Gallery: Hayden Panettiere Is So Real As She Opens Up About Postpartum Depression

Postpartum depression is no joke. It happens within the year of having a baby (although symptoms can show up in as much as 2-3 weeks). What causes it? Usually a combination of things from hormones being all over the place to being so overwhelmed that you almost feel like you’re having a nervous breakdown to having a family history of depression that reveals itself after the birth of your newborn.

Some women are afraid to deal with postpartum because they're embarrassed or feel guilty (although there is no reason to; millions of women experience it). That’s why moms like actor Hayden Panettiere is our hero. And that’s putting it mildly!

In a recent interview on Good Morning America, Hayden goes into some of her struggles with the birth of her first baby. She not only talked about what it was like to deal with it in her real life, but how it felt to relive it during season four of Nashville (her character Juliet Barnes also suffered from it).

“Yeah, it absolutely helped me,” Panettiere said. “I think it helped me identify what was going on. And to let women know that it's okay to ask for help and have a moment of weakness and it doesn't make you a bad person or a bad mother. That's a great message."

She’s right. Postpartum depression doesn’t make you a bad mother. It makes you a human individual. If you notice you have symptoms like anxiety, constant worrying, sleeplessness, extreme mood swings, loss of appetite, uncontrollable crying, detachment from your baby or shakiness, nausea or cramps---these are not signs you should ignore. Speak with a professional as soon as possible.

In the meantime, here's info on some of the things that you can do to make coping with postpartum depression so much easier to bear.