Jessica Williams | Courtesy Jessica Williams

A former Vista Radio news personality in Prince George is doing her part to bring awareness to postpartum depression.

Jessica Williams’ new children’s book Mama’s Cloud takes on a darker side of motherhood. She used her own personal battles as inspiration.

“The more that I talked about my postpartum depression, the more I found that other women had been going through postpartum depression or the more I talked about anxiety, the more I found people saying ‘yeah me too, I understand, I’ve had that too’,” explains Williams.

“It’s so much more common than I think people realize.”

The book launched on July 3rd. Williams says there have been people coming to thank her for writing about the issue for how helpful it has been in their personal lives.

The one thing Williams says puts postpartum depression on such a difficult level to deal with is the added guilt that comes along with it.

“Everyone around you, as a new mom, talks about it being so wonderful and aren’t you so happy and so there’s that guilt along with it that, no I’m not happy, I’m not enjoying this, what’s wrong and what’s wrong with me that I can enjoy this.”

According to Healthy Families BC, 15-20% of women experience postpartum depression and anxiety.