In support of the Mothers Act

It was just recently that during a talk with JP's sister, Sabee, she told me she was depressed for about a year after her son was born. Our Adorable Nephew is seven years old now.

I was a little surprised to find out she was suffering from depression, but not shocked. JP and I had noticed a change in her, but I never considered depression. After all, she still smiled. She still sent cards. She took excellent care of our Adorable Nephew. That didn't spell out postpartum to us -- because we didn't really know that it can be different for each person. We just didn't know.

I'm blogging about postpartum depression today as part of BlogHer's Mother's Act Blog Day, to spread the word about postpartum depression and support the Mothers Act bill. According to BlogHer, the Mothers Act bill would "provide for education about postpartum mood disorders for new mothers and their families, require healthcare professionals to screen new moms for postpartum mood disorders during the first year postpartum, and train those professionals on how to conduct proper screenings and care for women who are diagnosed with these illnesses." This could save lives -- half a million, BlogHer says. (I don't know if this is the same as the bill, but last Friday, ABC News reported on the U.S. House of Representatives approving spending $3 million on postpartum depression.)

Mothers -- families -- deserve this.