Moana Hope has opened up to Jess Rowe about her heartbreaking experiences with postpartum depression after complications with the birth of her son Ahi in June.
She and wife Isabella Carlstrom share him and daughter Svea, but this was the first time Moana carried and delivered a baby and the experience was traumatic.
Speaking on Jess’ podcast The Jess Rowe Big Talk Show, Moana opened up about how she’s been coping since.
Moana Hope with her wife and son.
(Image: Instagram)“I haven’t said this… it’s really hard because this is the first time I’ve given birth,” she began.
“Belle would probably say I’m experiencing postpartum depression, but I’m like, ‘what qualifies me to experience postpartum depression?’ I’m not sure, but I would say [I’m experiencing] postpartum depression.”
The AFLW star confessed that while it’s been a hard pill to swallow, she knew she needed to reach out to her psychiatrist for help after welcoming Ahi.
“I wanted to make sure that mentally I was getting that support, because there were things that I just felt like I wasn’t good enough,” she revealed.
WATCH: Moana Hope shows off her son Ahi
“My birth for me was very traumatic. It was really something that I cried for days about. It was really hard to deal with and I really needed to deal with that.”
She previously revealed that she had hoped to have a complication-free birth like wife Belle, who delivered their daughter Svea in 2020.
Instead, Moana endured a gruelling 24-hour labour, during which time there were fears for her son’s health as his heart rate dropped and he was under stress.
From the moment Ahi arrived, Moana knew “something was wrong”; the doctors rushed him away to stabilise him while Belle cried, leaving Moana even more afraid.
Moana with Belle, Svea and Ahi.
(Image: Instagram)Though Ahi’s health quickly stabilised and she was able to embrace her newborn, the experience had a lasting effect on Moana.
“I think I’ve done really well by talking my way through it and working my way through it, which has been amazing,” she told Jess.
“And I don’t feel that scariness about it anymore, but that was really hard to deal with. So I’d definitely say [I’ve experienced] postpartum depression.”
Jess was empathetic, having had her own experiences with postpartum depression. She battled it herself after the births of her two daughters, Allegra and Giselle.
