NEW WESTMINSTER, B.C. — The grieving husband of a New Westminster, B.C., woman found dead in waters off Bowen Island last fall has posted a moving tribute to his wife and urges all new moms to seek help if they are struggling with post-partum depression.
Kim Chen posted his comments Tuesday on the Facebook page entitled Remembering Mother Florence Leung.
He writes of the difficulties facing Leung in the weeks after she gave birth, saying moms unable to exclusively breastfeed are not bad mothers and should not feel guilty if they must use formula to feed their babies.
Leung's family launched a search for the 32-year-old woman in October saying they were worried she was depressed and her body was found three weeks later.
She leaves behind her husband and her months-old son.
In his post, Chen says he has been living a day at a time since then and remains in survival mode, experiencing flashbacks of memories about Leung that he writes "tend to trigger pain and intense longing."
But he also says the baby is growing well, smiles and laughs a lot and is at the 90th percentile for height and weight.
"While agreeing to the benefits of breast milk, there needs to be an understanding that it is OK to supplement with formula, and that formula is a completely viable option," Chen writes, thanking readers for their ongoing attention to the "devastating condition" of post-partum depression.
He says the foundation of his life has been "taken apart" and everything needs to be rebuilt, but adds that he is trying to be kind and gentle to himself and looks forward to the time when he will feel more at ease about writing about Leung.
