later, It was time for me to head up to Ohio, to pay my last respects. On the way up my husband and I were talking about the baby and names. We came up with a couple good ones, knowing we didnt want to know the sex of the baby until he/she was born. But it passed the time, and helpped me to stop crying at least for a few minutes. 

 After the funeral. We had a lunch and I went to the hospital to see my sister who was in labor, I couldnt stay because we had to get the car back to Kentucky. So i said if she started to dialate any more, call and I would find a way to get back to Ohio. We got in the car, and headed back to Kentucky. 
 
 We stopped to eat, and I went to the rest room, I had cramps, but everyone told me they were normal. That it was okay. After my first trimester they would cease. No one told me that if they got to be unbearable that it was NOT normal. I told my husband we needed to go to the hospital. 2 days... and 2 hospitals... and NOTHING... no one could tell me anything. the one hospital... ARGUED that I was pregnant. telling me that i was "POSSIBLY" pregnant. I went to another hospital, and they told me that I was more than likely having an ectopic pregnancy.  I had to wait 4 days... on bed rest, and go back.

 I went back scared out of my mind. I dont think I will ever forget that feeling. Not knowing whats wrong. if the baby was okay, if I was okay. I went in and they did an ultrasound, not saying anything... they made me sit in a waiting room for an hour and a half. Later on they pulled me into a room and told me, "Youve had a miscarriage, dont have sex, because you will get pregnant, and miscarry again. " In the same breath the woman says "Have a nice day"

It hurts. It hurts like hell. I NEVER ever imagined pain this bad. I see an elderly couple walking and I cant help but cry. I see a pampers commercial and I cry. 

ALL this happened 2 days before thanksgiving. When you hurt that bad, its really hard to think about what your thankful for. Even now, I think about it, and I still hurt. Its normal. I have had 2 tragedies in the past 2 months. But I try and keep my head up. I know that Everything happens for a reason. Depression. I know what depression is... its hell on earth.

I felt the need to reply to the  issue about post partum depession because i have three children and have suffered from it myself.  When I had my first and second child it was a very mild case. I would cry alot about things that would not normally bother me. I would also find myself in la la land a bunch.  Now that I had my third child I notice that the depession had been worse. I started feeling like there was not enough time in the day trying to juggle 3 kids,housework,schoolwork,ect.....  The list can go on and on. I also felt very alone until I took the advice of a friend that too suffered from postpartum.  Anyway my point is when we have children we tend to focus every waking moment around them and all of our attention, Only because we love them dearly and they are definantly a gift to never be exchanged. I would not change my experiene of motherhod for the world.   My advise to all the mothers out there suffering from post partum is to take a break. Find yourself again.  Wether it be taking a long relaxing bath or a nature walk or even joining an all womens gym. The little bit of relax time really makes a difference and it helped me cope and let go of my post partum.  Thus making my time with my kids and family more enjoyble because I found myself again and was reminded that  I too am human and not supermom. I hope for you fellow mothers that read this benefit from the little bit of info about my expeience dealing with post partum depression. love yah