As September sees some of the highest birthrates, postpartum depression still remains a concern

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- September is a month that sees some of the highest birth rates of the year, but for many moms, the challenges don't end when their baby arrives. 

Gina Williams, the founder of Mother's Sanctuary – a local non-profit organization that provides proper resources for new mothers experiencing mental health issues – is speaking out after experiencing postpartum depression with her baby. 

"First of all, I didn't know that was what I was experiencing," Williams says.

"I didn't understand that was a normal part of motherhood. I had a lot of fear and shame because of the emotions that were coming up, but I did not know that."

Williams says she also didn't know where to seek help, because proper resources were not readily available to her, and that's what inspired her to start her own company. 

OB/GYN Dr. Sharrell Gibson at Goshen Health also shares the difficulties that many new moms experience: 

"This is a medical condition. It is not a maternal failure," Dr. Gibson shares. 

"There are hormone drops that are happening. The symptoms can be anything very mild to severe, like psychotic symptoms." 

Dr. Gibson adds that there's several resources available at Goshen Health, and it's never too late to ask for help. 

When thinking of advice for new mothers going through similar difficulties, both Williams and Dr. Gibson recommend family members of mothers to speak up, because sometimes, new mothers don't know that they're experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression. 

"Don't just let it go. It's serious," Williams says.