After a pregnancy whose physical hardship she found surprising, Alena was further blindsided by the postpartum period. We don’t talk about all the ways postpartum depression can manifest. The media focuses on the more extreme cases, and since the experience is so often cast in shame, individuals tend not to be transparent with their stories. Alena felt sad for a long time and had trouble bonding with her baby. She wants to be more open so that others can recognize PPD if it happens to them. That was one impetus behind publishing a memoir.
Alena Dillon is the author of the novels Mercy House, The Happiest Girl in the World, and Eyes Turned Skyward, and the pregnancy and motherhood memoir My Body Is A Big Fat Temple. She lives north of Boston with her husband, two children, and dog. You can follow her on IG at @alena.dillon or Twitter at TheAlenaDillon or visit her website at alenadillon.com.
Resources
- Emily Oster’s Books – Expecting Better, Cribsheet, The Family Firm
- My Body Is A Big Fat Temple: An Ordinary Story of Pregnancy and Early Motherhood (Alena’s book)
- Expecting Amy – Amy’s Schumer’s documentary on pregnancy on HBO Max
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