Product Description

In this compelling memoir, Brooke Shields talks candidly about her experience with postpartum depression after the birth of her daughter, and provides millions of women with an inspiring example of recovery hen Brooke Shields welcomed her newborn daughter, Rowan Francis, into the world, something unexpected followed-a crippling depression. Now, for the first time ever, in Down Came the Rain, Brooke talks about the trials, tribulations, and finally the triumphs that occurred before, during, and after the birth of her daughter.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #172967 in Books
• Published on: 2005-05-03
• Released on: 2005-05-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 240 pages

From Publishers Weekly
In 1980, when she was 15, Shields starred in The Blue Lagoon. In the movie, her character accidentally becomes pregnant, and when her son is born, he intuitively finds his way to her breast as Shields looks on with love and contentment. The irony of this scene isn't lost on the grown-up Shields, who not only did not become pregnant accidentally—numerous IVF cycles and a miscarriage preceded the 2003 birth of her daughter—but suffered a devastating aftermath to that birth. "I was in a bizarre state of mind," Shields describes, "experiencing feelings that ranged from embarrassment to stoicism to melancholy to shock, practically at once. I didn't feel at all joyful." Shields assumed she'd bounce back in a few days, after resting from her difficult labor. Instead, her feelings intensified: "This was sadness of a shockingly different magnitude. It felt as if it would never go away." While Shields denied anything was wrong, the persistence of friends and her husband persuaded her to seek treatment through medication and therapy. This brave memoir doesn't shy away from Shields's most difficult moments, including her suicidal thoughts, clearly showing the despair postpartum depression can wreak. While the writing is sometimes repetitive and clichéd, it does emphasize the depth of Shields's depression. This tale will bring awareness of a problem that so many mothers have been afraid to discuss; look for this book to touch off a flurry of lifestyle pieces.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From AudioFile
Actress Brooke Shields had to jump through hoops to get pregnant. With the birth of their daughter, she and her husband were unprepared for the postpartum depression that Shields suffered. Shields reads her own account, providing a very personal and emotional glimpse into what should have been a joyous time in her life, but tragically wasn't. A seasoned actress used to the spotlight, Shields does a stellar job reading her own words with great depth and feeling, yet her tone portrays the strength she believes she gained through this experience. Beyond becoming a public advocate for education regarding this medical affliction, she honestly recounts her feelings and experiences with warmth and eloquence. H.L.S. © AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Shari Lusskin, M.D., FAPA, Director of Reproductive Psychiatry, Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology, New York University School of Medicine
"This inspiring story offers hope to the many women suffering from this illness, as well as to their families."

Customer Reviews

Thank you Brooke
No matter how many other women I speak with who have experienced PPD, I am still relieved to know that I wasn't the only one. I always want to hear their story. I was able to identify with so many aspects of Brooke's depression: guilt, confusion, exhaustion, delusions, but still her experience was uniquely hers. I appreciate the fact that although she is a celebrity, she appears approachable and normal and is a great spokesperson for this condition. I was happy to see that she came out her depression with promising results. This was a really good book.

Beautiful + Vital Material
This book is so well written, that I would suggest it to anyone who is thinking of having children, or anyone who suspects that they may be suffering from postpartum depression. At first, Brooke just WANTS a child so much. When she finally gets the child, she starts to go through the depression. To add to her sadness, her father dies soon after she has her daughter. She then starts to have divided feelings about her child. She also starts to resent having her freedom greatly compromised. (Even to the point of having a death wish.) Sadly, her mother and others threw 'generic advice' at her, and this nearly drove her to suicide. We can sympathize when she says: "I was a healthy minded and capable woman who simply shouldn't have had a child." It is interesting that when she started to work again, and when she was able to express her honest feelings to objective friends, she really started to sound much better. She also places demands on our sympathy when she points out her flaw: "I had put so much time, effort, and emotion into getting pregnant that I had not really considered how my life might change once I actually had the baby." She also raises a really important issue: "I know families are never perfect, and I am learning to let go of wishing they were." She underlines that 1 in 10 women go through postpartum depression, and that if you suspect you have it, you must seek help. She also says that it is: 'NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF.' She also points out that: "Above all, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU DON'T LOVE YOUR CHILD." Not only is this book beautifully written, but it is full of vital information. Also, Brooke shows that while we have weaknesses, it IS possible to rise above them.

A Must-read for Every Pregnant Woman
The subject of post-partum depression is not discussed as much as it should be discussed. I bought this book for my daughter after she suffered from post-partum depression after the birth of my grandson. She thought that she was the only to have these feelings and was very ashamed of how she felt. I was clueless to her feelings. Along with reading all the pregnancy books, this book and others on this subject should be read before giving birth.