Navigating Postpartum Depression: A Working Mom’s Journey

Returning to work after the birth of my son plunged me into a deep depression. At the time, I was part of a study on postpartum depression at New York University hospital. Six months into the study, doctors noticed a significant change in my mental health. This was not unexpected.

Going back to work meant leaving my baby with someone else for nine hours a day. I felt confined to my home. While I cherished my career as a writer and appreciated the income, deciding whether to continue working proved difficult. The diminishing significance of my paycheck compared to child care costs added to my dilemma.

Welcome to Mildy Maternal: Diary of a Work In Progress Mom, a weekly update on the experiences of a new mom who was uncertain about motherhood until faced with infertility.

Let me introduce myself: I’m a 34-year-old mother based in New York City, raising a 14-month-old child. I am setting my own path in motherhood, despite having no prior experience with babies. Before my child, I had never held a baby, which occasionally worries my own mother.

Professionally, I’ve been writing for nearly a decade, spending eight years at Newsweek. The publication is a core part of my identity, even featuring in my father’s wedding speech. In 2023, leaving my job seemed unimaginable to me. But motherhood didn’t entirely shift my perspective on work. A couple of months after returning from maternity leave, I almost quit my job. I even drafted several resignation emails.

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