'It was just really lonely.'

When we think of Shay Mitchell, we think of a stunning actress who seems perfect in every way, but like all of us she has struggles. Last October, Mitchell gave birth to her first child Atlas Noa but recently the Pretty Little Liars star opened up to model Ashley Graham during her podcast that it wasn't an easy pregnancy. Mitchell says that the cause of a lot of this unease was due to 'prepartum depression'. https://www.instagram.com/p/B7EsWpdFfPV/?utm_source=ig_embed While post partum depression is something you've probably heard of, there isn't as much awareness regarding prepartum depression. Shay explained to Graham how difficult it was for her to try and explain to her family and friends just exactly what she was going through;

"I’d be crying to [my mom] and she’d be like, ‘You’re just emotional, it’s just the hormones.’ And okay cool it might be, but you don’t want to hear that. Like, yes it is, if it is the hormones I’m still feeling that way. It doesn’t take away from this feeling, and it’s completely isolating."

The 32-year-old mum went on to say that she thought having a miscarriage on her previous pregnancy was a major factor in her prepartum depression;

"Because of the experience I’d gone through before with the miscarriage, I didn’t want to tell my closest friends that I was pregnant this time because the thought of having to go back to them after and being like, ‘It didn’t happen this time again,’ was really a painful thought for me. "So I just thought I’ll keep it to myself for as long as possible…It was just really lonely."

I had a similar experience, having had a miscarriage before my second child was born and I can really relate. Pregnancy is an emotional and often stressful time but when you add on the trauma of miscarriage it can lead to anxiety and sometimes depression. I'm really glad that Mitchell felt brave enough to discuss prepartum depression, I think a lot of mums hide the fact they are struggling for fear of being judged. It's time we all realised that we all struggle and it's okay.