Review of It Sucked and Then I Cried by Heather B. Armstrong

Synopsis: "Heather Armstrong gave up a lot of things when she and her husband, Jon, decided to have a baby: beer, small boobs, free time -- and antidepressants. The eighteen months that followed were filled with anxiety, constipation, nacho cheese Doritos, and an unconditional love that threatened to make her heart explode. Still, as baby Leta grew and her husband, Jon, returned to work, Heather faced lonely days, sleepless nights, and endless screaming that sometimes made her wish she'd never become a mother. Just as she was poised to throw another gallon of milk at her husband's head, she committed herself for a short stay in a mental hospital -- the best decision she ever made for her family.
To the dedicated millions who can't get enough of Heather's unforgettably unique style and hilarious stories on her hugely popular blog, there's little she won't share about her daily life as a recovering Mormon, liberal daughter of Republicans, wife of a charming geek, lover of television that exceeds at being really awful, and stay-at-home mom to five-year-old Leta and two willful dogs.
In It Sucked and Then I Cried, Heather tells, with trademark wit, the heartfelt, unrelentingly honest story of her battle with postpartum depression and all the other minor details of pregnancy and motherhood that no one cares to mention. Like how boring it can be to care for someone whose primary means of communication is through her bowels. And how long it can possibly take to reconvene the procedure that got you into this whole parenthood mess in the first place. And how you sometimes think you can't possibly go five more minutes without breathing in that utterly irresistible and totally redeemable fresh baby smell."


My Review: I needed to read this one! I needed to see a little humor about pregnancy, birth and life with a new baby. Though Heather seems to have a dry sense of humor, it still spoke to me. She takes us on a journey through her pregnancy and her life with a new baby. While much of the book is witty and fun, it does touch on a more serious issue of postpartum depression which can effect many women. Not only does Heather tell us about that, but is strong enough to open up about her already underlying depression issues which compounds the postpartum and how she dealt with that and got the help needed. While these subjects really could have brought me down as I near the end of my pregnancy, her style and light approach made it a real possibility but also gave it the upturn I needed to face it. Its a great book to read for someone like myself who is nearing the end or a recent new mom but only if you can catch the sense of humor.

My Rating: This book is definitely not for everyone. While some parts really cracked me up other parts just didn't work, but all in all I enjoyed this some what cynical and comical look at pregnancy and all that it entails.  I give it a rating of Three Paws.