After the Stork: the Couple’s Guide to Preventing and Overcoming Postpartum Depression.Sara Rosenquist, $25.95

Having a baby is one of the most dramatic transitions you will ever make, both opening you to the greatest love you can experience and setting in motion a rollercoaster of emotions you never before thought possible. These feelings are affected significantly by psychological and social factors-in fact, studies reveal that nearly as many new fathers as new mothers exhibit symptoms of postpartum depression.

Written by a clinical psychologist specializing in postpartum depression, After the Stork clearly explains this often misunderstood condition and offers a revolutionary approach to stopping depression in its tracks. You'll discover powerful tools for addressing the sleep deprivation, financial tensions, and stress that can cause depression to take hold, and finally be able to make more room for experiencing the joy of welcoming a new child into your life.

Another Twinkle in the Eye: Contemplating Another Pregnancy after Perinatal Mental Illness. Elaine Hanzak, $48.95

Every year thousands of parents suffer from mood disorders related to pregnancy, birth, and/or postpartum — Perinatal Mental Illness. It follows that at some point affected parents are likely to ask the question 'Do I/ we want another baby?'

The decision to have a child is one that is rarely taken lightly. When a previous pregnancy/early parenthood has resulted in maternal and/or paternal mental illness, then making a conscious decision to have another baby is even more challenging. This guide will support parents and professionals in that decision-making process, and in planning for another pregnancy and the postnatal period if the decision is yes. It will also consider the implications of deciding not to have another child.

Another Twinkle in the Eye is the essential guide for anyone contemplating pregnancy after perinatal mental illness.

Double Time: How I Survived — and Mostly Thrived — through the First Three Years of Mothering Twins. Jane Roper, $16.99

Jane Roper never expected she’d have twins — or that they’d be such a spirited twosome. She didn’t expect that finding the right balance of work and home would be so tricky. And she certainly didn’t expect to grapple with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder during her daughters’ toddler years. But she also didn’t anticipate how much joy, laughter, and self-discovery motherhood would bring.

Full of warmth, honesty, occasional advice, and a generous helping of humor, DOUBLE TIME is a smart and engaging account of the first three years with multiples, and a refreshingly candid and vulnerable look at clinical depression.

Dropping the Baby and Other Scary Thoughts: Breaking the Cycle of Unwanted Thoughts in Motherhood. Karen Kleiman & Amy Wenzel, $53.50

The Ghost in the House: Real Mothers Talk About Maternal Depression, Raising Children and How They Cope. Tracy Thompson, $17.50

An award-winning reporter for the Washington Post, Tracy Thompson was thirty-four when she was hospitalized and put on suicide watch during a major depressive episode. This event … became the point of departure for an in-depth, groundbreaking book on depression and her struggle with the disease. The Beast shattered stereotypes and inspired countless readers to confront their own battles with mental illness. Having written that book, and having found the security of a happy marriage, Thompson assumed that she had learned to manage her illness. But when she took on one of the most emotionally demanding jobs of all—being a mother—depression returned with fresh vengeance.

Very quickly Thompson realized that virtually everything she had learned up to then about dealing with depression was now either inadequate or useless. In fact, maternal depression was a different beast altogether … The Ghost in the House, the result of Thompson's extensive studies, is the first book to address maternal depression as a lifelong illness that can have profound ramifications for mother and child. A striking blend of memoir and journalism, here is an invaluable resource for the millions of women who are white-knuckling their way through what should be the most satisfying years of their lives. Thompson offers her readers a concise summary of the cutting-edge research in this field, deftly written prose and, above all, hope.

Hillbilly Gothic: a Memoir of Madness and Motherhood. Adrienne Martini, $19.99

"My family has a grand tradition. After a woman gives birth, she goes mad. I thought that I would be the one to escape."

So begins Adrienne Martini's candid, compelling, and darkly humorous history of her family's and her own experiences with depression and postpartum syndrome. Martini delves unflinchingly into her own breakdown and institutionalization and traces the multigenerational course of this devastating problem … She also weaves in the stories of other women, both contemporary and historic, who have dealt with postpartum depression in all its guises, from fleeting "baby blues" to full-blown psychosis … New mothers and those who have struggled with parenthood — whether or not they dealt with depression — will find affirmation in this story of triumph, of escape from a difficult legacy, of hope for others, and of the courage to have another baby.

Inconsolable: How I Threw My Mental Health Out with the Diapers. Marrit Ingman, $17.95

Inconsolable is the story of Marrit Ingman’s journey through postpartum depression, told with frank and unrelenting honesty — and with a good dose of sarcasm and wit. It is a vivid portrait of motherhood that is unlike the picture-perfect image of parenting that exists in the popular culture. Details of her depression, rage, feelings of inadequacy, suicidal fantasies are all there — along with the unplanned cesarean section, ankyloglossia, colic, gastroesophageal reflux, eczema, Zoloft, Paxil, peanut allergy and hepatitis. This is a book for parents who don’t see themselves in the “expert” books, who get no relief from well-meant advice from family, friends or the family doctor. This is a book for the reader who needs to know that she is not alone.

It’s Not Forever, DVD. Families Matter Calgary, $46.95

Postpartum depression affects up to 13% of mothers. This DVD helps mothers and their families understand what postpartum depression is, and that they are not alone. This DVD offers the stories of people affected by postpartum depression, and how they found their way through.

Overcoming Baby Blues: a Comprehensive Guide to Perinatal Depression. Gordon Parker, Kerrie Eyers & Philip Boyce, $29.95

A practical guide to the depression suffered by many women both during pregnancy and after the baby is born, with advice on identifying the symptoms and seeking the right help, for both women and their partners.

Postpartum Depression Demystified: an Essential Guide for Understanding and Overcoming the most Common Complication after Childbirth. Joyce Venis & Suzanne McCloskey, $20.95

Postpartum depression is the most common complication women experience after childbirth. Yet this serious mood disorder, characterized by sadness, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and guilt, insomnia, and thoughts of harming the baby or oneself, continues to be widely misunderstood and frequently misdiagnosed. In Postpartum Depression Demystified, renowned PPD authority Joyce Venis and Suzanne McCloskey, both PPD sufferers themselves, turn their combined experience and expertise into an insightful and supportive guide for everyone living with and seeking to understand this condition.

Pregnant on Prozac: the Essential Guide to Making the Best Decision for You and Your Baby. Shoshana Bennett, $19.95

PREGNANT ON PROZAC spells out the possible risks of anti-depressant use by expectant or new mothers, as well as the lesser known but no less serious risks to both baby and mother from untreated depression. Taking a pull-no-punches, and yet nonjudgmental approach, Dr. Shoshanna Bennett addresses:

• The controversy — does the media exaggerate the risk?
• The experts — finding and gathering your medical support team
• Alternative treatments — acupuncture, cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques, nutrition …
• The myths — do pregnancy hormones protect women from depression?
• FAQs — will I be able to breastfeed? Will I pass depression (or OCD, or anxiety) on to my child?
• Communication — how to talk to family and friends about this issue

This Isn't What I Expected: Overcoming Postpartum Depression, 2nd Edition. Karen Kleiman & Valerie Raskin, $21.00

One in seven mothers suffers from a disorder on the postpartum depression spectrum; another 20–30 percent of them deal with above-average anxiety. THIS ISN'T WHAT I EXPECTED has become the go-to resource for postpartum depression. This second edition has been updated in an effort to help women and their partners sort through all the noise and myths to focus on getting the help they need. Dr. Valerie Davis Raskin and social worker Karen Kleiman offer their expertise in this guide to self-help and professional treatment for one of the most misunderstood and misdiagnosed mental illnesses. They provide compassionate support and solid advice for mothers with post-partum depression and the partners who can help them through it.

Tokens of Affection: Reclaiming Your Marriage After Postpartum Depression. Karen Kleiman & Amy Wenzel, $50.50

Postpartum depression is hard on a marriage. In their private practices, authors Karen Kleiman and Amy Wenzel often find themselves face-to-face with marriages that are suffocating, as if the depression has sucked the life out of a relationship that was only prepared for the anticipated joy of pending childbirth. What happens to marriage? Why do couples become angry, isolated, and disconnected? TOKENS OF AFFECTION looks closely at marriages that have withstood the passing storm of depression and are now seeking, or in need of, direction back to their previous levels of functioning and connectedness. The reader is introduced to a model of collaboration that refers to eight specific features, which guide postpartum couples back from depression. These features, framed as “Tokens,” are based on marital therapy literature and serve as a reminder that these are not just communication skill-building techniques; they are gift-giving gestures on behalf of their relationship. A reparative resource, TOKENS OF AFFECTION helps couples find renewed harmony, a solid relational ground, and reconnection.

Transformed by Postpartum Depression: Women's Stories of Trauma and Growth. Walker Karraa, $27.50

Transformed by Postpartum Depression is a poignant tale of 20 women’s journeys through postpartum depression, the trauma it creates, and the growth that they experienced as a result. Shocked by the severe and sudden onset of symptoms, these women described the failure of care providers to screen for or treat depression. Battling postpartum depression, including thoughts of suicide, these women fought to do whatever it took to recover. Remarkably, they discovered that not only had they healed, but they had grown in extraordinary ways and were ultimately thankful for the personal growth experienced through the trauma of postpartum depression.