Nia Booko Got Candid About Dealing With Baby Blues on ‘The Valley’
On her podcast, Nia is very clear about the fact that she hasn't been diagnosed with postpartum depression.
Published April 17 2024, 2:05 p.m. ET
As one of the less dramatic couples on The Valley, Nia Booko and Danny Booko are the more grounded duo on the show. Even with the chaos caused by their friends, they still manage to maintain level-headedness during the wild moments, like the Capri dinner. As the only couple with more than one child, they have an extra challenge as all of their children are under the age of two. Having just had twin girls, Nia got candid about the baby blues on The Valley.
After winning the title of Miss USA in 2014, Nia Booko, née Sanchez, kept busy continuing her pageant career and threw modeling into the mix. She competed in the 2015 Miss Universe pageant, earning the first runner-up title. She also married actor Danny Booko in 2015, and they soon began planning their family. Nia and Danny opened up about their struggles with fertility in the past before getting pregnant with their son. Then Nia gave birth to twin girls 19 months later.
Nia Booko gets candid about the baby blues on ‘The Valley.’
During Episode 5 of The Valley, everyone was still reeling from the drama between Kristen Doute, Janet Caperna, and Michelle Lally. Nia was able to see that Kristen was attempting to make amends for her blunder about Michelle's alleged political affiliations. Nia attempted to bring the women together. And despite some initial awkwardness, they got to the point where Nia was able to share her struggles with baby blues after having her twin daughters.
Having baby blues isn't the same as postpartum depression.
On her podcast, Nia is very clear about the fact that she hasn't been diagnosed with postpartum depression. Postpartum depression is a medical condition that many mothers experience after giving birth. According to the Mayo Clinic, postpartum depression is “a more severe, lasting form of depression end.” The symptoms of postpartum depression are intense and severe, and if left untreated, Postpartum depression can last for many months, sometimes up to a year or longer.
Nia understood what was happening to her, but that didn't make it any easier.
The Mayo Clinic defines baby blues as “commonly including mood swings, crying spells, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping.” Baby blues occur for a shorter timeframe, from a few weeks to a few months. It's clear that Nia understands why she's experiencing the baby blues, but unfortunately, understanding what's happening doesn't change the fact that those feelings and symptoms are actively happening and affecting her ability to function.
Nia was honest with the other women, which created a tenderness within the group.
After the painting portion of the party, when Nia came clean about her baby blues, everyone's empathy was activated, which created a common ground that allowed all of them to enjoy each other's company. The ladies felt bad when Nia had to leave her own party to deal with Danny and the kids. It was clear that she needed time to relax and unwind. Later, after their air conditioning was fixed, Nia was able to express what she had been feeling with Danny.