Book Review: Down Came the Rain by Brooke Shields

I have been very open lately about having Postpartum Depression.  It's not always easy talking about it openly, but I think it's important.  Brooke Sheilds takes the same approach.  She is a celebrity and has always been in the public eye, but she isn't afraid to share her story in Down Came the Rain.

This book was her own personal story about her struggle and triumph through Postpartum Depression.  Her depression was much worse than my own, she had thoughts of running away from her baby or visions of her baby being hurt.  She talks about how she ignored her feelings and what her caring friends were trying to tell her.  She went through a few different medicines before finally finding one that worked to keep her feeling "normal".  She went and talked to a therapist about her feelings and find comfort in that.  She talks about her struggle to go back to being in showbiz and how she juggles being a working mom.  Her story is very touching.  Her husband was a great support to her and she eventually found a Filipino baby nurse to help her around the house and keeping her daughter on a schedule while she was at work or having a bad day.  She had to learn who she was again in order to find out how to be a mother.

A few of my personal favorite quotes from this book, quotes that spoke to me and that I could relate to are the following: 

"I was feeling so bad that I found it hard to believe a tiny pink pill could lift the black cloud following me around like Pigpin from Peanuts."

"I shouldn't be afraid or embarrassed to take medicine, and it was not a terrible thing to accept all the help that was available."

"....and I had to admit to being a legitimate member of a depressed mommy society.  Did this mean that I was crazy or that I was destined to be on the six o'clock news because of my inevitable actions?  Of course not."

I think this is a quick and great read for anyone, but especially someone struggling with Postpartum Depression.  It was great to read someone else's story. 

Her book ends with Rowan turning 1.  Since writing this book Brooke went on to have another daughter without having any PPD problems the second time around.  This is very encouraging to me personally.