Taming the Monster of Postpartum Depression

A Raw Honest Hopeful Book

You can love your baby and still not be

Okay

Everyone tells you how wonderful becoming a mother will be. The tiny fingers. The first smile. The overwhelming love.
But what happens when
the story you were expecting isn’t the story you’re living?
Taming the Monster of Postpartum Depression opens an honest conversation about what can happen when becoming a parent doesn’t feel the way you thought it would.

Real Stories

Real Stories. Raw, Honest and Unfiltered.

Expert Insights

Research and Professional Perspectives

For Mothers and Fathers

Because Both Matter

Practical Hope

Understanding Support and the Way Forward

Workplaces

Tools for Support, Care and Better Conversations.

This book is for YOU if

A Mother

Who is struggling with post postpartum depression, anxiety or feelings you can’t explain.

A Father

Who wants to understand what your partner is going through and your own mental health.

A Professional

Psychologists, Psychiatrist or therapists looking for real-life stories that open conversations.

A HR Leader

Who wants to build a psychologically safe workplace for new and expectant mothers.

A Partner or Friend

Who wants to support someone they love with compassion and understanding.

About Taming the Monster of Postpartum Depression.

Kim Vermaak knows what it is like to look fine on the outside while fighting something very different on the inside.

After experiencing severe postpartum depression following the birth of her first child, and again during subsequent pregnancies, Kim began to understand that what was happening to her was about far more than simply being tired or overwhelmed.

Her story reaches back into childhood experiences of foster care, abuse and neglect, and explores how the past can sometimes collide with the enormous physical, emotional and psychological changes that come with pregnancy, childbirth and becoming a parent.

But this is not only Kim’s story.

It is a book filled with real stories from mothers and fathers who have experienced postpartum depression and other forms of postpartum distress.

Their stories sit alongside insights from psychologists, psychiatrists, researchers and other professionals who help us understand what can happen to the mind and body during this extraordinary and sometimes frightening period of life.

This is a book about what happens when the story you are living does not look anything like the story you were expecting.

Review

Reading this book was an emotional roller coaster.

The story’s vulnerability and intimacy were particularly moving, but what makes this book so important is that it goes far beyond one woman’s experience of postpartum depression.

Through personal stories, research, science and an exploration of the many support systems and circumstances that shape a mother’s wellbeing, this author challenges us to think differently about how we support new parents. It reminded me that postpartum depression can affect anyone, that good intentions are not always enough, and that we cannot wait until a mother is visibly struggling before we offer support. Maternal mental health is not the responsibility of the mother alone, nor of one healthcare professional or one family member.

It is a collective responsibility that includes families, communities, healthcare systems and workplaces. For employers who genuinely want to create environments where people can thrive, understanding the realities of pregnancy, parenthood and maternal mental health is essential.

This book is ultimately a powerful call for greater awareness, compassion and proactive support, and a reminder that when we invest in supporting mothers and families, we are investing in healthier people, healthier workplaces and healthier communities.

Tasneem Abrahams Occupational Therapist | Founder of Private Practice Growth Club

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kim Vermaak

Author, speaker, writing coach and TEDx speaker.
After experiencing severe postpartum depression firsthand, Kim began asking the questions that so many new parents are afraid to ask out loud.
Taming the Monster of Postpartum Depression is her story – and the stories of other parents who have been there too.

“This book was written for the mothers and fathers who look fine on the outside, but on the inside feel like they are fighting a monster no one else can see.”

Kim Vermaak