Books on Postpartum Depression: An Honest List for Indian Mothers

The right book on postpartum depression depends on what you need this week: Karen Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin's This Isn't What I Expected for a plain overview, a CBT workbook for anxious or frightening thoughts, and a memoir to feel less alone. Most of the well-known titles were written for readers in North America or Britain, so I have also included my own book for Indian mothers, clearly marked.

Disclosure: She Was Also Born That Day is my book. I have put it last on this list and described it the same way as the others, so you can judge for yourself. No book here replaces help from a person if you are struggling.

What should a book on postpartum depression actually do?

A good one does three things. It names what is happening, so you stop assuming it is your character. It tells you when to get help, and from whom. And it is short enough to read in the gaps a baby gives you. If it makes you feel worse after ten minutes, put it down. That is information about the book, not about you.

Seven well-known books, and what each is best for

1. This Isn't What I Expected by Karen Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin (first published 1994)

Best for: the first book to pick up when you suspect it is more than tiredness. A therapist quoted by HuffPost recommends it for how it breaks the different postpartum moods and anxieties into easy-to-digest categories, and it appears on the reading list of the MGH Center for Women's Mental Health. Keep in mind: it was not written for India, so skip any part about services that do not match yours.

2. Beyond the Blues by Shoshana Bennett and Pec Indman (first edition 2003, updated edition 2024)

Best for: understanding treatment. The publisher's page quotes the founder of Postpartum Support International describing it as a compact manual covering screening, finding a therapist, myths about nursing and bonding, and treatment. Useful if you want to know what to ask before you see someone. Keep in mind: it was not written for India, so confirm anything medical with a doctor here.

3. The Postpartum Husband by Karen Kleiman (2000)

Best for: the person who lives with you and does not know what to do. The subtitle promises practical solutions for living with postpartum depression. If your husband says "tell me what to do", this is a reasonable thing to hand him. Keep in mind: it was written outside India, so treat it as a starting point for a conversation and not a script.

4. The Pregnancy and Postpartum Anxiety Workbook by Pamela S. Wiegartz and Kevin Gyoerkoe (2009)

Best for: the mother whose problem is less sadness and more dread, checking and unwanted thoughts. It is a workbook of practical skills for worry, panic, obsessions and compulsions, so you do the exercises rather than just read. If intrusive thoughts are your issue, read my post on postpartum anxiety and intrusive thoughts as well. Keep in mind: a workbook is a tool, and it works best alongside a therapist if the thoughts are taking over.

5. Matrescence by Lucy Jones (2023)

Best for: understanding why becoming a mother is such a large change, written by a journalist based in England who draws on neuroscience, psychoanalysis, sociology and her own experience of becoming a mother twice. The publisher's page describes it as an inquiry into what happens, mentally, spiritually and physically, as a woman becomes a mother. Keep in mind: it is not a treatment guide, and it was not written for India.

6. Down Came the Rain by Brooke Shields (2005)

Best for: feeling less alone. It is a memoir of her postpartum depression and recovery, and Publishers Weekly notes that it does not shy away from her most difficult moments, including suicidal thoughts. Keep in mind: that honesty can be heavy on a bad day. Read it when you have support nearby.

7. Not Your Mother's Postpartum Book by Caitlin Slavens and Chelsea Bodie (2023)

Best for: a wide, frank tour of what comes after the baby. According to the publisher, it covers birth trauma, feeding and sleep, the mental load, body image, intimacy, pregnancy loss and returning to work. Keep in mind: its tone is jokey in places, which some mothers love and others find hard when they are low.

8. The book I wrote: She Was Also Born That Day

Disclosure: this is my book. I am Dr Rati Khurana. I hold a PhD in Clinical Psychology and I am an RCI-registered Rehabilitation Counsellor. My proceeds and royalties from the book go to charity, including the Smile Foundation. The book is an Amazon bestseller, but I would rather you judge it by what is inside.

Best for: an Indian mother, and the people around her, who wants plain language about the months after birth. It is not a parenting book. It covers the baby blues, postpartum depression, anxiety and OCD (including frightening thoughts about harm coming to the baby), the biology of the early months, and the forty-day confinement known as chilla or jaapa. It looks at advice from relatives that contradicts the doctor, feeding guilt and grief for the woman you were before. It closes with the signs that mean you need more than a book, with helplines for India, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and the UAE.

Keep in mind: it is not a book about birth trauma, and it does not describe labour and delivery in detail. The paperback (₹795) ships within India. The e-book is sold worldwide. You can find both at the book page and the e-book page.

How do I choose?

• Not sure what this is: This Isn't What I Expected, or my book if you want an Indian context.
• Anxiety and unwanted thoughts: the Wiegartz and Gyoerkoe workbook.
• Need to understand why it feels so big: Matrescence.
• Your husband wants to help: The Postpartum Husband, plus the guide for husbands on this site.
• Feeling alone: Down Came the Rain.

None of this is a substitute for care. If you are unsure whether what you feel is the baby blues or something more, the baby blues versus postpartum depression post explains the two-week line.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best book on postpartum depression?

It depends on what you need. Karen Kleiman and Valerie Davis Raskin's This Isn't What I Expected is a widely recommended overview. For anxious thoughts try a CBT workbook, for understanding the transition read Matrescence, and for an Indian context try my book. No book replaces professional help.

Is there a postpartum depression book written for Indian mothers?

Most well-known titles were written for readers in North America or Britain. My book, She Was Also Born That Day, was written for Indian mothers and the people around them, and covers chilla and advice from family. I cannot say it is the only one, but it is the one I know best.

Can a book help with postpartum depression?

A book can name what you are feeling, explain it and tell you when to get help. It cannot treat depression that has lasted beyond two weeks or is affecting your daily life. If you are reading because you suspect more than tiredness, pair the book with a conversation with a professional.

Which book should my husband read?

Karen Kleiman's The Postpartum Husband is written for partners and offers practical solutions for living with postpartum depression. My book is written for husbands and families as well as mothers, and explains why a husband often cannot see what the mother is carrying. Neither will help more than him taking a whole task off your hands and asking how you are.

Where can I buy your book?

The paperback (₹795) ships within India and is sold directly from my website at the book page. The e-book is sold worldwide, also directly on this site, so readers abroad can start the same day. My proceeds and royalties from the book go to charity, including the Smile Foundation.

If a book is not enough

Reading is a good first step and often not the last one. If you want to talk it through, you can book a free 15-minute call. You can also join the community letter for short, quiet notes, or explore postpartum support for Indian mothers.

If you are in crisis or have thoughts of harming yourself or your baby: call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or KIRAN on 1800-599-0019 in India, or go to the nearest hospital. Do not wait for an appointment.

General information, not medical advice. Book details were checked against publisher and library listings in October 2026.