Penny Lancaster suffered post-partum depression

By auditioning contributor Kaisa

Model Penny Lancaster, 35, revealed that after giving birth to son Alastair last November, she suffered from post-partum depression. The fiancée of singer Rod Stewart, 61, said: "Sleep deprivation and hormones meant little things like seeing Rod cuddling Alastair would set me off crying. I remember writing in my diary after three weeks ‘Today I didn’t cry’."

Meanwhile Rod is delighted about Alastair and says that becoming a dad again has given him a new lease of life.  "I’m loving every minute of it. Being a father just gets better and better, I’m not knackered at all. We have just had our first night away after the baby, just the two of us. We went to Sir David Frost’s party, then went back and had rampant sex on the balcony," he told Britain’s Mail On Sunday newspaper.

Source: Female First

Comments

Kirstie on July 11th, 2006

Im glad that celebrities have started talking out about this. I didn’t suffer from it but my sister in law did and she didnt know what to do until she hear about Brooke Shields

Alioop on July 11th, 2006

UH, TOO much info, Rod!

Victoria on July 11th, 2006

I wish celebrities wouldn’t describe post-partum in terms of crying and being weepy. There’s more to it than crying.

Aleah on July 11th, 2006

He could have gone without the “rampant sex on the balcony” part

malincha on July 11th, 2006

I totally agree with Victoria.It’s quite normal to be a bit melancholic after giving birth.I’ve had a ppd that lasted 14 months after my son was born.Had panic-attacs,insomnia.Pills,counseling and a special diet helped me get through this.I can say I went throug hell and back.

Campbell on July 11th, 2006

PPD is a topic that is near and dear to me. I have 3 children. After my first child was born, I suffered in every imaginable way. I was 5’2 148 pds. the day I gave birth. In 6 weeks I was down to my “normal” weight of 104. Now THAT was the LAST thing on my mind at the time.(for anyone that my think I was concerned about weight). I nursed my son for 10 months. My SEVERE depression hit immediately, I’m talking in the hospital. Now this will be 21 yrs. ago in Oct., so I didn’t have any real understanding of what was so horribly wrong w/me. Unbearable sleep deprivation, my emotional immaturity at the time, surging hormones, and unimaginable pain put my in serious crisis. Jacob weighed 9’11. I hurt for 4 months. My nipples cracked and bled for nearly the entire 10 months of nursing. The tears would stream down my face EVERY time he nursed, and I didn’t have a clue how to stop. He was one of those babes that seemed to NEVER sleep, and he refused bottles and paci’s . I had horrible hallucinations, and would wake from night terrors (day and night) thinking he was in danger. I got serious carpet burns from jumping from the bed (in my sleep) thinking something was dragging him under the bed. I have awaken on the floor in the closet throwing shoes across the room in a frenzy thinking he was lost there. I could go on and on. I feel like I was cheated out of that precious fleeting time w/ him. I was in trememdous pain because my organs “fell”, my bladder dropped and urine would run down my leg constantly. My rib cage had been so stretched that I was told I was feeling the equivalent of rib fractures. I was absolutely terrified to even THINK about sex, but after 4 months my husband and I did(very infrequently, and w/great pain). Well, I got pregnant w/ my first daughter, Alexandria as Jacob was weaning from me. My experience w/ her was the COMPLETE opposite. I can honestly say that if I had not gotten pregnant(using birth control)I don’t think I would have ever had the courage to go thru it again. By the way, my 3rd and final child (daughter Gabrielle Sophia (sophi 8 yrs old on 7/10 was a “breeze” from start to finish. The pregnancy and birth of each child is so incredibly different! …… Yowsa! Didn’t mean to write a book, but this is something that is VERY important for me to share w/ other women. (and daddys) I actually speak on this subject.

Campbell on July 11th, 2006

Oh… and I had him vaginally. I had a grade 4 episiotomy. After a couple hundred stitches, my doc stopped counting!!

Millie on July 11th, 2006

We could definitely have done without that extra bit of information Rod felt the need to slip in – yuk!

I don’t believe she had post natal depression from what she says she experienced, it sounds to me like just the normal emotions and baby blues that first time mothers in particular go through.

Christie on July 11th, 2006

Just have to whole-heartedly agree with previous posters.

I worry that new moms are going to be subjected to the “boy cried wolf” syndrome if every new mom starts describing what are normal “baby blues” as post-partum depression and that the mommies who really are suffering PPD won’t be taken as seriously as they need to be.

3SPINS on July 12th, 2006

I’m glad somebody is having rampant sex!