Hayden Panettiere Reveals Struggle With Postpartum Depression
Hayden Panettiere opened up about her struggles with postpartum depression. The Nashville star stopped by Live! with Kelly and Michael on Monday, Sept. 28, to talk about the fourth season of her hit ABC series.
During her interview, Panettiere talks about how her character, Juliette, suffers from postpartum depression shortly after giving birth to her first child. That’s when she revealed to hosts Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan that it’s something she’s personally struggled with.
“She went through that, which is something that I can very much relate to, and something that I know a lot of women experience. It’s something, I think, that needs to be talked about, and women need to know that they’re not alone.”
Hayden went on to say that there’s “a lot of misunderstanding” when it comes to postpartum depression. She added that some people “think that it’s not real, that it’s not true, that it’s something that’s made up in their minds.”
“That’s not true. It’s something that’s completely uncontrollable, and it’s really painful and it’s really scare, and women need a lot of support.”
Hayden Panettiere is one of the few celebrities who has opened up about their struggles with postpartum depression. She’s hoping that her character’s story will also make it more allowable for women to talk about their post-pregnancy symptoms. Panettiere and her fiancé, boxer Wladimir Klitschko, welcomed their daughter Kaya in December 2014.
Hayden Panettiere opens up about her postpartum depression: “Women need to know that they’re not alone.” http://t.co/dHItt7xtrM
— E! Online (@eonline) September 29, 2015
The former Heroes star revealed to Us Weekly in her “25 Things You Don’t Know About Me” feature that she has “suffered a bit” from postpartum depression. She added, “You’re not alone or crazy, ladies!”
Exclusive! 25 things you don’t know about @haydenpanettier http://t.co/Qkhbi5mbNI
— Us Weekly (@usweekly) September 26, 2015
They are definitely not alone. According to the CDC via a report on Q-13 Fox, over 600,000 women have and will experience postpartum depression at least once a year. The concerning numbers have caused a group of mothers in Seattle, Washington, to create a support group through a program called Listening Mothers. To find out more information or to find a group near you, visit their website.
In addition to this news, postpartum depression and postnatal care will also be the topics of discussion at an upcoming expo in the Iowa City area. Kellie Osler may not have a star status like Hayden Panettiere, but she still wants to use her experience to help create awareness. Osler told the Press Citizen that she wants other mothers to no longer feel scared about talking about their own experiences with postpartum depression. To help create awareness, Olser organized the Postpartum and Beyond Expo with the help of 40 vendors and 16 speakers that will take stage at the event, this coming Saturday at the Coraville Holiday Inn.
This free event will provide support and health care available for mothers who are dealing with postpartum depression. There’s also help and support for mothers who are breastfeeding, healing from traumatic births, or would like to learn more about caring for their children. You can find out more information about the event at the article on the Press Citizen news site.
Despite experiencing the very serious post-pregnancy symptoms, Panettiere is willing to have more children. She said on Live! that she wouldn’t mind giving her daughter three more siblings. That still doesn’t mean that she’s getting pregnant anytime soon though. She joked that she wouldn’t mind if her husband got pregnant for a change!
“I’m not going to speak too soon. One at a time. I mean, I would love it if Wlad figured out a way to get pregnant and he could have the baby. We would be going right now, no problem.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing the symptoms of postpartum depression, please speak to a physician. You can also find out more support and information here.
[Image: Jason Merritt/Getty Images]
