Elle King Opens Up On Postpartum Depression
"I didn’t even realize how intense postpartum depression is and was until I very slowly began to crawl out."
Elle King (Source: Supplied)
Elle King, the Ex’s & Oh’s and Drunk hitmaker, has found success in music, including a top ten hit in the former, Grammy nominations, and honours from the Country Music Association Awards and Academy Of Country Music Awards.
She’s also successful in a far more personal way: she’s a mother. Two years after welcoming her son, Lucky, born in September 2021, King went on Instagram to speak openly about her experience with postpartum depression.
King saved the candid nature of the post for the caption that accompanied a video of her workout and skincare routine, singing on stage and goofing around with her bandmates. You can watch the video below.
“I am making this post to share my journey from 284 lbs at 5’3 from pregnancy 2021 - now 2023,” King wrote yesterday (24 August).
Explaining some of her mental health struggles over the last two years, she continued, “I fell into a very deep depression during my pregnancy. I also didn’t even realize [sic] how intense postpartum depression is and was until I very slowly began to crawl out. I felt trapped in my body. I couldn’t even sing.
“So I started slow,” King wrote, revealing her new routines that helped with the postpartum depression. “Metabolic workouts. Light cardio to warm up my body, my lungs, my voice, and my spirit. I am a creature of habit, so I changed my fucking habits. Every few weeks I feel my body getting stronger.”
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While workouts and other exercises worked for King, the singer reminded her fans that their health journeys would look different from hers, suggesting riding a bike, swimming, and listening to music they like as healing remedies.
“My BRAIN functions better on the days I move my body,” she continued, “Some days I count stretch marks. Some days I hug myself and say thank you to my body. Today is a kind day. I’ve been tiny, I’ve been huge, BUT RIGHT NOW IM HEALTHY.”
Discussing physical health issues she’s faced, such as being pre-diabetic and dealing with POTS – a condition of the autonomic nervous system that brings “fatigue, headache, gut disturbance, dizziness, pain, poor concentration and light-headedness” to sufferers, per the POTS Foundation, King explained that she doesn’t judge anyone trying to live a healthier life.
In the post, she admitted that she’s not using any weight loss medication in her own journey. “I just hope to live a long, wonderful, healthy life where I can drink a lot, eat fish, laugh as much as I can, and die happy,” she concluded.
Elle King will join The Chicks as a special guest on their upcoming Australian tour, opening for the iconic country music trio on all eleven nights of the run.
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