Ep 9: Postpartum Depression with Maya V.

There are some people on Instagram who Jamie loves following, and today’s guest is one of them! Maya Vorderstrasse is a fantastic inspiration, and you might recognize some of her ideas as the inspiration for some of our own Instagram pictures. As the mom of “Irish twins,” Maya has two children who were born within 12 months of each other. (So if you thought you couldn’t get pregnant while breastfeeding, think again!) This already sounds overwhelming, but add to it the fact that Maya’s whole family is in Brazil, so she doesn’t have the sort of day-to-day family help that could lift some of the burden. She’s open about the struggles of parenthood, not only in terms of this family situation, but also her struggle with postpartum depression. As you’ll learn today, Maya was super energetic after her first daughter’s birth and during her second pregnancy. Even immediately after the second birth, she felt excited (even though some days were hard). To her surprise and confusion, postpartum depression set in months after having her second baby. She felt like she was fading away, and spent months ignoring the feeling and trying to push it down. Finally, it burst forth as anger so bad that she left a hole in the wall, and her husband supported her in getting help. This was when she was finally diagnosed with postpartum depression. In our conversation, Maya offers a sensitive, intimate, and often humor-filled look into the realities of postpartum depression. She openly shares her journey, offering a realistic yet inspirational look into dealing with this struggle. If you’re a woman who has suffered from postpartum depression (or might in the future), this episode will give you hope. And if you’re lucky enough to be someone who will never need to deal with postpartum depression directly, this conversation will help you understand the struggles so you can be a better partner, family member, or friend. Today’s Guest: Maya Vorderstrasse on Instagram @MayaVstrasse on Twitter Maya Vorderstrasse on Facebook Once Upon a Letter Board In This Episode: [00:37] - Jamie and Doug welcome listeners to today’s episode, and chat about today’s guest, Maya Vorderstrasse. [06:51] - Maya comes onto the show and jokes about why she’s doing this episode in the car. [09:08] - We hear about how Maya takes her pictures without a photographer, and how she gets her babies to sleep at the same time. [11:15] - Maya explains what it means to be a mom of “Irish twins,” and talks about her breastfeeding experience. [13:30] - Jamie shares her perspective as a labor and delivery nurse on the topic of breastfeeding. [15:13] - How does Maya do it, in terms of having two young children who are only 11 months apart in age? [18:22] - We learn that Maya’s family is all in Brazil, so she doesn’t have the kind of local support that might make things easier. [20:45] - Does Maya feel like she has conquered her postpartum depression? She answers, and talks about the experience of developing postpartum depression six months after having her second child. [23:52] - Maya talks about the anger that developed as part of her postpartum depression, and how she ended up getting diagnosed. [27:58] - When Maya’s kids were born, she decided that they were the only thing that mattered, and that’s what led to her falling apart. [29:15] - Jamie takes a moment to talk about the importance of getting help, and encourage listeners to seek treatment for mental health struggles. [30:43] - Maya shares her experience with medication for her postpartum depression. [34:29] - We hear Jamie’s response to what Maya has been saying, and her own experience with the ease of letting yourself go in favor of caring for a baby. [37:29] - Doug points out how much a child will mimic a parent’s behavior, which is a good reason to take care of yourself. [38:35] - Maya shares something that she and her husband did after having a child to ensure that they did the best for their family. [41:40] - How did Maya feel when ...