Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness by Catherine Cho

100 Days

Korean families mark the first 100 days of a baby’s life with a celebration. Normally, baby and mother are kept at home, tucked away, safe from disease, getting to know each other and establishing routines before finally emerging.

Cho and her husband instead decided that they would spend the first 100 days flying from London to California and then driving across the United States, meeting family along the way and finishing with a big party in New Jersey.

Any mother reading this memoir will long to reach out and tell Cho that this is an unrealistic plan that can only result in stress and heartbreak — as indeed it did.

Beyond the Baby Blues

Postpartum depression is quite common. Scientists now think that up to 50 percent of all new mothers may suffer some period of “blues,” much of which can be attributed to hormonal changes, lack of sleep, changing relationships with family and friends, and alterations in the new mother’s own self-identity.

Postpartum psychosis, which eventually landed Cho in the psychiatric ward, is much rarer, occurring in only 1-2 new mothers per 1,000. Marked by a complete break with reality, the condition is more common following a first pregnancy and in patients having a personal or family history of bipolar disorder.

It’s easy to look in the rearview mirror and say that the first indications of Cho’s mood disorder were there all along — the unhappy parents, the inability to disentangle herself from damaging relationships. But we can also marvel at how bravely Cho continued her life, striving constantly for a sense of normalcy.

New mothers are often unable themselves to determine whether their mood shifts are normal or not. Even if they’re feeling sad at the end of a pregnancy, they often believe they should feel thrilled with the infant they have been waiting nine months for, and are reluctant to disclose any unhappy feelings.

This is why in most states, postpartum depression screenings are part of the initial pediatric visits. Simple questions can determine who needs help, even in situations less extreme than Cho’s.

Inferno is sometimes uncomfortable to read. The author is lucky to have a husband whose devotion never wavered, and to have found the care she needed. Her willingness to share this deserves a medal.  Inferno is an important book and should certainly be on the reading list of anyone dealing with new mothers.

Inferno: A Memoir of Motherhood and Madness by Catherine Cho (Henry Holt and Co., 2020)

CHRISTINE CONTILLO, RN, BSN, PHN, is a public health nurse with more than 40 years of experience, ranging from infants to geriatrics. She enjoys volunteering for medical missions.

In this Article: Mental Health, Pregnancy and Childbirth