THIS IS POSTPARTUM: THE DREAMWORK COLLECTIVE DELIVERS A STRONG, SUPPORTIVE MESSAGE FOR MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH WEEK

Maternal Mental Health Week is marked globally between May 3-9 and World Maternal Mental Health Day is May 5

Mother of two, Tilda Timmers, is a therapist and coach specialising in supporting women around the world through their motherhood journey. Her latest book, This is Postpartum, part story, part toolkit, is designed to help mothers suffering with postpartum depression (PPD).

Tilda herself suffered from PPD after the birth of her first child, and felt urged to write about her own experiences - and to help others going through the painful mental anguish of early motherhood.

With a subheading of 'Free yourself from the perfect mother conspiracy', Tilda's timely advice in the book includes:

How to identify symptoms of postpartum depression - and get help

· Warning signs during pregnancy to look out

· How to take care of your mental health during and after pregnancy

· How to help a loved one suffering from postpartum depression

· The difference between baby blues and postpartum depression

· Coping with miscarriage and other pregnancy challenges

She also looks into social media pressures, the impact of maternal mental health on our relationships and areas of improvement when it comes to women receiving maternal mental health support.

This book is a friendly, fuss-free, compassionate guide for the moments when you're tearing your hair out and wondering if you're all alone. You're not. All parents struggle at some point - including the author.

The risk of a woman suffering from depression triples in the first month after delivery, compared with childless women of the same age. This is Postpartum presents a badly-needed lifeline for women - and their partners, family and friends, to better understand and discuss this debilitating condition.

As Tilda says: "There is no right way to be a perfect mother, but a million ways to be a good one. The bottom line is this: You don't feel your best right now, and you want to feel better. Being a mum is hard. For every woman. Even the ones who look like they've got it totally sorted. (Especially those ones?).

"After giving birth to my oldest daughter, Livia, I was as far from the image of a proud, radiant new mum on cloud nine as it is possible to be. I felt like my throat was being squeezed and I couldn't get any air like I was slowly drowning. It was as if someone had thrown a huge, dark blanket over me.

"When I looked at my baby, I was both madly in love with her and filled with terror. What if something happens to her?The anxiety was oppressive and I became more insecure every day. I didn't know what to do about how I felt and, bit by bit, I lost myself. Eventually I was diagnosed with postpartum depression (PPD). Wanting to be the perfect mother had paralyzed me."

In her work with women who feel societal pressures, anxiety and depression in motherhood, Tilda has come to realise how hard PPD is to talk about. "But speaking out is vital," she says, "That's why I'm advocating for Maternal Mental Health Week in May to be a globally recognised time to talk about the challenges new parents face when their baby is born."

The book is now available via UAE publisher, The Dreamwork Collective, here, and via all good book sellers.

Title: This is Postpartum - Free yourself from the perfect mother conspiracy

Author: Tilda Timmers, @thisispostpartum

No. of Pages: 220

ISBN: 9789948354420

Price: AED55

Purchase link: https://thedreamworkcollective.store/products/this-is-postpartum

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NOTES TO EDITORS

Causes of PPD

The risk of a woman suffering from depression triples in the first month after delivery, compared with childless women of the same age. Fluctuating hormones make mothers more vulnerable to depression, but difficult psychosocial conditions also increase susceptibility. Such conditions might be one of the following:

· You have a bad relationship with your parents.

· You have lost your mother or a key figure in your life.

· Your parents or close family live far away.

· You want to keep everything under control.

· You have very high expectations of yourself and of life in general.

· You have an argument with people in your social circle.

· You have problems at work.

· You have financial difficulties or debts.

· You are in a toxic relationship and/or have experienced domestic violence.

· You have had mental health issues in the past.

Signs of postpartum depression

(if these symptoms last longer than 2 to 4 weeks, ask for help immediately)

· You're irritable.

· You can barely concentrate.

· You feel dejected.

· You sleep badly, even when your baby is asleep.

· You eat a lot or very little.

· You think about suicide or death.

· You have difficulty concentrating and making decisions.

· You lose interest in the world around you and no longer enjoy the things that used to give you pleasure.

· You feel that everything takes a lot of effort; you don't want to be asked for anything.

· You feel that you're outside of life.

· You have negative thoughts and feelings about motherhood.

· You cry a lot and often during the day.

· You're unreasonable and unkind to people in your immediate environment (family, friends, colleagues, etc.).

· You feel incredibly insecure and you put an enormous amount of pressure on yourself.

· You experience intrusive thoughts. For example: You vividly visualise throwing your baby down the stairs or choking your child.

It's important to know that many women can also suffer from prenatal depression during their pregnancy. It's thought that lack of social support and presence of marital discord may increase the likelihood of this type of depression. Sadly, this is currently a neglected topic, with little research from which to draw guidelines and recommendations. Much more work needs to be done in this area.

However, many of the recommendations given to women with postpartum depression are also relevant if you're suffering from depression before you've had your baby. Seek help as soon as possible. Talking to someone is a brave and important step. Choose someone you feel comfortable with and tell them what's bothering you, what you're up against, and what you're really embarrassed or ashamed about. Choose someone who can listen well without judgement; someone who accepts you exactly as you are. First choice might be your partner, if you have one, but if you find that too difficult, choose a good friend, your sister, your mother, or that dear neighbour who always gives you good advice. Here are some conversation openers you could use:

· I don't need you to say anything, I just need you to listen to me until I'm finished talking.

· I haven't been feeling well lately and I think I need professional help.

· I have a problem that's been really bothering me, and I'd like to talk to you about it.

· Ever since I gave birth, I worry all the time and I don't know how to stop.

Maybe the other person will reach out and grab your hand or give you a hug. If you can, try and accept these warm and loving gestures. You deserve it so much.

If you're reading this, please speak up. Please share your story at home, with loved ones, friends, and the new mums you meet. Maternal Mental Health Week is from May 3-9 and World Maternal Mental Health Day is May 5. Join us in campaigning for this day to be a globally recognised day dedicated to talking about the challenges new parents face when their baby is born.



You're invited to get real about motherhood by sharing photos and posts on social media that show the real face of motherhood. Hashtag #maternalMHmatters #MMHWeek2021 and #MakingOverMotherhood to draw attention to the conversation. And feel free to connect with me on Instagram @thisispostapartum as we continue the conversation in support of new mums everywhere.

[ABOUT TILDA TIMMERS]

Tilda is a mum of two, therapist and coach specialising in supporting women around the world through their motherhood journey. Tilda suffered from PPD after the birth of her first child, and is the author of THIS IS POSTPARTUM a part-story and part-toolkit for mothers who find themselves in a darker place than they may have expected. Find her online @thisispostpartum



ABOUT:

THE DREAMWORK COLLECTIVE

The Dreamwork Collective is an independent print and digital publishing company launched in Dubai, in January 2017, with a mission to share the Middle East's most unique voices and powerful stories with the world.

Working at the intersection of creativity and consciousness, the company is striving towards creating one of the most influential life-changing media organisations in the Middle East, offering a platform for inspiring stories from the region to be shared globally.

With a bold aim to create print and digital media dedicated to the advancement of humanity, The Dreamwork Collective offers a range of trainings and courses and has an ever-growing oeuvre of thought-provoking books, including Rock Your Ugly: A middle finger to toxic beauty standards, The Secret Life of Dubai's Cats, Homes: We Make Them, They Make Us, Softening the Edge: Empathy: How humanity's oldest leadership trait is changing our world, Wake Up! A five-week self-healing, self-loving journey, This is Postpartum, Whip It! A guide to getting sassy and skilled in the kitchen, and Tackled! A conceptual practical guide to working with girls, boys, women and men in creating safe and healthy discourse around deconstruction of harmful gender barriers.

For more information, and to buy a book, visit: https://thedreamworkcollective.com/