Sleepless Days

Those who have dismissed postpartum depression as a minor condition will think again after reading this articulate and harrowing account. Resnick, a freelance writer whose work has appeared in the New York Times, was plunged into an abyss of insomnia, anxiety, depression and suicidal fantasies several months after her son was born, in stark contrast to the happiness and competence she felt after the birth of her daughter three years before. Although the cause of PPD remains unclear, the timing and course of the symptoms are unambiguous. However, Resnick, like many of the other women who suffer with this illness, was misdiagnosed by a physician who told her she simply needed a vacation. For months, she hid the severity of her insomnia and mood swings from her supportive husband. Finally, stressed and exhausted, Resnick began seeing a nurse psychotherapist who told her she had PPD and recommended antidepressants in addition to therapy. Resnick affectingly describes the guilt she felt over weaning her baby early so that she could take her medication without harming her child. She was also conflicted about her decision to turn over a good deal of the care for the children to her husband and babysitters so she would be able to recuperate. Slowly, she began to recover her stamina and pleasure in everyday family life. Grounded in vivid detail, Resnick's heartfelt memoir will reassure others who suffer from PPD that the condition, though serious, is treatable and temporary. Agent, Kim Witherspoon. (Feb.)