Your postpartum (or postnatal, depending on where you live) experience will be unique. I say that because when you enter motherhood, matrescence, you enter it as your unique self, with your unique biological make-up, your unique previous experiences, your unique neuroscience. So, you won’t know how postpartum will be for you, until you are in it. Yes, sometimes there are neurobiological predictors, but often women are surprised when they enter their 4th trimester. Katie R. was one of these mums. Katie felt a bit down during pregnancy and was worried about postnatal depression. However, what her 4th trimester brought was the exact opposite. Katie was up, not down! Because Katie experienced bipolar symptoms, and not stock-standard depression or anxiety it took some time for her to get the help she needed. And not only did she find help, she also found herself. Key takeaways from this episode of The Tough Mothers Podcast: - You will know if you don’t feel OK, and you must speak up! - Your postpartum experience does not need to shape the rest of your life. - Sometimes wonderful things come from our darkest experiences. - Mental health is something that affects everyone. There is no shame in it. Find more information, tips, support and show notes at www.ToughMothers.com/ep13