A dad who lost his wife to postpartum depression just nine days after the birth of their twins is calling for more awareness about the condition.
Ariana Sutton, 36, of Easton, Massachussetts, had also struggled with postpartum depression (PPD) after giving birth to first born, Melody, five.
Her husband Tyler, 37, noticed she became ‘obsessive’ – checking tap water wasn’t contaminated and not wanting to be left alone with her baby.
Following treatment, the couple decided to try for another baby fours year later, and found out they were expecting twins in November 2022.
They welcomed Everly and Rowan on May 22 this year, and the babies were taken to the neonatal unit to be monitored.
But even after Ariana was placed on medication hours after the birth to help ease her PPD, she continued to struggle with stress and anxiety.
Nine days after the birth, Tyler came home and found Ariana had taken her own life while the twins were still in hospital.
Whilst still processing the loss of his wife, Tyler feels grateful that he is able to raise ‘three beautiful children’.
Tyler said: ‘I don’t like to speculate but since she had been through it before, I think she probably knew how to hide it from me.
‘The big effect that PPD has, the irrational sense of guilt and failure that stops people from reaching out for help, means the topic has taken a backseat.
‘I wish the medical community could take the initiative during pregnancy and after to make PPD part of the discussion – just regular discussions.’
Tyler and Ariana were married for seven years and welcomed their first daughter Melody in 2018 – but Tyler soon noticed a changed in his wife’s mood.
He said: ‘It changed quickly and gradually and it didn’t help that we weren’t familiar with PPD.
‘She would beg me not to say anything about it to others and in my ignorance I listened to her.’
Ariana’s OCD also increased – some of which turned into a preventative instinct, Tyler said, like ‘making sure the tap water was okay.’
She was taken to hospital in November 2018 and was diagnosed with PPD, and spent two months in hospital – with a doctor calling it ‘one of the worst cases he’d ever seen’.
After returning home, she went on medication and saw a PPD-trained therapist, but years later mentioned wanting more children – but Tyler wasn’t sure.
He added: ‘She had made a big effort to try and forget about what had happened, but I did the opposite.
‘When she brought it up saying she was ready, I simply said – “we’ve got one, we’re doing fine”. I could see that upset her. I didn’t want to see her go through that again.’
But with the help of their therapist, Ariana and Tyler decided to move forward and have another child – but after the birth of their twins, Ariana felt like she had done something because they were premature.
Tyler explained: ‘She thought she’d caught something, but I didn’t and no one else thought that.
‘Even when you’re talking to professionals she still had this irrational thought process.
Tyler was on his way back from the town hall when he recieved a phone call on May 30, 2023 from Ariana’s therapist to tell him she hadn’t answered the phone, and raced home.
Tyler said: ‘I could feel that something was wrong in the house. But because it was my house, it made me move slower.
‘Our bedroom door was closed, which it never is. I knew what I was going to find, I pushed on the door and I could feel a weight behind it.
‘I saw the note on the bed and eventually I saw her up against the door.’
After Ariana’s death, Tyler has been campaigning for doctors and hospitals to have better screening methods for PPD.
He said: ‘This is something that happens throughout life – if people don’t discuss it enough, we get complacent or forget that the problem exists.
‘The number of people that have not come forward and try to go through it on their own must be massive.
‘A lot of offices don’t have a screening method, just a piece of paper that someone could easily lie on.’
Tyler now lives alone with his three children, who he says are a helpful distraction to keep him going.
He added: ‘She was the ideal mother figure when she got better, my daughter’s favourite person in the world.’
If you’re struggling, you can call Samaritans for free on 116 123. Sometimes writing down your thoughts and feelings can help you understand them better. You can also email jo@samaritans.org
If you’ve lost a loved one to suicide, you can find support through Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide here.
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.
