Our Stories

You will be well. We are living proof.

Jeannie was pursuing her advanced nursing degree when she found out she was pregnant. She was surprised, but thrilled. She and her husband, Joe, had everything planned out. The nursery mural, the baby’s crib, the breast pump were all ready for Leo’s unmedicated arrival. Jeannie’s c-section was the first disappointment, followed by uncontrollable worry for the baby, only a little bit of a milk supply, and an intense fear for her future.

Jill gave birth to Hayden, in St. Louis. Her breastfeeding problems were difficult, but it helped to have a neighbor who was a lactation consultant. But, three weeks later, they moved to Kansas City. Jill never had her six-week postpartum visit. Feeling alone and overwhelmed, Jill reached out to PPRC when Hayden was nine months old. Her story tells how social support made the difference for her and helped keep depression at bay when little Jonah was born.

Elizabeth was eight weeks pregnant when she came to her first support group. Anxiety and depression had overcome her and she wanted to make sure her postpartum experience was not as difficult as the first weeks of her pregnancy had been. As she researched, she learned that attending a PPD support group during pregnancy can help to offset postpartum anxiety & depression.

Meeka’s pregnancy caught her by surprise. Despite the excitement of everyone around her about the birth of her daughter, she found herself feeling overwhelmed and alone. Her recovery from Postpartum Depression and Anxiety was long and difficult with no resources in the Kansas City area. As a result, she made it her mission to help other women find the help they need to feel better quicker.

Jen tells the story of her two unplanned pregnancies, two births, and two very different experiences with Postpartum Depression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. When her daughter Evan, now 7, was born, Jen was sure her daughter would be better off without her. After two serious suicide attempts, no treatment, and two years, Jen moved back to college, lifting herself out of the depression. Five years after Evan, came Alex, now 2. With a support system in place, Jen’s second recovery was a stark contrast to her first.

Jenny’s postpartum experience transformed her life. Her story recounts her sleeplessness and the resulting Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and psychotic effects. When help was finally put in place for her, she tells, she was able to finally see her support system. Her experience propelled her to a new conviction: Women need support.