Inspire Monday: Emily Guillermo on Her Postpartum Psychosis

Today, I stumbled upon the story of Emily Guillermo of Horizon City, Texas.

In a video produced for the New York Times by Margaret Cheatham Williams, Emily talks about how she struggled with postpartum psychosis after the birth of her second son.

As I watched the five-plus-minute video, I could almost feel her pain. In such an honest and vulnerable way, she admitted that her second son was unexpected, unplanned and unwanted.  There was no instant bond, no instant love. She recounted how she forced his mouth shut while trying to feed him vegetables, how she had put the water nozzle on his face while giving him a bath. She was shocked at herself for trying to hurt her own baby.

Luckily, Emily Guillermo told her husband one day that she didn’t love their second baby. Her husband realized that something was wrong and that Emily needed help as soon as possible.  With her husband’s support and professional help, Emily was eventually able to handle her psychosis and see her baby in a different way. She now knows that she loves her baby, and she thinks that he loves her too.  She also now works with Postpartum Support International.

I hope that her story inspires other mothers experiencing postpartum depression or psychosis to tell someone and to seek help, to not be ashamed of their feelings and thoughts. I hope that her story further promotes awareness and understanding of postpartum depression and psychosis. Ultimately, I hope that Emily Guillermo’s story saves another mother, another child from falling victim to the painful effects and consequences of postpartum depression or psychosis.

 

 

Last Updated on December 10, 2014 by lea

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