Test Drive

Last week our niece and her 3 month old daughter came to visit us with my father-in-law. It was the first time we had seen little S. since she was born and we were quite excited to meet our great-niece and soon-to-be Goddaughter.

They arrived late on Tuesday night and went straight to bed. Wednesday, I had to go in to work, so I missed out on spending the day with them, but they got to spend some quality time with L. That evening we had a nice family dinner at home and hung out until bedtime. In the middle of the night, a knock was heard on our bedroom door and we learned that little S. had been up all night with a high fever. For the next 3 hours we tried to comfort her and get her temp. down. By around 4:30am she was pretty tired out and finally fell asleep. At 7:30am that morning we headed to the ER when S.'s fever did not subside with Tylenol. We spent four hours at the hospital trying to determine what was causing illness in such a young baby. They sent us home and we anticipated another rough day, but a little better evening. Unfortunately, by evening little S. was sicker and had a higher temp. than before. Around 9pm, off we marched back to the Children's Hospital with hopes that she would be treated and we could be home by midnight so we could get a little sleep since we had not had much the night before. Long story short, we were at the ER until 4am. Thankfully, S. received the treatment she needed and by the next day was feeling SO much better.

This experience and the couple of days after it have been a great learning tool for me. How better to give having a 2nd baby a try than by bringing an ill infant into a home with your almost 2 year old. Sleep deprivation, jealously, trying to juggle two kids and their needs, etc. I got a taste of it all this week!

I also got a reminder of how life as a mom is so different than as a dad...My husband is now absolutely itching for another child while I am as tentative as ever. Crowded house, toddler tantrums spawned from jealousy and change, sleep issues, illness...oh my! He claims he saw a glow when I was holding the baby that he knows meant I am ready for another...I told him that glow was anxiety! :)

If you are considering having another baby, especially after PPD, I highly suggest you test drive first. I suggest this experience not to convince you one way or another, but rather to give you a realistic picture of what life as a family +1 would look like. It may be easier or more difficult than you imagined. Regardless, I can guarantee your eyes will be open and you will feel more confident in making a decision. I am not sure exactly how you should go about finding an infant to "borrow," as I have not seen any baby rental companies advertise lately, but I know you'll come up with something...

If you are struggling more with the when of having another than the if, then maybe these articles about spacing between siblings will help...

From I Village

From BabyCenter

From Buzzle

More news on Depression

This article discusses the effectiveness of light therapy and the impact of lack of sunlight on mood: Darkness Linked To 'Brain Drain' In Depressed People

Here's an interesting article on the effects of a combination of buspirone and melatonin on major depression: Unlikely Treatment Identified By BrainCells Neurogenesis Platform Improved Clinical Outcomes In Patients Suffering From Depression

Behavior problems prevalent in children of mothers with mood disorders: UQ Research Finds A Mother's Mental Health Can Impact On Children

Atlanta Support Group led by Psychaitrist:

POSTPARTUM WOMEN’S SUPPORT GROUP

Led by Bethany B. Davis, MD
Board Certified Psychiatrist,Specializing in Women’s Mental Health
~ Medication Management Evaluation Included ~
Group for Women Up to One Year Postpartum Experiencing: Depression Anxiety Difficulty Adjusting to Motherhood Multiples Body Image Self-esteem Sexuality/ Intimacy
THIS IS A REDUCED COST GROUP AND SPACE IS LIMITED!

Patient is to contact Dr. Davis’s office directly
404-841-1000
Twelve Piedmont Center Suite 419 Atlanta, GA 30305

For Information on the Active Peer Support Group in Atlanta: www.meetup.com/PPDAtlanta

Read up on Postpartum News!

Fragmented maternal sleep is more strongly correlated with depressive symptoms than infant temperament at three months postpartum. Read more HERE...

Effects of home-based exercise on fatigue in postpartum depressed women: who is more likely to benefit and why? Report HERE...

Outcome results of a psycho-educational intervention in pregnancy to prevent PPD: A randomized control trial. Read up on the study done with Mexican women HERE...

Transdermal estradiol for postpartum depression: a promising treatment option. Read: Is estrogen an good alternative or supplement to SSRIs?

Bottle feeding simulates child loss: Postpartum depression and evolutionary medicine. Read on... (Do NOT feel guilty if you choose to bottle feed...breastfeeding is not always best or possible- but, if you do bottle feed from the start, please be extra aware of the possibility of an impact on your emotional health.)

Antidepressants and Pregnancy- ABC reports

Good Morning America reports on the research that the risk in taking some SSRIs is less than that of untreated depression...

Antidepressants and Pregnancy

To have or not to have, that is the question...

While this post isn't directly related to PPD, after suffering through a mood disorder a topic that always comes up is whether or not one will have more children. For some, the PPD impacts the timing, but not the reproducing again. For others, the decision to have more children becomes more complicated by PPD, and for yet another group, these questions impact our decisions about having kids regardless of whether PPD is a part of the equation.

This article, posted at AOL Health explores so many issues that arise before and after having children in regards to your relationship with your partner. While its title alludes to the focus being primarily on determining whether or not to have more than one child, I found it to address thoughtfully questions and concerns about the impact of child-bearing and rearing on our partnerships. I LOVE when a writer is honest about how she is feeling, even if it's not pretty, neat, and wrapped up in a flowery bow.

Check it out for yourself and then let me know what you think! I would love to hear more about how you decided to have (or not have) children or more children and why...

Long Distance Learning

We traveled to Italy with our 22 month old son for the first two weeks in August. This was our second trip to Italy as a couple, but our first as parents. While L. is a seasoned continental US traveler, this was his first flight of more than a few hours and certainly his first to another country.

We took an overnight flight from Atlanta to Milan which totaled about 10.5 hours. L. did great. He ate dinner, watched some cartoons and finally fell asleep around 9:30pm. While that's a good 2 hours past his regular bedtime, we weren't too upset considering that the lights on the plane were still brightly shining overhead and the entree of the 5 course meal was just being served. Since L. and I were sharing a seat, I squeezed over even more to allow him room and covered his eyes with the mask the airline had provided in our amenity kits.

Throughout the night, even well past the dinner and the lights being turned out, I checked on L. Did he have enough room? Was he comfortable? Was he too cold? Hot? In the total 5 hours of darkness provided before breakfast was served at 2am EST, I probably slept about an hour. We we finally walked into Malpensa airport at 10:30am local time, I felt a bit crummy...I needed a shower, a nap, and some fresh air. That afternoon after a 2 hour meal with our friends at their home outside of Milan they drove us back to their young adult daughter's one bedroom apartment in another small town outside Milan; Gorgonzola. We unloaded our ridiculous number of suitcases and other baby contraptions and settled in for our 13 day stay. We lay down in the apartment which was horribly hot and humid onto a bed that didn't feel like any we had encountered in the US- even in a cheap motel. As L. and M. began to saw logs I lay there heart pounding. Even though I didn't know the challenges that would face us over the next couples of weeks, I knew that this wasn't going to be easy. The immediate next thoughts that entered my mind were ones of guilt. How dare I think this way and feel sorry for myself. Most American moms would give their right arm for this opportunity to spend 2 weeks in Italy! How terribly unappreciative and ungrateful was I??? How selfish!

Later that day, actually around 11:30pm that night, we once again returned to the apartment after a large meal and visit with our friends. We attempted to keep L's routine as similar as possible and tried to put him to sleep in his pack n' play in the living room area. This large room actually housed the dining area, living area and kitchen and had large doors on two walls that led to a terrace that wrapped around the entire apartment. For the next two hours, L. woke at 15-20 minute intervals crying loudly and requiring a lot of effort, including trying to simulate rocking without a rocking chair, to get him calmed down. By 2am I had had it. M. was fast asleep (I am sure those 2 bottles of red wine he and our friend Davide shared didn't hurt), and I was a mess. The heart palpitations, anxiety, sleep deprivation, hopelessness, nausea and panic were back with a vengeance. By the time that L. woke for the 5th or 6th round of calming he was not the only one crying. M. came out half-asleep when our combined wails became loud enough to wake him. He was panicked..."what's wrong? What happened?, he asked, thinking that L. must be ill for me to be so upset. I couldn't think of anything to say except, "I want to go HOME!"

We finally decided to move the portable crib into the bedroom and L. finally fell asleep. We walked out onto the terrace to get some cool air and talked. Over the next hour, we discussed a plan to attempt to get some sleep that night and for M. to take over care of L. for the better part of the following day to let me adjust. I was still extremely anxious, but exhaustion set in enough for me to get 2-3 hours of sleep. The sheer accumulation of heat inside the apartment (which though was quite expensive did not have any air-conditioning or window screens) was more than I could ignore, even while asleep, and I woke up several times throughout the night overheated.

The next day I began to realize that my intuition was correct and that though I was hot, jet-lagged, and sleep-deprived there was good reason for me to be overwhelmed. We were going to be spending 10-11 hours a day at the home of our friends during most of the trip. Though we had hoped for and originally planned to travel across the country and stay along the beach for a few days, those plans did not work out and our language barrier would prevent us from trying to request other plans without offending our hosts.

The home of the C.'s was lovely. Since we had been there last in 2005, they had renovated some of the interior and had re-landscaped the entire outdoor space. What used to be patchy grass and a fountain was now a luxurious looking pool surrounded by 3 dining areas, 2 lounging areas, and several umbrellas. It looked like a small resort. The beauty of the area was quickly outshined by our realization that the small bricked paths surrounding the pool were the only outdoor areas our son could play. Because none were more than a few feet from the pool edge, we would have to keep a constant vigilant watch that L. did not fall into the pool. The home itself is very traditional Italian-style. It's four floors are all narrow and accessed via tile or granite stairs. Throughout the home our hosts constantly burned tea-lights and incense. On the floors, the stairs, the sinks, the coffee tables. August in Milan is mosquito (zenzare in Italian) season and they are more prevalent there even than Atlanta- hard to believe! The C.'s had the mis-guided notion that perfumed candles and incense would ward off the mosquitoes. Not surprisingly, we quickly found that they more than likely attracted even more.

Our days at their home were spent chasing L. to make sure that he did not fall into the pool and drown or fall down the indoor or outdoor steps that were every few feet. We moved candles and incense burners constantly to be sure he didn't get hurt. He watched an ungodly amount of television (Thank God for Sky TV's cartoons in English!) so that we could get a short break to sit down and rest or have a conversation. It wasn't easy.

Intermixxed in these days was some wonderful home-cooked Northern Italian food- risotto, pasta, and lots of meat and fish. We also traveled to a hotel for 2 of the nights so that we could explore Tuscany- Florence, Pisa, Sienna, San Gemingnano were all beautiful. One day we took a drive to Lake Como and spent the day exploring the towns of Como and Bellagio.

By the 9th day of our "vacation" I had had it and the heat, itchy mosquito bites that covered all of us, complete isolation from our American world (we had not internet or phone access and no one could reach us from home, either), and sleep deprivation (due to the heat, horrible bed, late nights, etc.) overwhelmed me. This on-the-go Mama could NOT wait to go home. Nothing seemed more exciting than to spend countless hours in the home that when I was previously sick seemed to make me feel trapped. I never wanted to leave my house again, I vowed as I counted down the hours of the next 4 days.

The thing is, I did it. It wasn't easy, but I did it. We wondered if I was having a relapse of Depression. We worried that my husband's vacation was going to be over-shadowed by my difficulty enjoying myself and therefore dampening his good time and offending our hosts because we couldn't accurately describe why I would be on the verge of tears every couple of days.

In the midst of it all, my amazing child slept, was in a good mood even when he only got 8 or nine hours of rest at night because of our late nights (our friends refused to take us home before 10pm, because they misinterpreted our request with us thinking that they needed a break, which they wanted to assure us they did not), sat beautifully in his car seat and took naps (sometimes 2-3 short ones) wherever we were. He was pleasant, friendly and entertaining when we didn't have anymore to say because we were tired of trying to explain something in a strange combination of English and Italian with a dash of French.

Over those 13 days I learned a lot about me. I learned that I could spend two weeks with my son without any assistance and take good care of him. I learned that even if it was really stressful because our surroundings were not designed for small children that I could engage and entertain my child and he would be happy. I learned that I could spend two weeks with only my husband to speak to in my native language and still love him (and not kill him). I realized that I had it in me. Whatever that combination of strength, confidence, fortitude, and courage is necessary for a mom to be successful I HAD!

Coming back to the US, I literally cried tears of joy. In the week that we've been home, I have not left my home unless absolutely necessary. In fact, I put off grocery shopping for 5 days because I could not bear to leave my beloved, comfortable, baby-proofed home for any longer than necessary for church and work.

I now know that I can do it. I can handle this mom thing. I didn't have a relapse. I feel great being home and I no longer count the hours until my son's next nap or bedtime, worrying how I will get through them. I know that if I could do what I did those two weeks under those circumstances that this will be a piece of cake!

I had to travel thousands of miles, lose lots of sleep, and tackle huge hurdles to get here. But, I am so glad that I now have the confidence to be the kind of mom I want to be. What a blessing.

Can stress really make you SICK?

From Medical News Today and the Association for Psychological Science, this article examines the physical impact of stress, including depression and anxiety, on the body.

In a new report in Perspectives on Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, psychologist Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser from the Ohio State University College of Medicine reviews research investigating how stress can wreak havoc on our bodies and provides some suggestions to further our understanding of this connection...

The field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) investigates how stress and negative emotions (such as depression and anxiety) affect our health. Over the past 30 years, researchers in this field have uncovered a number of ways that stress adversely affects our health, and specifically, how stress can damage our immune system. Numerous studies have shown that stressed individuals show weaker immune responses to vaccines, and as Kiecolt-Glaser observes, "The evidence that stress and distress impair vaccine responses has obvious public health relevance because infectious diseases can be so deadly." Stress and depression have been shown to increase the risk of getting infections and also result in delayed wound healing...

"By providing key data on how stressful events and the emotions they evoke get translated into health," she suggested, "psychology will assume a more dominant role in the health sciences, in health promotion, and in public health policy."

Blogger and Survivor Mama "Penny Pinching Penguin" shares her PPD story in an Interview with me

I am so thankful to have caught up with A. on Facebook. We were High School classmates and had lost touch for more than 14 years before finding one another on the web and realizing we had much more in common than we knew...this faithful, $-saving, dedicated wife and mama was kind enough to share her story with me so I could share it with you. Thank you, A., for your strength and courage. I know you will offer hope and encouragement to other moms reading this blog.

1) Tell us about you- catch us up on what your adult life was like prior to having a baby...

Let’s see, after graduating college, Hubby and I moved around a lot so he could get his masters and then doctorate degrees. I taught K-12 music in Tennessee and Nebraska to help put him through school. We were very active in our church and just generally very busy people.

2) You have a blog...Penny Pinching Penguin. Where did the name come from and what inspired you to begin writing?

Somehow, I acquired the nickname “Penguin” in college. After giving birth and becoming a stay at home mom, I was looking for ways to save and generate money. I started doing a lot of paid surveys and one day a friend of mine mentioned that it is possible to make money by blogging. I already loved to write so I looked into blogging and ran with it. I am still in the very early stages and still learning a lot.

3) Tell us about your pregnancy...was it planned? Was it eventful or pretty standard?

This pregnancy was definitely planned. Hubby realized that if we had a baby while he was in school still, he would miss out on so much so we waited until he was in his final semester. After waiting over 8 years to start trying, we were a little surprised at how quickly it happened! After walking with friends who have miscarried and knowing that my mom miscarried, I did everything I could to not get too attached just in case we’d lose the pregnancy.

In addition to guarding my heart, the pregnancy itself was definitely high stress from fear of the unknown as Hubby searched the country for a job to the fear of moving across the country. Throw in a few preterm labor scares and you have a good idea of our summer. One scare was at 29 weeks when I did a belly flop on concrete and started contracting. The other was at 33 weeks when my car broke down and we were in a dangerous situation stuck on a highway and started contracting.

At 35 weeks 6 days, my water broke 4 weeks before my due date. Praise God, our little man was healthy and happy with no need for a NICU stay. He was 5lbs 2oz and 19” long at birth. His lowest weight was 4lbs 10oz. We had a wonderful lactation consultant that got us going with breastfeeding. Because of his tiny size, we had to learn to use a nipple shield so he could latch. We were released after a two day stay. We were readmitted for 22 hours for bili-light treatment for jaundice, but other than that, things were great. I did feel quite overwhelmed with such an early surprise baby - we were still unpacking and had not even painted or set up the nursery yet. I just didn’t feel prepared at all.

4) You've mentioned dealing with postpartum depression on your blog. When did you first feel that something was not "right" with you?

After giving birth, I was so overwhelmed with having such a tiny little man. I felt like I knew nothing. After going home, I felt the same way and played it off as the baby blues. I had a strong bond with him, but new motherhood wasn’t what I expected. After his illness at 3 weeks, I started a severe battle for my milk supply. We ended up needing to supplement up to 20 oz of formula a day. Through this time, I kept feeling anxious during each nursing session. I had my thyroid tested every 6 weeks and results kept coming back normal. One day, I found myself unable to leave the porch to get in the car to take my son to a well baby visit. I knew something was wrong.

5) What symptoms did you experience and how did you deal with them?

I mostly struggled with anxiety although looking back, I see that I did struggle with depression as well. I always felt that I wasn’t measuring up and being the wife and mom I should be. I became afraid to travel in a car, especially if I was driving. Finances were tight after our big move. I was afraid to look at our bank statement. Because of this fear, we had a bounced check and a few close calls. I felt even more like a failure.

I didn’t tell my primary doctor what was going on. I was afraid I would be given medications that would interfere with breastfeeding and I would have to quit after all the work I had put in to get things back on track. I couldn’t deal with the thought of failing again. I had done the research and knew there was medicine I could safely take, but I wasn’t thinking logically. Thankfully, after a repeat thyroid check, the doctor found my thyroid was out of control. A week later after a medication change, I felt worlds better and my milk supply returned. (Just a note - I was diagnosed with Graves disease - hyperactive thyroid - at age 10 and had radiation in high school to kill my thyroid. I have been on synthetic thyroid hormone ever since with no problems whatsoever).

6) How has your husband been through the postpartum period and what role has he had in dealing with your PMD?

Because I was so afraid of failing, I internalized all my fears. My husband knew something wasn’t quite right but mostly thought I was just adjusting to new motherhood. He was busy adjusting to new fatherhood and a new high-demand job. He was gracious enough to drive me to Kroger to do grocery shopping after he had a long day of teaching. Neither of us realized what was going on inside me.

7) After suffering from a PMD, how will you think differently about future pregnancies (including whether to have more children)?

We definitely want to have more children. I was terrified of the thought at first but now that I am healing, I look forward to the joy of more little ones.. My doctor has promised to do whatever is possible to prevent issues like these in future pregnancies.

My official diagnosis just came about 2 weeks ago at 9 months post partum. I had late-onset post partum thyroiditis. This condition seems to have triggered my thyroid that we thought was completely non-functioning to start producing hormone causing it to be hyperactive again. This hyperactivity caused the extreme anxiety and milk supply issues. My doctor is still struggling to get my levels under control.

For future pregnancies and births, my husband and I will better be able to recognize the symptoms. With this pregnancy, everything was so gradual that the problems were nearly imperceptible until they were crippling. In the future we will know what to look for much earlier!

8) Your faith is obviously a huge part of your life. How has that been impacted by a PMD and how did it impact how you dealt with your depression?

In the beginning, I let my faith hinder me. I wasn’t thinking logically. I kept thinking that I could get better just through prayer and that there was no reason to seek a doctor. To be clear, I have seen people, including my great grandmother, be miraculously healed, but it isn’t a promise that all who ask for healing will be healed. Once I started to realize what was going on mentally and emotionally with me and after admitting to a close friend who has struggled with anxiety for years, I realized that I needed to be speaking truth into my life. There was something medically wrong with me. I never ceased praying for healing, but I also began seeking medical attention. If I were diabetic, I would seek medical help while praying, so I was doing the same for PMD and thyroid issues. I began speaking truth from the Bible to myself to gather the strength I needed to do what I needed to do as a mom. A favorite truth that I repeated many times a day, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

9) You plan your meals ahead in order to be frugal and buy only what's on your shopping list. Would you share a favorite recipe with us?

A favorite of mine is my Crock Pot Chicken. It is super easy and quite inexpensive and ends up tasting like rotisserie chicken every time. I wait until the chicken is on sale for $.89/lb or less then stock up!

Ingredients:

1 whole fryer/roaster chicken, cleaned (whatever size will fit in your crock pot)

1/2 can of most any beverage (I have used orange juice, cola, lemon lime soda, and beer with great results each time - separately of course)

spices

Directions:

Place cleaned chicken in crock pot. Season as desired. (I use onion powder, crazy salt, poultry seasoning, and pepper) Pour in the beverage of your choice. Cook all day! Be careful - the chicken will be very hard to remove from the crock pot as it will just fall off the bones! If you have any leftovers, shred them and use them to make chicken tacos - yummy!

10) What's the funniest/silliest thing that you've done or that's happened to you since you became a mom?

A few weeks ago, Hubby and I went to the Saturday night service at church. He plays in the band so I tend to Baby the whole time. At one point, Baby got quite vocal during the quiet music and prayer so I walked with him across the back of the church. At one point, he latched on to my chin and started giggling at his own “joke.” I started cracking up which made him giggle even harder. Every few minutes, he would latch onto my chin and giggle again. He has such a sweet sense of humor already!

11) If you could only share one message or piece of advice with a pregnant or new mom, what would it be?

I encourage ALL moms to push for thyroid testing at 6 weeks post partum. Thyroiditis is much more common than many people realize. If you feel the least bit “off,” seek help. It might just be the baby blues, but it could also be more. There is no shame in seeking help. Everyone I talked to online and in real life didn’t think there was a connection with thyroid issues and anxiety and milk supply. Get tested!

POEM: Fearful mothers finding help

News out of Columbus:

The new leader of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has made it his mission to boost recognition of postpartum depression by both doctors and new mothers.

"I wanted to bring it out of the closet for them, to let them know it's not them, it's a physical thing, and we can do a lot about it," said Dr. Gerald Joseph Jr., who works at the Ochsner Health Center in Covington, La. He took over as president of the influential doctors group in May.

He also wants his group to better study the disorder, including finding ways to help doctors accurately determine who is suffering and what type of help might be most beneficial to a particular woman.

This comes as welcome news to Tonya Fulwider, a leader in bringing recognition and support to Columbus-area mothers through the nonprofit group POEM (Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement for Moms). She and two other women began their effort to create POEM in 2004.

The members of POEM want to help stop the damage that postpartum does to the mother, her child and her family. The group focuses on mom-to-mom support, Fulwider said.

The group also guides women to medical and mental-health professionals. And Fulwider works to educate doctors, nurses and others most likely to help women recognize what they're going through.

Heidi Sommer McAlister, a Columbus psychotherapist who specializes in postpartum depression, said recognition has increased in recent years, but misconceptions persist.

"When the public hears postpartum depression, they generally think of a psychotic mom that is going to hurt her baby. In eight years of therapeutic work, I've never had a case like that."

Interesting perspective on Depression coming BEFORE, not after teen pregnancy

From Health Behavior News Service:
It would make sense that teenage mothers have a lot of psychological stress in their lives, but a new study shows that the distress comes before the pregnancy, not because of it.

“Psychological distress does not appear to be caused by teen childbearing, nor does it cause teen childbearing, except apparently among girls from poor households,” said Stefanie Mollborn, Ph.D., an assistant professor of sociology at the Institute of Behavioral Science of the University of Colorado at Boulder.

The study, published in the September issue of the Journal of Health and Social Behavior, used data from two large long-term U.S. surveys that followed thousands of teen girls and women. Participants responded to items on symptoms associated with depression, such as how often they found things that did not usually bother them to be bothersome, how easily they could shake off feeling blue or whether they had trouble concentrating. The researchers did not use the term “depression,” which is a clinical diagnosis.

Only the combination of poverty and existing distress was a good predictor of teen pregnancy.

Previous studies had shown high levels of depression among teen mothers, but nationally representative studies had not examined if distress was present before the pregnancy and stresses of young motherhood.

“Psychologically distressed girls are at risk for teen childbearing and vice versa, even if the two things usually do not cause each other,” Mollborn said. “This could help educators and clinicians identify at-risk adolescents.”

Looking for symptoms of depression or distress should be part of normal health screening for all teenagers, said Diane Merritt, M.D., director of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “Talking to teenagers about their sexuality and responsible behavior is key,” she said. Responsible behavior would include the use of birth control if the teenager were sexually active.

One of the best ways to prevent teen pregnancy is for teens to have long-term goals and good self-esteem, Merritt added.

High levels of depression have long-term negative consequences for both mothers and children, Mollborn said. The higher levels of psychological distress in women who had teenage pregnancies continued well into adulthood, she added.

Postpartum depression and the couple

Here's a look at how PPD impacts the spousal/partner relationship...click here for the whole article.

The stress and strain on the marriage is exacerbated if the woman is suffering from postpartum depression (PPD). The new mother feels overwhelmed, exhausted, sad, anxious and unable to cope with the baby and household chores. She may be withdrawn and having difficulty with day to day activities. She is struggling to find herself in this role transition to “mother”. The new father is also confused (and possibly depressed) by his wife’s behavior. He usually does not know what to do or say so he may try to help by pitching in with the housework. Those men who have been helping with the housework all along, may double their efforts and do even more. They may also take over some (or most, or even all) of the childcare responsibilities. The woman suffering from PPD knows she needs the help and that she “should” appreciate her partners efforts. However, as her partner takes over more and more of “her” duties, she begins to feel increasingly inadequate. This puts the new dad in a double bind. In order to help his wife, he does more of “her” work. The more of “her” work he does, the more inadequate she feels and then starts to resent him. Meanwhile, he starts to resent her for being unable to cope. In addition, the new mother may be overwhelmed by her own reaction. PPD carries with it, its own shock factor. The woman didn’t expect to feel depressed or anxious. In fact, she probably expected this to be the happiest time of her life. As such, the depression begins to feed on itself - she feels guilty and inadequate because she sees herself as weak to become depressed in the first place. She doesn’t know that PPD is a medical condition, and certainly not a sign of weakness.

Survivor Mamas share their stories

Bloggers share their personal accounts with PPD HERE:

FEMMEWORLD: I wasn’t ready for a baby, as not many young women are at my age. I had just graduated from college and was looking to start my career. Living with my boyfriend and several of our friends, I hadn’t ever even given motherhood a thought.

Simply Blessed: Stories about the trials, tribulations and joys of raising five children!

I'm Living Proof that God has a sense of Humor: At my 6-week check-up, my OB asked if I was suffering from post-partum depression and I said "no" because I thought having PPD meant you just sat around and cried all the time.

Money Saving Mom: I am usually a very even-keeled, motivated, productive, Type-A person who has tons of things I want to do and never enough time to do them all. PPD hit me like a mac truck; I was barely functioning many days.

You can leave a link to your PPD story by submitting a comment with your blog's address.

Thanks to ALL the Survivor Mamas out there for sharing!

What Expectant Mothers Can Do Now to Avoid a Difficult Postpartum Adjustment

From CityMommy, a great article on preparing with realistic expectations of Motherhood:

Below is an abbreviated version of the article which you can read in its entirety by clicking above:

Why didn’t anyone tell me it would be this hard?

This is one of the most common questions I hear in my work with women transitioning into the role of new mother. While not all women struggle during the early months after delivery, preparing yourself for the realities of new motherhood can be of great benefit to you, your partner and your baby. Most of the information available to expectant mothers is focused on the physical aspects of pregnancy and delivery as well as the practical aspects of caring for a newborn. While this information is essential for any new parent to know, there are several other important factors that can determine the kind of postpartum experience you will have. Neglecting the emotional aspects of new motherhood can lead to a difficult adjustment after birth and even symptoms of postpartum depression.

Here are some tips on what you can do now to ensure a healthy and happy postpartum experience:

1. Understanding your past will allow you to make mindful and authentic decisions about the kind of mother you want to be.

2. Pay attention to your feelings about the pregnancy and the impending birth and share them with someone you trust.

3. Ensuring that you have a sufficient amount of support and nurturance during the postpartum period can reduce the risk of feeling overwhelmed and depleted.

4. Spend some time thinking about how you would feel if things turned out differently than you expected. Being open to all possibilities will allow you to more easily adjust and adapt when necessary.

5. Holding in mind that each woman has her own unique experience of motherhood, and that a multitude of feelings can surface during the postpartum period will make it easier for you to seek help when necessary.

6. Taking time now to reflect on the magnitude of having a baby and all that it entails will lead to increased feelings of self-confidence and a more joyful postpartum experience.

Omega-3 Can Prevent or Treat Postpartum Depression

News about your diet while pregnant and postpartum:

Postpartum depression (PPD) is different from the “baby blues” that effect up to 80% of women following childbirth. PPD is clinical depression, diagnosed using DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria and effects approximately 1 in 10 women following child birth. PPD may or may not include Postpartum Psychosis, made famous by Andrea Yates, or postpartum anxiety. If symptoms are interfering with your functioning or you believe you are experiencing any hallucinations, please seek the help of a mental health professional. Many people find it is helpful to talk to a caring counselor during any life transition. Other moms may prefer to use diet and exercise to help them overcome PPD. The number one nutritional suggestion for treating PPD is omega-3 fatty acids and DHA. Your DHA stores can be diminished during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and DHA blood levels drop further with each pregnancy. According to Dr. Beth Levant Omega-3 fatty deposits in the brain will stay there even if a rat’s diet contains an insufficient amount of good fat content, unless that rat is pregnant. An expectant rat whose diet is deficient of Omega-3 fatty acids will transfer fatty deposits from her brain to that of her babies who need it for healthy development. This will leave the pregnant and postpartum rat with an insufficient amount of Omega-3 fatty deposits. Luckily healthy levels of fatty deposits can be renewed with a diet rich in good fats.

Science assumes it similar in humans. Research has linked diets low in Omega-3 fatty acids to depression, including higher incidences of depression in countries and cultures that eat less seafood, such as New Zealand, compared to diets rich in Omega-3 fatty acids in countries like Japan. A survey of women from the United Kingdom found that those who ate more Omega-3 fatty acids during their third trimester were less likely to show symptoms of PPD. Eating seafood during pregnancy can be discouraged due to the risk of high levels of mercury found in some species. Discuss with your doctor what is safe and when.

Hotline help for mothers in Austrailia

News out of Austrailia:

WOMEN suffering from acute depression during and after pregnancy, and parents dealing with the loss of a baby, will have access to more counselling services from next year.

Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon today will announce four new, phone-based counselling services for families mourning the loss of a baby – either before term or after birth – and experiencing perinatal depression (acute depression suffered around the birth.

"Peer support services can be of particular help in trying to cope during such difficult times," Ms Roxon said.

"Women who experience post and antenatal depression, and parents and families who have experienced the loss of a baby, often find it helpful to speak to others who have had a similar experience."

The services will be in addition to a previously announced 24-hour hour pregnancy advice hotline, which is set to start on July 1, 2010.

About 2900 babies die in Australia each year, either just before term or in the first months of life.

It is estimated that 16 per cent of new mothers experience unexplained depression and another 10 per cent also experience unexplained depression before birth.

Four organisations will run the additional advisory services, at a cost to the Federal Government of $5.1 million over three years.

The organisations are Post and Antenatal Depression Australia (PANDA), SIDS and Kids Australia, Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Support (SANDS) and the Bonnie Babes Foundation.

PANDA chief executive officer Belinda Horton said the issues around post and antenatal depression were not widely known.

"No new parent wants to feel depressed or anxious after a baby – both men and women – and they do a lot to hide it and do not necessarily seek the help that they need," she said.

"We know that about 16 per cent of new mums and 10 per cent of new fathers are diagnosed with post-natal depression . . . we estimate that there are the same again that are not diagnosed."

Nominate a GA Mental Health Hero!

Heroes in the Fight is a program which celebrates dignity, courage, hope, and recovery in the ongoing treatment of persons with serious and persistent mental illness (SPMI) by recognizing "heroes" who provide care and support for persons with SPMI and their families.

Specific individuals who best exemplify ongoing care and dedication will be selected from nomination forms submitted by members within the mental health community like you. Exemplary heroes will be selected within each of the following categories:

• Individual Psychiatrist
• Individual Allied Health Professionals (multiple awards)
• Individual Community Supporters (Professionals who do not meet criteria for Allied Health Professionals, e.g. Police Officer, EMT, Judge, etc - multiple award recipients)
• Individual Media Professionals (journalist, reporter, etc)
• Treatment Team (broad category from small group to an entire facility)

Do you know someone whose ongoing, heroic work within your community deserves to be recognized? To nominate a hero you know, simply click on this link and follow the instructions on the nomination form. The process is simple and takes just a few minutes to complete.

Nominate a Hero today!

Massage during the Prenatal and Postpartum Periods

As some of you readers may remember, I frequented a FABULOUS pregnancy massage therapist during my prenatal months. Once we realized I was suffering from PPD, we continued with this practice in the hopes that it would help me to decrease my anxiety and increase my body's physical healing to help with the fatigue and discomfort from c-section recovery. Sharon F. Price of Centerpoint Therapies is a trained professional in this specific area. While you may certainly be able to receive a relaxing and comfortable massage at a traditional spa, I recommend seeing only a specialist in this field while pregnant. If you live in the Atlanta area and would like to contact Sharon, please visit Center Point Therapies.

From The Examiner:
The postnatal massage is as important as the prenatal massage. The prenatal and postnatal therapeutic massages offer soothing techniques, and a bounty of benefits are bestowed onto the body from both massages. Many continue on to the postpartum massage because of its quintessential perks the body receives from it. The benefits from the prenatal therapeutic massage are extensive, and that is why most opt to receive the prenatal massage close to the delivery date. Through the duration of the pregnancy the hormones are continuously modifying so the postnatal therapeutic massage continues the care that the prenatal massage began. The postpartum massage provides the body with different methods since the body’s urges become different after giving birth.

In some cases, the postnatal pains are caused by expanded ribcages so it’s imperative that the body is in the right hands. Using another massage therapist for the postnatal therapeutic massage is fine, but returning to the massage therapist who performed the prenatal massage is fine too as long as the massage therapist is certified in the specific field. The body is in the most delicate state, and is still experiencing physical discomforts after pregnancy, so a good massage therapist is aware of this and will ask enough questions to attain the information that’s key in doing a sufficient job. Postpartum massage can be an emotional experience. As the body relaxes, hidden and repressed emotions can arise during the massage. Usually the person isn’t aware that the muscles have stored emotions throughout the pregnancy, so once the body is relaxed these previously stored emotions will surface, and it can be surprising.

The job shouldn’t end with the therapeutic massage, the therapist should include referrals to various other professionals who can assist in this process. Please be advised that drinking plenty of water is vital in the massage care process as an aid in releasing toxins. Because water consumption after a massage helps release toxins, make sure to always consult with the massage therapist right after the session to find out when it’s safe to breast feed.

Carnie Wilson speaks out about her Postpartum Depresison and weight struggles

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From The Insider:
Carnie Wilson has famously struggled with her weight. Once almost 300 pounds, the 5-foot-3 star had gastric bypass surgery in 1999 and then a tummy tuck in 2002 to remove excess skin after the weight-loss procedure. But the June 12 arrival of Luciana Bella, her second daughter with her husband, musician Rob Bonfiglio, was more than worth the 60 pounds Carnie packed on while expecting. “People gain weight when they have a baby, and someone like me, I gain more weight than I want to,” she told Life & Style during an interview in her Tarzana, Calif., home on July 1. “I’m not hiding that. I’m not ashamed of that.” Instead, she’s reveling in family time with Rob, their 4-year-old daughter, Lola Sofia, and the couple’s new 6-pound, 5-ounce bundle of joy, affectionately nicknamed Luci. “She’s just a few weeks old but a very good baby,” reveals Carnie, 41.

Although Carnie’s eager to get back to her hosting gig by early September, she’s enjoying this bonding period with Luci. “Rob can help change diapers and help with some bottle- feedings, but he’s kind of leaving it up to me,” says the singer. “For the first month, it really is ‘mommy time,’ and Rob lies low. After that, the baby’s not as fragile.” While Carnie herself was fragile after Lola’s birth, suffering from post-partum depression, she’s experiencing less anxiety with her second newborn because she knows what to expect now. “If the baby cries, she’s either hungry or has gas or a wet diaper, and that’s it,” she says. “It changes every month, and I just know that so far it’s been a lot easier on my mind.”

The only hurdle left for Carnie is fitting back into her size 8 jeans. Breast- feeding every three to four hours and drinking more than 2 liters of water a day have helped her drop 25 pounds already, but Carnie says she has 35 more to go. “Now I think I’m reaching a point where it’s slowed down and the hard work is going to come in,” she says. “My goal is to be somewhere between 150 and 160 pounds.”

Possible cause for some depression in pregnancy and postpartum- thyroid and Iodine issues

From Mental Pro Dot Com:
Thyroid testing identifies the levels of several hormones, including T4 and T3, which are the most active of the thyroid hormones; and thyroid-stimulating hormone, produced by the pituitary gland that controls the production and secretion of thyroxine. When T3 and T4 levels rise, the pituitary secretes less TSH, which causes production ofT3 and T4 to decline, restoring balance. If T3 and T4 levels fall, secretion of TSH again increases, which boosts production ofT3 and T4.

Testing for T3, T4, and TSH levels is a good start if you have symptoms of hypo- or hyperthyroidism, but because the normal range for these blood tests is wide, it's possible to have thyroid dysfunction with so-called normal test results. Measurement of thyroid antibodies can provide additional information about the risk of depression and treatment prognosis. One report, for example, found that women with high levels of antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies are more likely to become depressed than those without these antibodies. A subsequent study concluded that testing for antibody levels "seems necessary," especially in the elderly and in individuals who do not respond to depression treatment

While women are more likely to have thyroid hormone imbalance (especially hypothyroidism) than men are, a subgroup of women are at particular risk. Up to 10 percent of new mothers develop postpartum thyroiditis, chronic inflammation of the thyroid gland, and concurrent depression. This condition can be diagnosed with tests that check for antibodies against the thyroid. Research has shown that up to 50 percent of women who have high levels of thyroid antibodies during their first trimester develop postpartum thyroiditis and are subsequently at risk for postpartum depression. These women may be iodine-insufficient and will probably respond to iodine supplementation. Women who are significantly iodine insufficient and then become pregnant will become much more insufficient, because iodine is preferentially transported to the fetus. As the woman becomes more insufficient, she is likely to develop anti thyroid antibodies, and after delivery is more likely to develop postpartum depression.

In recent years, studies of depression have shown that some people who take antidepressants respond better if they also take T3. In one particular study of patients who had hypothyroidism, those who took a combination ofT3 and T4 had better results in regard to mental and emotional symptoms than those who took T4 alone. Unfortunately, most patients with hypothyroidism who are treated conventionally usually take only T4. Occasionally patients are given T3 (as the medication Cytomel), which must be taken several times a day and can cause mood and energy swings. To prevent these problems, a physician could prescribe long-acting T3, which is available from compounding pharmacies. Today, however, I would certainly try therapeutic doses of iodine before prescribing long-acting T3.