Become a mother is often framed as one of the most amazing experiences in life, and for many people it is, but for the significant number of people who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, it can be overwhelming and terrifying. In A Mom Like That, Aaisha Alvi writes about her slide from postpartum depression to postpartum psychosis after her first child was born and again after a second pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage. I could not put it down. One of the most shocking things she describes was how she knew something was really wrong, that she and her daughter were not safe, and sought help from her doctors, including OBs and mental health professionals, and her alarming symptoms were minimized or normalized again and again. She and her family were crying out for help and by the time things reached a very dangerous level, she had normalized sone of them to herself so she wasn’t able to answer screening questions in a way that would trigger the more appropriate diagnosis. There are less than a handful of books from the perspective of a mother who recovered from postpartum psychosis. Sadly we more often read about the aftermath of tragic infanticide/ suicides and wonder what happened. Halfway through reading this, I went to my library website, and seeing that it was not in their catalog, submitted a request for them to consider purchasing it for the library. It is so important, especially in bringing awareness to postpartum mood and anxiety disorders in non-white women. I highly recommend reading it and recording it to libraries.

A Mom Like That by Aaisha Alvi is a heartwarming and candid exploration of motherhood, filled with humor, love, and the daily challenges of raising children. Alvi's storytelling is relatable and honest, capturing the highs and lows of parenting in a way that resonates with moms everywhere. Through personal anecdotes and reflections, she delves into themes of identity, resilience, and the societal expectations placed on mothers. A Mom Like That is a refreshing read that celebrates the imperfections and triumphs of motherhood, offering both comfort and encouragement to those on this ever-evolving journey.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for gifting me a digital ARC of this heartbreaking memoir by Aaisha Alvi. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4 stars!

Aaisha thought early motherhood would be happy, but it was anything but. She had scary, delusional thoughts about her and her baby. Then when she suffered a miscarriage during her second pregnancy, her psychosis returned. This time, it was much, much worse.

While this was a difficult book to read, I can only imagine how difficult it was to write. As far as we have come, mental health issues are still seen as shameful, to be hidden, and not prioritized or recognized when patients try to seek help. Postpartum issues can range from the baby blues to full blown psychosis, and this book should be a must read for all pregnant women - not to scare them, but to educate them and their families as to any troubling signs. I did feel the book was a bit repetitive, especially stating how women of color are especially vulnerable, but it was gripping. Kudos to Aaisha's support group as well!

4 stars! Postpartum psychosis is an extremely serious and potentially dangerous illness, and unfortunately, not enough medical professionals are trained to recognize the signs. Aaisha Alvi shares her story about developing, living with and eventually overcoming this sickness. She did a great job of describing her reasoning behind her actions which was not usually apparent to those around her. She explains how she was feeling on the inside and how these unhealthy thoughts and emotions were hard and many times impossible to control. She exposes the lack of support from the medical community and how she was faced with ignorance, blame and punishment. This was an important and courageous story to tell. Thank you to NetGalley and Dundurn Press for the digital ARC.

This was fascinating and heartbreaking. I find both pregnancy and mental health interesting, so this was a combination of two interests. You really feel for Aaisha, and other women with the postpartum psychosis, throughout the narrative. It seems a lot has changed since her experience with it, but a lot has unfortunately stayed the same. This is a necessary read about something that’s not often talked about.

Aaisha Alvi knows first-hand about postpartum psychosis, and she also knows how it can often go undiagnosed. She experienced it twice, and in both cases had her increasingly desperate efforts to get help shrugged off by medical professionals who did not understand the problem, or recognize the signs.

Alvi paints a vivid picture of her descent into psychosis and the dangerous delusions that overtook her. I as a reader was amazed by the inability of doctors to recognize how sick she was, and what the problem was. When, barely recovered, she recognizes the same symptoms in a woman in her community, she becomes the woman's fierce advocate to get the treatment she needs.

Alvi makes it vividly clear that this can be a life-or-death issue, and has become an outspoken advocate for increased awareness This is an important book, and I've pre-ordered it for our library.

Postpartum issues have been somethign I cannot get enough of reading about ever since having a child. While I do think mothers in patricular will appreciate this story most, the story itself is so interesting and well written that I am positive any type of person or reader will find something of value here.

This was a fascinating and heartbreaking look inside one of the most misunderstood illnesses. Alvi does an excellent job bringing the reader into her mental state during her period with post-partum psychosis. At times, her disordered thinking made so much sense given the context of the thoughts. The fact that she did not want to hurt anyone and yet her mind was compelling her to was a frightening thought. The bigger message of the book, however, is the one that I found most important. This is a highly misunderstood illness and therefore Alvi's attempts to get help failed an outstanding number of times. Several doctors turned her away with simple answers without looking into the depths of her symptoms. Being told that she would eventually feel better was discouraging and harmful. When a patient is begging to be locked away for everyone's safety, it seems irresponsible to send them away. But that happens to many women with post-partum psychosis. The point was also made that racialized women are more likely to get turned away or ignored when they share their concerns--even when it's statistically proven that PPP occurs more often in their demographic.
Equally harrowing and heartbreaking, this book shone a light on an illness that no one seems to talk about until it leads to salacious and tragic headlines. The author now advocates for other women to know the signs of this illness and to advocate for themselves to get the healthcare they need. This is an important book that will hopefully save some lives.

Thank you to Dundurn Press and NetGalley for an Advanced Readers Copy in exchange for an honest review.

A Mom Like That follows Aaisha and her experiences with postpartum psychosis.

Postpartum psychosis occurs in one to two out of everyone one thousand deliveries and can even occur after a miscarriage or termination.

In a study reference by the Center for American Progress, the rate of postpartum mood disorders is between 13-19% across all women. What is striking is the fact that this percentage rises to 38% in women of colour. Women of colour are also, sadly, less likely to seek help. Aaisha discusses medical racism and cultural differences that hinder racialised women accessing the correct help when struggling with postpartum mood disorders.

As someone who is diagnosed with bipolar and experienced command hallucinations, this book was terrifying in places. The way it’s written, especially with the recurring intrusive thoughts, made me really feel like I was experiencing it with her. The writing is personal, emotive and highlights a desperate need for more awareness.

I’d definitely recommend this to anyone wanting to understand more about postpartum psychosis. It will certainly open your eyes, and your heart, to the women who have suffered this debilitating illness.

“I’m just sick and tired of people suffering and dying because of this illness while sane people are ignorant”

Thank you to the publishers for my early access in exchange for a review .
This sounded like an intriguing must read for me personally due to own mental health experiences including post natal depression.
This is a raw ,honest ,brave and insightful account that will leave its mark on its reader .
Inspiring and informative content this will be an eye opener for those with and without knowledge of this .

Aaisha Alvi's poignant memoir delves into the depths of postpartum psychosis, emphasizing the critical need for heightened awareness and comprehensive support structures. Through raw storytelling, Alvi confronts the condemnation and societal criticisms faced by women grappling with this condition, particularly those from marginalized backgrounds. Her narrative serves as a compelling plea for understanding and empathy, advocating for a paradigm shift towards compassionate responses and effective interventions for those navigating the intricate landscape of maternal mental health.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book is a memoir all about our main character, Aaisha, as she suffered from post partum psychosis after the birth of her daughter. I feel that this was a important book for people to read because it shows not only what post partum psychosis is but how it can happen to anyone and it doesn't make you a bad person. This was a sad read because our main character knew what she was feeling wasn't right however that didn't seem to stop the terrible images that played out in her mind. Knowing that she isn't the only one to suffer like this makes it extra sad to me that so many women choose to suffer alone. The exact thing that made this such a sad book was the exact same thing that made it so powerful. The fact that our author is speaking from real life experience gives her the insight and the knowledge to share with the world her warning signs and to hopefully help others who are going through what she went through. What I didn't like about this book to much was it was a bit cold and clinical in points at the beginning where I expected this book to be all first hand experience it was a lot more of almost stats and than first hand experience. Minus that one part at the start I loved this book and really felt for our main character. I believe that this is a book all expectant mothers, women who want to be mothers, and current mothers should all read in their lifetimes. This struggle while not often takes about is real and needs to be address for everyone's sake. With so much truth and raw honesty this book is one that really tugs at your heartstrings as you feel for our author and the horror she lived through. I really enjoyed this book, because it was about something I had never heard of before so it opened my eyes to what some people experience. I think that more people need to be educated on this disorder because it will save lives and families. Very interesting read, and I hope that when this book is released it gets across to all those that need to hear it's message.

I read books in similar veins before and I am amazed how each of them touch upon unique aspects of postpartum psychosis.
I am reading books about postpartum depression because I have not experienced it myself, but my loved ones have and I wish to be more informed for others. Reducing the stigma around these topics is very important and this book does a great job towards that.
Alvi’s accounting is bold and honest, as well as informative. I found the aspect of Alvi’s helping another mother with ppp astonishing. It was unique.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Aaisha Ali and Dundurn press for the opportunity to review this book.

The author’s story was absolutely heartbreaking to read but it is also an eye opener for anyone suffering with a mental health condition. I had lost part depression after the birth of my second child and received very little in the means of support. Thankfully, it never went further into psychosis but having to advocate for yourself in the throes of post partum anything is ridiculously hard.

I’m presenting a truthful review I found this book hard to read. The beginning I was very close to just not continuing. While I understand the author was writing from her personal experience the beginning lacked for me. It didn’t grab my attention and want me to read more. I continued because I felt it had to get better and I have a vested interest in mental health.

It was a slow paced read, boring in spots. Maybe I was just expecting more but for me it wasn’t captivating. I was looking for more depth, more into the mind of the author and more of a history/details.

It is a good read for those who don’t have any experience or knowledge with post partum depression and/or psychosis but for me it just felt like each chapter just repeated itself over and over with just a slightly few new details.

3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ more so for the author’s bravery in putting her experience out for the world to read.

Firstly, due to the nature of this book I hate the fact I have to give it a rating. Personal memoir detailing a horrible time in a woman’s life.
This to me was so moving. Having kids myself and dealing with PPD I have never felt as emotional reading a book in all my life.
I am thankful for the awareness Aaisha is bringing and I am glad there are people like her that exists.

This book chronicles such an important subject--post partum psychosis as well as the way the medical system treats women of color. I can't think of another book that has approached this subject matter with such honesty and scrutiny. A must read for medical humanities classes or gender studies or sociology. Such essential knowledge to be gained here.

Brave and raw! This is a powerful account of a complex diagnosis. I cringed reading it because the story is so emotional. I applaud Alvi for bringing this book into the world and I hope it reaches many. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Aaisha Ana’s memoir of her two experiences with post partum psychosis, the first after the birth of her daughter, Lina, when she was expecting a busy, but full life filled with snuggles, breastfeeding and learning to live as a family of three. What she got instead was voices in her head, depression and hallucinations, but she eventually recovered.

Several years later she got pregnant again. She lost the baby. However, after the miscarriage the postpartum psychosis returned, only much worse. She heard voices urging her to harm Lina and others. She considered suicide. She sought medical help multiple times but was turned away. By relating her own story the author discussed the issue of post partum psychosis and the ways it is often misunderstood and undertreated, especially in women of color.

Between sixty to eighty percent of women who deliver children report having the “baby blues” after delivery, a sense of unhappiness or dissatisfaction in the two weeks following childbirth. About one in five women will suffer from a post partum mood disorder, there are several, including post partum depression and post partum OCD. (post partum depression in one in seven). However, one or two in a thousand women will have full on post partum psychosis, like Andrea Yates, the mother in Texas who drowned her five children. These women are not truly psychotic, their problems will, eventually, resolve, with proper treatment, but they, and their children are at extreme risk.

It is extremely important that these women not feel afraid or ashamed. They desperately need help. And “stigma is tricky - it doesn’t always look or feel like judgment; sometimes it feels like we’re being reassuring (“you’re not that kind of mom”), girding our fear (“post partum psychosis is very rare…”),. These women need help, not reassurance that they are OK when they are not.

The two main hallmarks of psychosis versus depression are hallucinations and delusions. If those are present, do not wait. Do not leave the person alone or with the child alone. And get help. Ten percent of women suffering from post partum psychosis suicide or kill their infants. It isn’t common, but when it happens it is so serious and often doctors don’t recognize what they are seeing and/or patients are not totally honest about what is occurring.

I learned so much reading this. It was really well done and I hope it reaches the right people.