Moms Share Their Postpartum Depression Experiences

To let you know you're not alone, we asked some real-life moms to share their postpartum depression stories and how they pulled themselves out of those dark days.

Hooray, the baby is here, and everyone around you is bursting with joy—except you. This was supposed to be the happiest time of your life, so why are you feeling so blue, moody, achy, anxious and exhausted?

Rest assured, it's not just you. Up to 80 percent of new mothers experience some form of baby blues—an emotional reaction that can pop up days after you give birth and last for weeks.

To let you know you're not alone, we asked some real-life moms to share their postpartum depression stories and how they pulled themselves out of those dark days.

The Realization: I Let Myself Go

"I knew something was wrong when I looked in the mirror and saw how greasy my hair was. Suddenly, I realized I hadn't showered in days. I felt frazzled that I could forget such a basic need, but there I was—a single, smelly mom, in wrinkled PJs [with formula spit-up on them]. My whole life had become taking care of my baby and not doing a thing for myself. I didn't think it would be this hard," says Jenna D.

More at Parenting.com.