Postpartum depression can be caught at infant visits

More news on the efficacy of screening, especially by Pediatricians.

Screening at a well-child visit 2 months after delivery can identify most women who have postpartum depression, according to a study published in the current issue of Pediatrics.

The results also indicate that placing “cues,” or reminders, in the electronic medical records of infants is an effective means of reminding doctors to screen the new mothers for postpartum depression.

“The biggest finding was that it was feasible to screen for postpartum depression in our busy clinic and that electronic reminders were extremely helpful,” lead author Jeanelle Sheeder, from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, told Reuters Health.

The study included 204 mothers and 418 electronic depression-screening cues. The cues reminded the physicians to ask mothers to complete the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS). A score of 10 or higher was considered a positive result and, in such cases, the medical record could not be closed until a patient treatment plan or referral had been made

Clinicians responded to 99 percent of the cues and 98 percent of the time they administered the screening test.

Twenty percent of mothers had an EPDS score of 10 or higher and were all referred for treatment of their depression. As Sheeder mentioned, scores were often unreliable up to 3 weeks postpartum.

The prevalence of depression at 2 months was 16.5 percent and at 6 months, 18.5 percent. The authors note that if the mothers had been screened only once, just two cases would have been missed. Although a resurgence of depressive symptoms occurred at the 6-month visit, it rarely led to a recurrence of depression, they add.

“We hope that future studies will focus on prenatal predictors of postpartum depression,” Sheeder said. Early identification gives physicians more time to prepare at-risk mothers for the possibility of a period of depression after they give birth.

“We are continuing our screening program and are currently conducting studies to examine different models of prenatal and postpartum care that may help our young mothers better handle this common problem,” she added.

SOURCE: Pediatrics, June 2009.

By Anthony J. Brown, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)

Detroit News on Perinatal Anxiety

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National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics

Here's a whole article on studies being planned for on drugs that you may be prescribed for symptoms of severe PPD, especially if you are experiencing anxiety, panic or insomnia...
The team at the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health is pleased to announce the establishment of the National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics. This new research study will address the dearth of available prospective data on the safety of the use of atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy and their potential effects on the developing fetus and mother. The atypical antipsychotics most frequently prescribed in the United States include Abilify (aripiprazole), Clozaril (clozapine), Geodon (ziprasidone), Invega (paliperidone), Risperdal (risperidone), Seroquel (quetiapine), and Zyprexa (olanzapine). These medications are being increasingly used as primary or adjunctive therapy across a wide range of psychiatric disorders including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, unipolar ! depression, anxiety disorders and other psychotic illnesses. These disorders are highly prevalent in women during the reproductive years. Therefore, information regarding the reproductive safety for these medications is urgently needed.

Currently, there is no consensus for systematic methods to collect such information, and the effect has been a literature that is often confusing and inconsistent in findings. To date, most of the data collected on the safety of psychotropic medications during pregnancy is from small, observational case studies or industry reports, which do not provide definitive information about reproductive safety. The majority of medication trials exclude pregnant women from enrollment or if a woman becomes pregnant during a trial, she is withdrawn from the study. Furthermore, there is no formal mandate from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that such information be systematically collected. Therefore, important drug safety information is often not available to women who must often face the clinical dilemma of whether to continue or discontinue their medica! tion during pregnancy. The National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics is the first hospital-based pregnancy registry for atypical antipsychotics in America to systematically and prospectively evaluate pregnancy outcomes. It is modeled after the North American Antiepileptic Drug Pregnancy Registry, which is in its eleventh year at the Massachusetts General Hospital.

Pregnant women who are currently taking one or more atypical antipsychotics are eligible and encouraged to enroll in the Registry by calling our toll free number (1-866-961-2388). Information regarding maternal and neonatal outcomes is obtained by study staff over three prospective phone interviews:

Interview 1: The first interview is conducted early in pregnancy (ideally during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy), and takes approximately 20 minutes. This interview records baseline information about the status of a woman’s pregnancy, including her medical history, psychiatric information, current and past pregnancy information, habits, and demographic information.

Interview 2: The second interview is conducted during the seventh month of pregnancy, and takes approximately 10 minutes. Any change in medication is recorded, as are changes in the woman’s physical and psychiatric health and her pregnancy.

Interview 3: The third interview is conducted after the woman delivers her baby, and takes approximately 10 minutes. Again, any changes in medication or health are recorded. Detailed information about the pregnancy and delivery is recorded to evaluate both maternal and neonatal health outcomes. Following the final interview, and with the woman’s consent, a copy of her medical records is obtained for review by a staff teratologist, a specialist in the effects of exposures and infant outcomes.

The primary aim of the Registry is to estimate the frequency of major malformations in infants exposed to atypical antipsychotics, but we are also interested in examining maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with the use of these medications during pregnancy. Major malformation rates among Registry participants will be compared to rates among women who are not exposed to atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy.

We at the Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health are very pleased to launch the National Pregnancy Registry for Atypical Antipsychotics. Over the past decade, pregnancy registries have emerged as an effective and efficient method for collecting important reproductive safety data. It is our hope that the inauguration of this important research initiative represents a first step in gathering critical safety information on the use of atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy. In the near future, pregnant women treated with this class of medications will be the beneficiaries of such information and therefore be better informed when making clinical decisions about treatment during pregnancy.

Adele C. Viguera, MD
Katherine Donovan, BA

'Jet-lagged moms' more likely to develop postpartum blues, says Ontario doctor - Canada - Canoe.ca

'Jet-lagged moms' more likely to develop postpartum blues, says Ontario doctor - Canada - Canoe.ca
Here's a snippet, just click above to read the whole article..."What these women were describing was jet lag. We called them the jet-lagged moms," said the founding director of the Women's Health Concerns Clinic in Hamilton, Ont.

They were exhausted even before labour because they were nervous, uncomfortable and rarely slept through the night.

"The whole system - particularly the hormonal system - is totally desynchronized," Steiner said. "(The mother) needs to resynchronize. Her rhythms are all off."

He thought it might help if he could reset her circadian clock.

"The idea is to try and prevent sleep deprivation, which seems to be the biggest enemy for those at risk," Steiner said.

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DAYS OF OUR LIVES' Lisa Rinna tells US Weekly how she fought a postpartum mood disorder

"My first daughter, Delilah, was born on June 10, 1998. Everything was fine for the first three months. Then it really hit me hard. Crying. Feelings of desperation. I would have these visions of guns, knives, murder. Boom they would just flash into my brain. I got into arguments over the littlest things with Harry [her husband of six years, actor Harry Hamlin]. I never tried suicide... I'm that that selfish but I did have suicidal thoughts. Every day. "

I had stopped nursing, the baby was colicky and that contributed to it. When you stop nursing, your hormones drop. It was a chemical imbalance. That's what postpartum depression is. And because my therapist was going through her own problems with colon cancer, she never saw the depths of it. People weren't talking much about postpartum depression back then. Nor was I as honest as I could have been, because I felt such shame. So I was never diagnosed.

I didn't work for a long time; I wanted to be home. But 15 months later, I got a part in a Lifetime movie, Another Woman's Husband. I'll never forget it. I was walking into my trailer, and suddenly it was like a cloud was lifted.

When I got pregnant again [with daughter Amelia, born June 13, 2001], Harry and I got proactive. I set it up with my doctor so that I could say, "OK, the minute I start having these feelings, I want to be put on something." And that's what happened. When the baby was six weeks old, I developed a very negative attitude. I didn't like anything. We got on the phone with my doctor, and he put me on an antidepressant, Sarafem. That pill saved my life. When you have a baby, you're supposed to be a superwoman; to admit you're not a huge failure. But once you talk about it and ask for help, you find that help's so readily available.

Links to some great posts at

Check out this post at Ivy's PPD Blog about maternal depression...she discusses the role of genetics and environmental factors in mental health issues and even mentions a great book that I have recommended previously, The Ghost in the House. Here's a bit. Click HERE for the entire post.

Why do some women get postpartum depression (PPD) and others don’t? Despite the research that has been performed over the years, no one is 100% sure what causes PPD and why some women get it and some don’t. What we know is that both genetic and environmental factors come into play. There is a genetic link, as depression tends to run in families and an individual’s personality will, in large part, determine his/her susceptibility. Many studies have shown—and it absolutely makes sense—that children of depressed parents are more vulnerable to a wide range of psychiatric disturbances including major depression, anxiety disorders, and alcohol and substance abuse. There is also an environmental link, as your experiences—in large part those of your childhood—can also play a role in whether you are prone to depression or not. Socially well-adjusted women with a cheerful outlook, easygoing personality and a large circle of friends will be less likely to develop PPD than someone who has always had difficulty trusting others, establishing close relationships, and are more prone to worrying about things. I can remember being fascinated during my high school days with the interplay between heredity and environment, just as Darwin’s theory of evolution and the survival of the fittest fascinated me. Well, now I get to write about it!

Katherine Stone compares her PPOCD to parasailing at Postpartum Progress. Here's a bit from her post:
I was thinking about that experience the other day and it reminded me so much of how I felt when I suffered postpartum OCD. It was like an out-of-body experience; I was floating above my life watching all the people go about their day and I couldn't successfully communicate with them. I couldn't connect to them. I was still there, but in a different place, and I didn't know how to come down out of that place by myself. Like the boat that eventually pulls the parasailer back down to earth, it took professional help to bring me back to myself, my friends and my family. I got it, of course, and mercifully returned to the shore of my life. Read more HERE...

Bona Fide Mama shares her most recent experience with a PPMD HERE...
Here's a teaser...I know you'll want to read more!
It started out as mild anxiety because I was worried about the cyst above the baby's eye. Then the tornadoes happened and it turned into a stronger anxiety. Then it was time for the Vandy appointments and I became a wreck, therefore developing mastitis again. By the time we had to take him in for surgery, I was a nut job. The day after that, I decided it was time to become obsessed with a new mole that had popped up on my back. I was convinced that it was melanoma. Even though the lady at the dermatologist's office insisted that it was not bad but we'd remove it for preventative purposes, I was still a wreck. It never occurred to me that I was going through a depression. Considering my history, you'd think I'd be very familiar with the signs and symptoms. Throughout all of this I was missing a lot of meals. My IBS had returned. My blood sugar was all wonky. I started having this vibrating in my body that would only go away if I ate a lot. And I wasn't hungry so that was really hard to do.

Finally, last week, I stopped sleeping. I'd notice that when I was about to fall asleep I would jerk back awake, have an adrenaline rush, and then get sick to my stomach. No amount of melatonin or calming tea would help me go to sleep and stay that way. After three nights of this, I went back to the walk in clinic where I was told to up my progesterone cream and to start taking Zoloft. Great. But I needed some sleep. I was going to lose my mind if I didn't get some and soon.

Understanding the therapeutic process of mother-infant psychotherapy | Science Blog

Understanding the therapeutic process of mother-infant psychotherapy | Science Blog

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Mother's Act...c'mon friends, support it!!!

Here are Dr. Shosh and Susan Dowd Stone on the Mother's Act...PLEASE, PLEASE take the time to sign the petition and if you know of anyone in a legislative position, please get them on board. We are NOT talking about any mandates (though you all know how thrilled I would be with a universal screening mandate!!!), just education and resources.

It’s the makeup of the Congress and the HELP committee members who have READ the bill and support it who will see this through — not from Twittering, but from their own conclusions and a listing of REAL NAMES of very respected organizations/individuals on our petition!...

Thankfully, the legislators themselves know what’s in the bill (including President Obama). While this is all unpleasant, I believe we will prevail as an inclusion in a larger health reform package.

By the way, since the press conference we’ve had 152 more signatures this week for the state by state petition!! KEEP THE SIGNATURES COMING… Send them to www.perinatalpro.com/ppdlegislation.html for how to sign and join the petition!! We’re growing it until the bill is passed!

Read the whole post HERE...

Innovative program in Ontario supports new mothers

...“I was angry for what I didn’t think were good reasons,” says Bois. “I was depressed and didn’t know what to do about it.”

After receiving a pamphlet at a local prenatal health fair, she attended the Mother Reach Postpartum Drop-In, a weekly service provided under the leadership of registered nurse Pam Dietrich, lecturer and clinical instructor at the Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing at The University of Western Ontario.

The drop-in takes place at Chalmers Presbyterian Church each Thursday from 1-3 p.m. for women and their families who are at risk for or experiencing postpartum mood disorders.

The sessions also provide a unique learning opportunity for nursing students, who assist with the program in collaboration with a trained peer support mentor. The drop-in service, which began in April 2006, is one of several projects of the Mother Reach London & Middlesex Coalition.

Women receive information and social support, and are encouraged to participate in meditation, Nia therapeutic dance movement and yoga. Guest speakers are also invited and free childcare is available.

The program fills a recognizable gap in services for women after childbirth to help with postpartum mood disorders...
For more information or to find out more about the drop-in, contact Pam Dietrich at pdietri2@uwo.ca or visit www.helpformom.ca.

Read the ENTIRE ARTICLE here...

Celebrating Nurses Top Honorees: Barbara Negelow, Ready Birth of Atlanta

As a perinatal nurse, Barbara Negelow encounters new parents who are overwhelmed by their tiny miracles.

“I saw the need for strong postpartum and parent support,” she said. “And who does that best but a nurse?"

Twenty-five years ago, Negelow went beyond the boundaries of her full-time career as a nurse and started a consulting practice: Ready Birth.

She combines years of nursing expertise with a sympathetic approach to educate her clients — the soon-to-be and new parents.

Many of them come to Negelow for her insight on various parenting topics, including how to best bond with their babies and drawing up wills.

“I’m not a blood-and-guts nurse; I’m more concerned with psycho-social issues,” said Negelow, of Brookhaven. “Having a baby is embarking on a new psychological adventure called ‘making a family.”

Read the entire AJC article HERE...

Country Musician Wade Bowen article discusses his wife's PPD

Wade Bowen was born and raised in Waco. He graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock (with a major in public relations), spent two years living in Austin and moved to New Braunfels five years ago with his wife.

But don’t, despite the Lone Star pedigree, simply label him a Texas-country singer.

“I am proud of Texas, and I’m proud of growing up here. But I really stress to people that I’m not a ‘Texas artist,’ ” says Bowen, calling from a tour stop in Lake Charles, La. “I’m an artist from Texas.

Particularly compelling is Turn On the Lights, a song inspired by Bowen and wife Shelby’s struggle to overcome her postpartum depression. The couple married in 2005 and have two children, 3-year-old Bruce and Brock, who was born in June 2008. Read more HERE.

An addition to this post- thanks to Lauren Hale! I also want to let you know that there is an interview with Wade at The Postpartum Dads Project: http://www.postpartumdadsproject.org

New Moms Find Both Support And Anxiety in a group setting

Whether they like it or not, new moms are often plunged into a narrowly defined community that is often fraught with conflict and tension, otherwise known as `the mommies' club,' says a U of C professor researching the experiences of first-time mothers.

Fiona Nelson, professor of Women's Studies in the Faculty of Communication and Culture, says the mommies' club is the cultural and conversational space women enter when they become mothers and consists of the relationships mothers have with each other. Read more about mom's views of mommy groups HERE.

Note: this study did not include women specifically suffering from PPD. In fact, studies of women suffering from PPMDs actually show that group settings, especially support groups of women with similar issues, are extremely beneficial to wellness. Read this previous related post.

Press Conference related to the Mother's Act

Ivy Shih Leung, author of Ivy's PPD Blog, wrote about her experience related to a press conference for the Mother's Act. Here's a snippet and a link to the full post.
Yesterday morning, I was invited to attend a press conference at Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, NJ, with U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Former New Jersey First Lady Mary Jo Codey, Audrey Meyers, President of Valley Hospital, Dr. Fred Rezvani, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sylvia Lasalandra, author of A Daughter’s Touch, and Susan Dowd Stone, Chair of the President’s Advisory Council for Postpartum Support International.

The press conference was held to discuss how passage of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act (S324) would benefit thousands of mothers in this country each year through an increase in public awareness, education and support services... Here's the full POST.

Here's Susan Dowd Stone's post on her experience as a participant in the press conference.

Here's a WV news article related to the Mother's Act.

Indiana University Scientist receives PPD Grant

Heather Rupp, assistant scientist at The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction, has received a $423,500 grant from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to study the mechanisms behind postpartum depression, a condition that can interfere with a new mother's ability to care for her baby.

An excerpt from Diane Sanford's Letter to New Moms

Here is an excerpt from Diane Sanford's Letter to New Moms. Diane was invited to participate in the Mother's Day Rally for Moms' Mental Health at Postpartum Progress.
Adopting a more balanced view of motherhood may help women to stop blaming themselves for their struggles postpartum and after! If the period following childbirth is expected to be difficult, and the job of motherhood is accepted as challenging, women may see their problems as part of a normal adjustment process, not as a personal shortcoming. They may feel more comfortable asking for assistance from family and friends and speaking up when problems occur rather than suffering in silence. A change in society's attitude may give women permission to be more loving and gentle toward themselves as they learn to be moms, and to appreciate their strength to carry on. Read Diane's letter in it's entirety HERE.

I LOVE the idea that we can adopt an attitude of realism. In addition to universal screening, initiatives like the Mother's Act, more training for OB's, therapists, PCPs and psychiatrists specifically in Perinatal Mood Disorders, I believe this is the NUMBER ONE gift we can offer our daughters, nieces, and all women who have motherhood in their future.

Pampers commercials featuring women who have not showered in a week in completely disorganized homes, holding babies with greasy hair and baby acne, may not sell a lot of diapers, but would do a world of good to help new moms feel normal. Not only do we need to normalize the HELL (ok, maybe that's too strong a word for some women's experiences, if so insert "challenge") that is the first 2-3 months postpartum, but we need to prepare women of childbearing age for it. This means instead of baby showers that include measure-the-belly games and baby food tasting competitions and at which we give the expectant mom blanket #28 with the soft edges and giraffe theme we should be taking up a collection for a postpartum doula! Yes, I am serious. Let's talk about the postpartum period and the experience as it is, not as how we hoped it would be or try to remember it now that our children are older and someone else's newborn seems so peaceful and easy-going. God has a way of erasing those memories of the early completely sleep-deprived days just like He does childbirth so that we actually do it a 2nd or 3rd time and repopulate the earth.

I hope you'll take the time to read some or all of the fabulous letters from the Rally. They are so helpful and supportive, even for those women, like me, who are a couple or more years past those early days. Thanks to Katherine for hosting this event and always being an advocate for new moms!

News piece from CBS affliate regarding PPD and the Mother's Act

"What she said to me was, 'Mommy, I am so sorry that I made you sad when I was born,'" author Sylvia Lasalandra said. "I felt as if I was punched in the gut."

Lasalandra was suffering with postpartum depression after giving birth to her daughter.

Stories of struggles with the illness from Lasalandra and the former First Lady of New Jersey have become the voice of a silent illness that strikes more than 800,000 new mothers each year.

Read on about PPD and Mrs. Codey's support of the Mother's Act.

Breastfeeding and Postpartum Depression

This article in Advance for Physician's Assistants, supports what most most skilled doctors and therapists have been using as a baseline to treat PPMDs...
New mothers who develop postpartum depression and who want to breastfeed their infants present a treatment challenge. SSRIs may be a safe and effective option for mother and child alike.

The importance of breastfeeding should not be compromised in infants of mothers diagnosed with PPD. The use of SSRIs is not contraindicated during breastfeeding, and these medications should be considered in women who have moderate to severe PPD. While hormonal supplements have been explored as possible PPD treatments, they should not be first-line options because of limited studies and the lack of safety data. Read the entire article HERE.

Here's another article written with great honesty about the struggles that many mothers, even those with the most clear and intentional focus on "natural mothering" like breastfeeding, find themselves facing. It's a good read. Enjoy it HERE...Breast, Bottle, and the Beauty of Motherhood

Radio Interview with Natalie Dombrowski, author of Back to You

Natalie Dombrowski kept a record of her struggle in a journal that became the book Back to You: A Recollection of One Woman's Postpartum Survival Back to Herself, Her Baby, and Her Husband. Dombrowski spoke with WBEZ’s Ashley Gross about her experience with depression.

Listen in HERE!

The Power of Peace

Webster's Dictionary defines peace as a state of quiet or tranquility. When you become a mother you quickly learn the truth in that definition. Little did you know how much a state of quiet or tranquility would be appreciated back in the days when one spent hours on the telephone with a boyfriend or girlfriend chatting away, watching television, painting ones toenails and listening to the radio at the same time. Loneliness would creep in easily and for many lots of effort was made to avoid any peace and quiet in the high school and college years. How boring it would have been to spend some time alone in your home without any distractions or human interaction.

Now that I am a mother I feel that being alone is something that I long for. Something that has become almost vacation-like in my daydreaming about it. On my son's first morning of preschool in his one day a week Mother's Morning Out program after dropping him off I drove home and opened the door. At the time L. was 11 months old. I realized why I felt so strange in my own home after about five minutes of wandering the small space aimlessly. It was the first time since I had given birth that I was alone in my home. Completely alone. I felt so invigorated that I called one of my closest girlfriends to share my joy. "J., you will never believe this..." I declared, "I am in my own house alone! Just me...for the first time in almost a year. I have my home to myself for the next two hours!" It was as if I had won the lottery. Some 8 months later, I still remember that day.

In many of the parenting books I have read over the past two years the savvy authors instruct parents, especially stay at home moms, to take at least ten minutes a day to separate from the kids and find a moment to themselves. There is good reason for this. Just like a 20 minute "powernap" is said to reinvigorate the body physically when tired, I believe that a mommy moment can re energize us and give us a sense of calm and collectedness that little else can.

This Mother's Day I wish you a peaceful moment. May it's power be prominent in your life.

Stress in Mothers

Just in time for Mother's Day, University of Michigan researchers released two studies detailing the effects of mothers' depression and stressful jobs on their children. Here's a news article detailing the findings.

Canadian woman wants more people to know about perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder

At 26, the educated O'Reilly was in a good marriage and was at home caring for her newborn son in a small Alberta town.

But while all her friends seemed to be adjusting well to their lives as new mothers five years ago, O'Reilly was living behind "a mask" and secretly battling unwanted, intrusive thoughts about hurting her baby.

Describing a world where common household objects triggered flashes or "movies" of violent acts toward her son, O'Reilly suffered in silence for eight months before checking in to the mental health ward of Calgary's Foothills Hospital for specialized treatment of perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder. Click HERE to read the entire article...

O'Reilly's book, "The Smiling Mask," chronicles experiences with perinatal mental illness.

Care for women with Perinatal Mood Disorders in the spotlight

Let's hope UNC's program inspires others around the country!
The University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill's School of Medicine offers the only inpatient care in the United States for new mothers suffering from postpartum depression, a common and often untreated illness.

This Los Altos, CA program helps with early intervention and comprehensive treatment of PPMDs...
Opened last year, the program offers the first comprehensive, hospital-based treatment program for prenatal and postpartum depression in the Bay Area. Only the second program of its kind nationwide, Maternal Outreach offers a day treatment program including group, individual and couples counseling and medication evaluation and management by the program’s medical director, Nirmaljit Dhami, M.D. Unlike other programs, women can come in at least two to three times a week because, as one mom said, “Right now a day feels like a week and a week seems like an eternity, so I’m glad I don’t have to wait a whole week between counseling appointments.”

Yay for Dr. Joseph and ACOG! This intentional focus on PMD's by ACOG should surely pave the way for universal screening...
Today Gerald F. Joseph Jr, MD, of Louisiana, became the 60th president of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), based in Washington, DC. During his inaugural speech at ACOG's Annual Clinical Meeting, Dr. Joseph announced that postpartum depression is the theme of his presidential initiative.

Interesting News articles related to Postpartum Mood Disorders and the legal system

An Illinois woman serving a life sentence for killing her children while suffering from postpartum psychosis will go free as the disorder gains more attention.

Writers in Texas sound off about the new legislation being proposed related to infanticide as it results from postpartum psychosis...
HERE
and
HERE
Let's continue to rally for education and awareness...our legislators and judges can bring much needed awareness to perinatal mood disorder through their positions.

GA Postpartum Support Networks launches Hotline May 10!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For More Information Contact:

Dr. Didi Saint Louis, Co-Chair GPSN, (678) 896-5217

info@gpsnetwork.org

Postpartum Depression Support Hotline Launches on Mother’s Day

Organization Offers Resources, Referrals and Guidance to Georgia Women
Suffering from Depression after Pregnancy

( Atlanta , Ga. ) -- Women in Georgia suffering from postpartum depression finally have a place to turn to for help. The Georgia Postpartum Support Network (www.GPSNetwork.org) will celebrate Mother's Day, Sunday, May 10^th, by launching a hotline to provide live phone support for Georgia moms dealing with postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders. The hotline number is: (866) 944-GPSN (4776).

The Hotline will be staffed by trained volunteers who will work in shifts from 7 am to 10 pm, 7 days a week. The phone lines will go to voicemail from 10 pm to 7 am and those calls will be returned the next morning. It is GPSN’s goal to have the hotline running 24/7 by January, 2010.

Women calling the hotline will be assessed and linked to appropriate services in their area, such as psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers. The hotline will follow up with women who call to ensure they are finding and receiving appropriate care. “We hope this line will become a lifeline for women across the state who don't know where to turn when they're looking for help,” said GPSN Co-Chair, Dr. Didi Saint Louis.

Most new mothers experience occasional sadness and anxiety, known as the "baby blues," that do not require treatment. About 10 to 15 percent of new mothers suffer postpartum depression, a more serious condition.

Postpartum moms and their spouses should be aware of the following warning signs:

• extreme fatigue or exhaustion
• sadness
• depression or hopelessness
• sleep disturbances
• poor concentration/confusion
• over or under concern for the baby
• uncontrollable crying or irritability
• lack of interest in the baby or fear of harming the baby or self

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, please call your doctor, health care provider or the Georgia Postpartum Support Network Hotline at (866) 944-GPSN (4776) to receive help.

Georgia Postpartum Support Network was created by women’s health advocates from the obstetrical, midwifery and mental health community to address the unmet needs of women in Georgia who are dealing with postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders, including postpartum psychosis. More information can be found at www.GPSNetwork.org.

Not Me! Monday!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

This week, I definitely did not for the first time put an on-demand Sesame Street episode on the television and strap my son as tightly as possible into his highchair and then cover his tray with organic o's, fruit and waffles so that I could take a ten minute shower while my toddler was actually awake. I did not then allow him to sit in the chair for another 20 minutes and eat and watch while I got dressed and emptied the diswasher. This non-tv watching, safety conscious mama would NEVER so such a thing!

Senza Medicina!

In 2005 my husband and I were visiting friends we had met in Jamaica on our honeymoon at their home in Milan, Italy. Anita, Davide's wife, began singing along to a song that was on a music video channel as we sat around and chatted after dinner one evening. She was singing along with such vigor that we began to listen more carefully to the words and to watch as the singer, Vasco Rossi, belt out his latest hit, "Senza Parole." This moment caught us by surprise as we watched our normally mild-mannered friend become clearly caught up in the emotion of the song.

My blog is entitled Senza Medicina today as I celebrate (I think) more than 2 months without anti-depressant medication and nearly a week completely free of anti-anxiety/sleep medication. My organic eating, all natural product loving, non-medical intervention promoting self sure has been through a lot in the past 19 months. From a ridiculous labor, to a surgical birth and numerous breastfeeding issues to the unbelievably life-changing postpartum experience I endured with help, I certainly have had to learn the hard way about flexibilty and openess. At the point when I finally reached out and got the professional help that I needed at 6 weeks postpartum I was so desperate and aware of how sick I was that I knew I had to put aside my feelings about prescription drugs. In matters of life and death, our preferences have to take a back seat. I am SO thankful that despite my lack of reasoning skills and my complete and utter inability to make a decision about most things at all, let alone a good decision, that I complied with the treatment my doctor prescribed. Too many women suffer in silence or in unnecessary ways because of their inability to come to terms with a (typically temporary) psychaitric drug presciption. Research has shown that nearly all moderate to severe postpartum mood disorders require medical intervention, usually antidepressant medications. Who knows why...if we did know hopefully we would be spending time spreading the word on how to prevent PPMDs on our blogs instead of talking about support groups, education, and therapists. The reality, as crappy as it is, is that we are not really sure what factors or combinations of factors are the exact cause for PPMDs. We know that there are risk factors. We know that hormonal and chemical changes are associated with the dramatic change in mood many women experience during pregnancy and/or after childbirth.

So, following the advice of my psychaitrist I began antidepressants. More than two weeks later, experiencing little relief from the anxiety and insomnia that were exacerbating, if not all-together causing, my deep depression, I began two other meds. Finally, by Christmas, at 12 weeks postpartum, I was able to dress myself, put on make-up and join my family for dinner. The previous 31 years I had been able to do so for holidays just fine. That Thanksgiving, however, I hadn't even able to stay downstairs for the entire meal without completely breaking down and retreating to another floor of my parents' home. In the Spring of the following year, I was well enough and motivated to explore helping others with PPMDs. I began this blog and met with Licia Freeman, a local therapist who specializes in treating women with these issues. Licia is also a co-coordinator for PSI. Licia and I talked and she shared info on starting a support group with me. She helped prepare me with the tools that I would need to get such an endeavor going. She also graciously offered me good advice for women in the early stages of a possible PPMD. Included in this advice was information about the importance of 5 consecutive hours of sleep and also about committing to medication for at least 18 months. A recent study had showed a large relapse rate in women who discontinued their meds at 15 months or before.

So, here we are...at a little more than 19 months postpartum I had been on meds for nearly 18 months. I have been tapering for 5-6 months so that my body would be able to endure a slow and gentle weaning, rather than an abrupt shock to my system that could have precipitated a relapse. I had read a lot of information online about the medications I had been taking and the possible effects of reducing the dose or stopping. Some of those symptoms were scary and could have been painful. Thankfully, I believe in part to the very slow way I reduced the dosage each week, I experienced almost no side effects or withdrawal symptoms. I'll be honest, I have had a little trouble falling and staying asleep this week. I know it's probably because my body has not had to get to sleep on its own in a while. I'm going to give it some time. I know that it won't last forever and that I can always ask for help if the insomnia takes over again.

Everyone needs to do what is right for them. For some, thankfully, good results come from alternative treatments or therapies. For many, however, medication is needed to right the body and brain after being under attack. The symptoms and behaviors I was experiencing were all a part of the aftermath of a traumatic birth, a difficult recovery and lots of symptoms of multiple postpartum mood disorders. I continue to read many, many comments at the bottom of many, many news articles written by people who believe that postpartum depression doesn't exist as a real condition and that mothers just need to pull up their bootstraps and fight. Let us remind those who judge that they have not had to endure such painful experiences and that no mother would ever wish on herself a less than a glorious and glowing (albeit horribly unrealistic) postpartum period. Big pharma may be the enemy to some and sure they are the ones who supply these medications, but regardless of the supplier or the fact that a little extra dough may be in the pocket of some big-shot at Lexapro, I am better. That's all that matters to me.