Brook Sheilds Postpartum

Michaela Martinelli
Psychology 410
August 5, 2013 Linda Porcaro

Having a baby is one of the happiest events in a womans life; and should be the most important one. Life with a new baby is rewarding just as much as it can be stressful and difficult. Many women transition without harsh difficulties, but there are some women who experience a considerable amount of postpartum disorder (PPD). In the 40 weeks a woman is pregnant her physical and emotional states of mind change. A pregnant woman can often feel sad, anxious, and confused. For the women who are afflicted with PPD, or “the baby blues,” these emotions are short lived. When they do not go away quickly, or these emotions worsen, postpartum may start to effect women. A famous example case of PPD is Brooke Shields, who went through biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral issues leading to her PPD. Brooke Shields was born in 1965 and grew up acting as a small child. Sheilds' parents separated when she was young and was raised by her mother. Her father had an active role in her life growing up. After graduating Princeton University she married Andre Agassi and was divorced a couple of years later. After her divorce she started dating again and remarried. They tried for several years to concieve with no luck due to prior surgery causing scar tissue. When Artificial insemination failed they tried in-vitro fertilization. This process involved injections, estrogen patches, and more surgery. She became pregnant, but had a miscarriage. As this process went on for seven months none were successful. Her last treatment she became pregnant again. Hoping her dad would live long enough, after being diagnosed with cancer, to see his grandaughter born. The baby was born healthy, but with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Brooke had a hard time