Hi and

every week I'll help you meet life's

Dr. Ellen Hendrickson and every week I'll help you meet life's challenges

with evidence-based research, a sympathetic

ear, and zero judgment.

Now usually a celebrity checking into a treatment facility equal scandal.

But Hayden Panateier's story is anything but.

On the contrary, the actress, who sought treatment

for postpartum depression recently,

is being hailed as a brave, validating voice for the thousands of new

moms who suffer from the illness. Because having a baby is hard. They don't call

it labor for nothing and then no rest for the weary. You're suddenly and wholly responsible

for this fragile helpless being. Top that with some serious sleep deprivation, turbulent

hormones, and the cultural expectations around bonding, bliss,

and being quote, mom enough, and you've got another kind of rude awakening on your hands,

one not precipitated by middle-of-the-night feeding requests.

So it's no wonder that, through no fault of their own, nine to sixteen percent of moms will

experience postpartum depression. Indeed, a mix of genetics, hormones, predisposition,

support or lack thereof, and stress lay fertile ground for the illness.

And once silenced and written off, women with postpartum depression are, thankfully, gaining a voice.

So this week we'll amplify that voice through some myth busting plus eight symptoms to watch for

So let's start with the myths myth buster number one most post-partum depression doesn't start post birth. In fact, in fully 50% of

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