COVINGTON, Ga. — A Newton County native is using her personal story of how she overcame postpartum depression to inspire and encourage others through the form of a workbook and journal.

From joy and excitement to fear and anxiousness, the birth of a baby can be an emotional experience for mothers and fathers. However, there’s one emotion that most neither expect nor talk about: depression.

According to a study from the CDC, approximately 1 out of every 10 women has suffered some form of depression within the last year — about 1 in 8 women experienced symptoms of postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a form of depression that occurs after having a baby. Symptoms may include lasting sadness or “emptiness;” feelings of hopelessness, helplessness or irritability; loss of interest in hobbies; loss of energy; difficulty sleeping; and even thoughts of suicide.

Makayla Walker, a new mother who resides in Covington, said she struggled with postpartum depression after giving birth to her son on Jan. 18, 2020.

“I never thought it would happen to me, but it did,” she said.

Walker said she had an “uneventful” pregnancy, and “everything was good.” But a few hours after birth, Walker said her blood pressure skyrocketed.

Her blood pressure battle lasted several days, which caused her to stay in the hospital for about a week after giving birth. She said her son was able to go home before she was.

Once released, Walker said she was able to go home and be with her son, but life at home with her newborn wouldn’t last long.

About two days later, while at home, Walker checked her blood pressure and found it extremely high again. After calling the doctor, she was encouraged to return to the hospital.

“That was really the start of my postpartum anxiety and depression,” she recalled.

Once at the hospital, Walker was given “emergency medicines,” she said. But those had no effect on her, so she was sent to the Intensive Care Unit, where Walker said she “almost died.”

“I was really, really afraid,” she said. “I thought I wasn’t going to make it. And I felt so defeated because I had just had my baby. He was at home with my family, and they were taking good care of him, but I felt like I should have been the one taking care of him.”

After spending time in the ICU, Walker was eventually released to the Labor and Delivery unit, and doctors finally found the right medicine combination to fix her blood pressure issues, she said.

When Walker was released from the hospital a second time, she constantly found herself checking her blood pressure, so much so that she actually broke her blood pressure monitor and was forced to get a new one. And it never left her side.

“Wherever I was, that blood pressure checker was right there next to me,” she said. “That’s truly when I knew I had a problem.

“I couldn’t function,” Walker continued. “I was always having panic attacks. I wasn’t sleeping. I was always thinking the worst, that I was just going to croak over and die from a heart attack or a stroke because of  my blood pressure.”

It didn’t take long for her family to notice something was wrong with Walker’s well-being. They recommended she talk to someone and go to the doctor with her issues. 

As she took heed to their advice, Walker was able to receive help through a therapist and medication. 

“It really helped me,” she said.

In August 2020, Walker said she was released from her cardiologist — a moment she described as “pivotal” in her postpartum journey and the spark to write a book, titled “Everything Is Going To Be Okay - Postpartum Workbook & Journal,” that shared her experience.

“Just reflecting on what I had gone through, I knew I needed to share my story and didn’t need to keep it to myself,” she said.

Roughly eight months later, Walker’s book was published. 

“I hope that moms and dads can find this workbook to be a source of encouragement,” she said. “I wrote this from my own experience … I’m still having to take anxiety medicine to this day … But I want people to know that what you’re going through is going to get better, so don’t give up. Just hold on, give things a little time to settle down, and get the help you need. I know it’s hard to see that and believe that when you’re going through storms — it’s dark and you don’t see a way out — but it does get better.

“And if you’re struggling, please reach out to somebody,” Walker added. “Don’t struggle in solitude. If you reach out. You can get help.”

Walker’s book is not currently being sold online or in stores, but anyone interested in getting a copy of the book may email inquiries to Walker directly at makaylawalkerppworkbook@gmail.com.