Hear how Carol Blocker found out her daughter Melanie Stokes was trying to kill herself. Melanie Stokes had Postpartum Psychosis, a devastating mood disorder that can develop two to four weeks postpartum or immediately after a woman gives birth. Postpartum psychosis causes paranoia, hallucinations (hearing voices urging a new mother to kill herself or her child), severe insomnia, loss of appetite, anxiety and depression. A woman suffering from postpartum psychosis often suffers alone because of the shame associated with this illness.

The mother of Melanie Stokes, Carol Blocker, shared with EmpowHer all the different ways her daughter kept planning her own suicide.

Her Facts
Postpartum psychosis is rare. It occurs in 1 or 2 out of every 1000 births and usually begins in the first 6 weeks postpartum. Women who have bipolar disorder or another psychiatric problem called schizoaffective disorder have a higher risk for developing postpartum psychosis. Symptoms may include delusions, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, and obsessive thoughts about the baby. A woman may have rapid mood swings, from depression to irritability to euphoria.

Melanie Stokes' is one of the world's best known names on the issue of Postpartum Psychosis. Since Melanie's tragic death, her mother Carol Blocker has taken on the responsibility of raising her granddaughter Sommer Skyy.

Get an update on the life of Melanie's baby Sommer Skyy, how she's handling the loss of her mom, where she's living and how old she is.

When Melanie Blocker Stokes became pregnant, she seemed to have everything in place. She was a successful pharmaceutical sales manager happily married to a physician. But on February 23, 2001, Sommer Skyy was born, beautiful and healthy. That's when Melanie's mother, Carol, realized something wasn't quite right with her daughter.

In this interview Melanie's mom, Carol Blocker recommends a supportive book and provides an update on Melanie's Bill, legislation named after her daughter.

Discover what PPD survivor Kristin Park did to prevent another postpartum depression experience after the birth of her next child. Learn about the role her neighbors played, how her husband managed his time to play a larger role and the help they brought into the home.