The Ins and Outs of Peer Support

When I first noticed that things weren't going well postpartum (after that initial, "No, I don't want to see my baby yet" shock wore off), I wanted desperately to talk to someone who actually understood what I was thinking and maybe even why I was thinking that way.  A few people, like my mom, my BFF, and a church friend noticed that I might be depressed and mentioned postpartum depression in passing.  They hadn't had it, though, and so when they discussed it, it sounded more like a shot in the dark than even an educated guess to my confused brain.  And when I talked to my friends from afar (the few whose calls, emails and text messages I actually responded to), as sweet and supportive as they were, they hadn't had any such issues and weren't educated about PMDs. I felt so lost.

My story goes that several people continued to mention this as a possible cause to my un-blissful early days of motherhood and my strange awe at my husband's immediate and unconditional love for our son.  Then at 5 1/2 weeks postpartum (as you can hear more about in this video) when the eye of the perfect storm settled over Atlanta and my life, I at least had these comments in the back of my head all collectively serving as prompts that led me to make that call to the doctor. 

We'll talk about my step-by-step roller coaster journey to wellness in more detail another time, but once I got mostly there, I realized that I felt alone.  That I felt isolated.  That I felt strange, sad, guilty, and different.  Very, very different than other mothers.  Sure...I had read the statistics by then.  I had begun to research PMDs and to connect with people in the community that is now truly my network, many of whom I now consider an integral part of my support system.  But, at that time I still didn't know a single person that was going through exactly what I was at a similar time that I was.  I began to ask myself, "If I feel this alone in this nightmare journey then how many other women do, too?"  And that's when it happened.  The call.  Not a telephone call.  But what I consider THE Call.  The one that defines my life and gives me a sense of purpose.  That call is to make sure that no one suffers a PMD alone again.  That no one else thinks that it is their fault. This call led me to begin writing here, to start the Atlanta Support Group and to join several organizations with similar goals.  I continue to try to expand the support network in Atlanta and beyond, while trying to balance the other priorities in my life like my faith and family.

If you are feeling like you might be experiencing a PMD or if you've been diagnosed with one, I hope that you'll reach out.  That you will find people who will help and support you.  And who most of all understand you.  Social support of all kinds is good.  People can help you with laundry, cooking, cleaning and the baby regardless of their knowledge of mood disorders.  But peer support is the only kind of support that sends a clear message directly to your confused, exhausted and overwhelmed, fragile self, that says, "You WILL get better.  You are NOT alone.  It's NOT your fault."

HERE, you can read a recent piece of research about the importance and effectiveness of Peer Support.

HERE, you can find a Support Group in your area.

HERE, you can find blogs and websites written by Survivor Mamas.

A few weeks ago, Lauren Hale, author of My Postpartum Voice, pitched a great idea to me and a couple of our "friends" in the PMD world.  In response, we affirmed the potential value of this resource and the following week #PPDChat began!  This support and information resource uses the Twitter platform to offer live, real-time conversation online.  Since then, we've discussed several topics, including how to tell others about your PMD, how your partner has supported you, and hospitalization for a PMD.  More than 50 women so far have stopped by #PPDChat at one time or another to seek and/or offer support.  Each Monday, you can join at 1:00 or 8:30pm EST and find many, many people who will remind you that you are not alone and that you are going to get better!

Blessings,



p.s. Thank you SO much for your support and understanding during my much needed "break."  I look forward to connecting with those of you who have written to me or commented here...soon!

FIVE Minutes to appropriate 3 million dollars for PPD grants

I am taking a brief break from my hiatus this week (see my last post) because this is just that IMPORTANT...

We have spent the past weeks celebrating the historic passage of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act initiatives in healthcare reform; but there is one more step of advocacy we need from everyone RIGHT NOW that will greatly benefit the work all of you do for mothers and families in your communities! The good news is that it will take only five minutes and involves two phone calls. But we need your help by Tuesday, June 22nd.

While development/assignment of the initiatives for research and public awareness campaigns are already law and will be budgeted accordingly, the 3 million dollars for grants to fund responsive community programs from many sectors needs to pass through the appropriations committee.

There are many fantastic organizations and programs out there whose funding could mightily contribute to the sustainment and formation of national, replicable blueprints for programmatic response to postpartum depression issues. Perhaps you or your organization have ideas for programs you would like to implement.

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez and Congressman Bobby L. Rush, are asking you to encourage your state senators and Congressman to “sign” the letter below.

All you need to do is 1 – call your two state Senators and 2 – the Congressperson representing your district to indicate you would like them to “sign” this letter.

If you are calling your state senator, please refer to U.S. Senator Robert Menendez’s letter regarding funding for the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act; If calling your Congressman, please refer to Congressman Bobby L. Rush’s letter in support of funding for the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.

To find the phone number for your state senator click here.

To find the U.S. Congressman/woman representing your district, click here.

 

Dear (Chair and Ranking Members of Senate/House Appropriations Committee):
We are writing (calling) to express our strong support of funding for the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, which was signed into law as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Section 2952 of P.L. 111-148). This provision has the support of over 20 national organizations, and we believe that it deserves priority consideration during the appropriations process.
This new law authorizes $3 million for a grant program to provide services to women with postpartum depression. Therefore, we respectfully urge you to provide initial funding of $3 million in FY 2011 to make this important program a reality.
The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act will help provide support services to women suffering from postpartum depression and psychosis and will also help educate mothers and their families about these conditions. In addition, it will support research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression and psychosis.
As you know, postpartum depression is a devastating mood disorder which strikes many women during and after pregnancy. It is a serious and disabling condition that affects 10 to 20 percent of new mothers. In the United States, there may be as many as 800,000 new cases of postpartum conditions each year. These mothers often experience signs of agitation or depression and may lose interest in friends and family, feel overwhelming sadness or even have thoughts of harming the baby or themselves. Unfortunately, in the most extreme cases some mothers have acted on those thoughts.
The funding we are requesting would go toward the creation of a grant program for the establishment, operation, and coordination of effective and cost-efficient systems for the delivery of essential services to individuals with or at risk for postpartum conditions and their families.
Local community organizations, hospitals or even state or local governments would be able to apply for funding to provide education and services with respect to the diagnosis and treatment of postpartum depression. For instance, if the recipient is a medical facility, the grants could be used to educate new mothers and family members about postpartum depression before new mothers leave the health facility.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this request. By providing $3 million in FY 2011, we will be able to begin implementing this important program in communities across the country. We look forward to working with you on this important program.
Sincerely,

Apologies and Happy Father's Day!

Dearest readers,

Confession: When it comes to all of the "tasks" on my plate right now, I am barely keeping my head above water here.  Between orchestrating travel plans for the summer, lots of extra stuff at work and home, and working on expanding the network of support and education resources for Perinatal Mood Disorders in GA I am feeling a bit overwhelmed and anxious, if I'm honest.  It's when I am short tempered and get so close to the end of my rope that I've learned I need to take a break.  So, that's what I am doing for the next week.  I hope you'll understand that I will be "away" for a little while.  I need to take care of my family, and the best way to do that is to give myself a little breather. 

Thank you SO much for all of your comments recently.  I promise I have read every single one of them.  And, thanks, too, for your emails.  I am so grateful that I have the privilege of "meeting" you, reading your stories, and sharing in your recovery and survival of PMDs.  And I am looking forward to writing back to all of you soon.  I am so sorry...I know I have been remiss in responding, but I ask you to forgive me and to keep on writing or commenting- it means so much to me!

This weekend is Father's Day.  If you are a father with Postpartum Depression, I want to let you know that you will get better and that you are not alone.  And to also let you know that when you get better, this fatherhood thing will seem like something to celebrate.  If you are a father whose wife has Postpartum Depression you may be feeling that celebrating is too hard when the woman who you love is suffering so much.  That the best gift in the whole wouldn't be a new golf club, but just a well wife.  There's good news for you, too.  Your wife will get better, too.  And this terrible time of your lives will seem like a distant memory and a blip in time a few years down the road.  To the suffering father AND the father whose wife is suffering...Happy Father's Day.  Being a parent is already the most challenging role in the world, and the addition of a PMD complicates it just that much more.  If you are a mom whose husband has walked by her side through her PMD, then I know how much you want to let your husband know you appreciate and love and honor him as a father.  You might not be able to buy him expensive gifts or give him a whole day to himself this year.  But, I bet the thing he wants most is a homemade card, a big hug, and for you to tell him how great of a Dad you think he is.  You can do that...and I hope you will.

And to my husband: you are my rock, my angel, my personal comedian, my love...and the best father I can imagine.  L and I are SO thankful for your presence in our lives.  Happy Father's Day!

Blessings,

Having a Postpartum Plan

Today I came across this awesome resource that I just had to share with you!  I realized in reading over it how much better prepared I would have been to become a mom if I had just thought about these things (instead of obsessing over Nursery colors and decor) in the months before L was born.

A Postpartum Plan from DONA International

I also want to refer you to a resource that has been on the sidebar of my blog for a long while, but which you might not have noticed.  If you are a Survivor Mama and are expecting another child or thinking about trying to conceive, then I highly recommend these resources:

A Postpartum Pact for Couples

A Postpartum Mood Disorder Crisis Plan

I do believe that planning can help reduce the impact of a perinatal mood disorder on a family.  I encourage you to use these resources, as well as do whatever you can both before you conceive and while pregnant to ensure an active support system and ample resources like meals once you expand your family.

You BLOW my mind...thank you!

Dear friends,

Kimberly over at Make Mommy Go Something Something "gave" me this award as a thank you for walking her PPD journey with her.  She's been having a rough go of it lately, with some PTSD triggers that are very overwhelming, and I hope that through this I have been able to be a little bit of help and hope for her, as I know many of you have been, as well.  Her honesty and grit, as well as determination blow my mind.

Speaking of honesty and grit, I want to thank you for loving and accepting me through mine.  Part of this call to serve has been a realization that in order to do so fully I have offer full disclosure.  I don't feel that I can adequately help people and expect them to be honest and forthcoming with me if I don't offer the same.  For you blogging Survivor Mamas this makes perfect and complete sense.  You probably can't imagine operating any other way, either.  But, for those of you, family and friends, who may not share your downfalls and imperfections as publicly, I know that sometimes just reading this, or even hearing me share on a video or in person, might be uncomfortable.  Some of you are very private natured and airing "dirty laundry" makes you cringe...and maybe even a little angry.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry if I've offended or hurt you.  It's not my intention.  But, I need to be honest.  THIS is who I am.  Especially with the people who care enough to read this blog, talk or pray with me.  And if you talk or pray with me regularly, then I hope you care enough about me to accept that.

So, along those lines I want to share this award....But this time, I am going to change things up a bit.  This award is going to NON-bloggers today.  You bloggy friends already know you rock my world.  It's about time I thanked those who don't share their love and support through a keyboard and screen.

To the friend that doesn't judge and that has some of the most incredible resiliance and unconditional love for others I've ever known...thank you.

To the best bestie in the whole world, you know who you are.  God has truly used our physical proximity to create an opportunity for us to develop a relationship that is more like a sisterhood than friendship.  I can't imagine life without you...thank you.

To the couple of long term best friends that are more golden than silver, and who know the me that used to wear tight black pants and chunky shoes as a uniform, thank you for your long-lasting unwavering friendship.  We grew from children into adults together...what a journey...thank you.

To the family members who didn't care when I was talking crazy and who wanted nothing more than for me to get better, and prayed like crazy for that to happen...thank you.

To the church friends and caregivers who don't care that I went a little "cuckoo" after giving birth and have never questioned my ability to do my work well, despite that...thank you.

And to my husband.  My rock.  My white knight.  My biggest fan.  My love...thank you.

And to my son...the most incredible gift I can imagine.  Your love, humor, intellect, determination, and pure abandon humble me daily...thank you.

You ALL blow my mind!

My lame excuse for a sore arm (AKA The Importance of Date Night)

Saturday evening my hubby and I secured our fave babysitter and headed out for a date night.  We usually have some fancy schmancy Silent Auction, benefit, wedding, concert, etc. to go to on nights when we go out, but lately we've been trying to go casual and just do whatever.  The past couple of times, we've hit a yummy sushi restaurant and then of all things gone bowling!  It's been a blast and felt good to sometimes just throw on jeans and a cute shirt instead of formal wear for the night.  On Saturday, 10 minutes before the sitter arrived we still hadn't decided upon a destination.  We wanted to keep it cheap and low-key and finally opted for a local Mexican restaurant that is super tasty and fun, but not at all expensive or fancy.  After, we were going to check out a new Atlanta hot-spot...a tavern that was sort of like a Monkey Joes for adults.  After a drink and tacos, we moved to the other side of the street where we headed to the basement of the bar.  We found bocce courts, pool tables, dart boards, shuffle board and skee-ball!  When's the last time you've played skee-ball???  We spent the evening there, playing pool and darts, our favorite songs on the jukebox and trying out specialty beers.  It was super fun.  Since it had been at least ten years since I'd played either game, I of course got my butt kicked by my hubby, but I didn't care; it was fun just trying!  We headed home around 10 at which time I headed to bed and he to the couch to watch the UFC fight on TV. 

This morning, I spent nearly two hours trying to figure out what I had done to my arm, as my bicep is really sore, like I lifted weights or something.  Finally it struck me after pretending to throw a dart...my pathetic arm is sore from playing darts.  How lame is that???

The point of this little tale is that my hubby and I bonded in a fun, low-key, informal setting this weekend.  We drank beer, played games, talked about nothing at all, and high-fived.  It was good for us as individuals and as a couple. 

I believe that regular date nights are KEY to keeping a marriage alive.  Spending time with your partner is an absolute necessity if you want to have anything at all to talk about in twenty years when you are empty nesters.  Intimacy is important, too.  While a date night is not the only time you could or should "spend time together", it is a wonderful opportunity to add a physical component to your shared experience that day. 

Here are some tips on date nights that I offer from personal experience:

• Plan a variety of activities and alternate formal and casual dates to keep it fresh and exciting.
• Share the responsibility for deciding what to do on your date.  Take turns and sometimes plan together.
• If your husband doesn't feel comfortable securing a sitter, ask him to plan a date and time and activity and offer to get a sitter for that time.
• If you, like me, prefer to hit the hay early, plan a morning or afternoon date.  Getting a sitter may be even easier (and cheaper) then.
• If you, like me, prefer vegetating more than romantic endeavors at night, find time to be intimate before your date, while you have more energy.  We like to use L.'s nap time to spend time together.  The afternoon is a less harried and exhausting time of day for our family.
• Try to plan activities that will allow you to spend quality time together.  While seeing a movie in the theater is fun and relaxing, that is two hours that you won't be able to talk or have face time.  Save movies for nights at home, after the kids are in bed (and when you don't have to pay a sitter).
• If $ is tight, arrange for a childcare swap with a neighbor.  Once a month you could care for their child so they can go out and then they can repay the favor for free!
• Do things that you did when you were young and first dating, like playing a sport or game together.  Sometimes reliving those moments can spark those butterflies that seem to have hit the road long ago.
• And most importantly...talk about something other than the kids!  (You don't have to avoid kid-talk, just be sure it is well-balanced with current events, planning for the future- in a fun, not serious way, and light topics.)
• Lastly...let go...if you have a babysitter you trust, then allow yourself to be in the moment with your spouse, physically AND emotionally.

Cheers!

Catching up on News: Postpartum OCD and Panic

You've probably gathered that I have been burning the candle at both ends lately.  When that happens, hundreds of google alerts sit in my inbox unopened.  Each time I open my mail, my heart beats a little faster knowing that I am more and more behind.  Well, good news!  Someone (whom I need to ask permission to share more about before I tell you who) has so graciously offered to scour google alerts related to PMDs for me so that I can share news with you in a more timely manner.  And, am I ever so grateful!

Here are some great articles that I think are worthy of your time related to Postpartum Panic and OCD: 

Reuters: Pregnancy may trigger or worsen OCD symptoms

Swimming Through a Nightmare: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

Psychology Today: Postpartum Panic: Not Depressed, Just Scared to Death
(reading this one made me wonder how much of my initial issues weren't mostly panic...boy can I relate to becoming irrationally enraged with my husband- for no reason at all!)

Thank you, friends!

Well, everyone who has responded seems to like the new blog design!  I am so glad.  I hope that as you get used to it, you will continue to provide feedback.  On content, layout, links, ease of use, and even how it "feels".  It's funny; I am so used to deeper colors, more standard fonts and a "professional'" look that I was startled by the soft warmth of the pastels and the curvy fonts.  It took me a couple of days to get used to it.  But, the more I thought about it, I realized that this blog needs to include those things.  While there are certainly some health professionals and advocates that read this blog regularly (I promise to keep sharing research and news if you promise to keep reading!), the majority are moms.  Moms who are struggling to figure out what is "wrong" with them.  Moms who have been diagnosed but still have many questions about what their future looks like or how they will approach treatment.  Moms who have survived but still struggle to overcome the postpartum beast.  And moms who have long since moved past their PMD but who were changed by the experience and want to help others.  So, think of this blog as a warm cup of tea.  I pray it will nurture your soul, invigorate your spirit and comfort your mind.

Blessings,

Yes...I promise you are in the RIGHT place!

So a few months ago I got the itch to upgrade this blog.  To make it prettier.  And to choose an image that represented OUR journey, not just my journey or my family.  Around that same time, I stumbled across a blog which had recently been redesigned by a fellow blogger and I fell in bloggy love.  I contacted Bailey and we began discussions around how to keep within the purpose and intention of the blog, yet make it an attractive and soothing place to spend time, especially when you might be hurting or reading things that remind you of both your recovery and when you were hurting so badly.  (i.e. no cheesy smiley faces or puffy hearts here!) 

I hope that you like the result!  In addition to being a much more attractive place to hang out, I hope that the way we've organized the sidebar links and tools and added a horizontal navigation bar of the most important info will make Beyond Postpartum more user friendly.

So, grab a cuppa' joe, sit down, relax and play.  Email me any suggestions in the layout or features or if you think I might have forgotten a link (including to your blog or website).  Tell me what the header image represents to you.  And, please, feel free to grab my new badge (in fact I request that you do)- isn't it gorgeous???

It's been more than two years since I began chronicling my journey through motherhood and PPD here.  You've been walking with me.  This redesign is just a little thank you to you, as I am forever grateful!

On Toughing It Out

While I have been walking a bumpy, uncomfortable road the past couple of weeks and days in my personal and professional life, apparently there have been scores of people sounding off on the topic of PPD and whether it is a "trend" as well as if, in the words of another blogger out there, it can be overcome by "manning up."  I don't generally weigh in on the debates that surround motherhood, and while I read all PMD related media voraciously, I tend to ignore what is not super relevant, weighted in research or extensive personal experience, or written by people I completely trust (thanks, friends- the few of you know exactly who you are!).  But today, as I mediatated in a particular yoga pose I was overcome by the need to share.  To share my experience and thoughts, of today and of two years past, hoping and praying that it might clairfy, shed some light, or at the very least offer me an opportunity to nurture myself through writing.

After months of good, and even sometimes great, sleep I have been battling insomnia and anxiety again.  Racing thoughts, concern for what I have said or left unsaid, and insecurity about some of my relationships are the fodder of my late night wakefulness.  Last night, I got home from work a little after nine and finally retired to the couch about 10.  After a brief encounter with the nightly news I stumbled upon some very mindless (albeit annoying-as-Hell) cable reality shows.  Hooked and not sleepy enough to go to bed, I lay vegetating til nearly midnight (so unlike me!).  When I finally retired, as soon as I lay down I discovered my husband's snoring was loud enough to distract me from meditating and praying my way to sleep and I headed to the guest room.  I tossed and turned for about 3 hours when M finally came in, turned the overhead light on and I startled him by my presence in the room.  It was 4AM and he was getting ready to hit the gym.  Off I went back to our bedroom, where I debated taking something to help me sleep, knowing it would be just a couple of hours until I would be awakened by L.  A couple of hours being better than none, I broke off a small bit of my occasional sleep aid, swallowed and eventually drifted off.  What seemed like seconds later, I heard L calling my name.  The clock read 4:47AM.  "Are you effing kidding me?," I thought.  Off to his room to take him to the potty, return him to bed, rub his back and convince him that , NO, it IS NOT time to get up.  Back to my bed and again what seemed like a few minutes later, M is back from the gym and has greeted me with an exurberant "good morning!"  It's 6AM and I am lucky to have gotten TWO FLIPPIN' TOTAL HOURS of sleep.  Fast forward a few hours (during which time I have returned emails, put all the laundry away and straightened up the house) our babysitter arrives for a 4 hour stint scheduled so I can go to yoga and run a couple of errands.  I am so tempted to crawl back in the bed and give her 5 bucks to take him to an inflatable playground.  But.  I. Don't.

THIS, my friends is what toughing it out is.  It's going to yoga class anyway.  It's doing all the poses I can do, as well as I can do them, no matter how flippin' tired I am because I know that I (and my family) will benefit.  Because my anxiety is always better after a yoga class.  Because I am better prepared and able to stay calm while I discipline my child.  Because I bought a package of classes and it has already expired from lack of use.  Because doing all I can to be physically strong and healthy is a part of being a good wife and mom.  And then, it's going to Target and buying the stuff I need to in order to use the coupons that expire this weekend.  And then it's coming home expecting my son will be napping, but when he's not, instead of getting mad and yelling or tweeting how pissed I am, going in, kissing his face, and offering to rock him until he's tired...even though I just want to collapse into my own bed.  It's writing this post because I want and need to and hope that these thoughts being fresh will make it better than if I had waited until I had gotten some sleep.

Here's when toughing it out ain't an option...
When you have a five month old at home and your mother is turning 50 that weekend and you decide that a day at the spa for the two of you is just what the doctor ordered.  So you book a 5 hour package for both of you, hire a babysitter you trust implicitly (probably a little more than yourself at this point) and head off into town for sheer bliss and relaxation.  Except, you haven't even gotten your clothes off and laid down on the massage table when the thoughts start racing.  "What if he doesn't eat enough and I get relaxed from all this spa stuff and then when I get home he isn't full enough to sleep well and then I am super tired and he won't sleep and then I start having those ideations about running away or selling him or dissolving into the hardwoods like the wicked witch of the west?"  And when the well-trained, gentle, yet strong, massage therpist begins the work on your neck and shoulders, just where you need it, she can't get her hands in the right place because you are so tense with anxiety.  Or when your hands and feet are shaking too much for accurate nail painting and by the time you've "mustered" through your massage and facial you can barely stand all this pampering and luxury and you nearly run to the car in order to get out of a place where relaxation is mandatory and the pressure to do something that you are so completely incapable of at that time is so overwhelming that you are ready to faint.  What do you think now?  I guess I shoulda just pulled up my boot straps and enjoyed that spa experience regardless of how "challenging" it was, right? 

See, PPD, PPA, and PPOCD aren't just about not being able to HANDLE life or motherhood.  They are about having a significant mental health issue so severe that it affects areas of your life completely removed from being a mom.  That the activities you enjoyed most before this evil bitch entered your life are now either meaningless or in and of themselves become triggers for your anxiety and depression symptoms. 

If you haven't experienced it, then you are probably right.  You CAN'T imagine it.  You CAN'T describe it.  And frankly, you shouldn't be commenting on it.  So, say a prayer, count your blessings and lend a hand instead.  And keep your ignorant bliss to yourself.

Wordless Wednesday

Postpartum Depression is the feature this week at ShareWIK

Hey everyone!
You may remember a few months ago that I met with the fantastic Diana Keough and Matt Clement to do a piece for their online health community, ShareWIK.com.  ShareWIK is a social networking site designed to share about and support one another through health issues ranging from facial hair to Autism.  The topics addressed are applicable to real life and the site also includes a great deal of content on Depression in general.  The following video is the outcome of that time spent with Diana and Matt.  It is my PPD story told in my words. 



I encourage you to actually go to the site, as well, as all 4 tabs on the topic (3 videos and one a blog post that you will see later this week posted in its entirety here) are all filled with useful information.  If you go to ShareWIK you will see a Postpartum Depression header and a box with photos and tabs below it.  The first tab: Watch is a video of my PPD story.  The second tab: Read is a post I wrote, entitled "A Recipe for Postpartum Depression Recovery".  The third tab: Ask is a Q and A between some folks and a Psychiatrist from the Cleveland Clinic on issues surrounding depression.  The last tab: Share is a clip of Katherine Stone, author of Postpartum Progress sharing her PPOCD story and encouraging women on treatment and recovery.  Please take the time as you are able to check it out!

Thanks to Diana and Matt for their interest in PPD and investing the care and time in editing these pieces to be most beneficial to those watching them!

Partnership with Mental Health America of GA

Hey everyone, I have some news and I wanted to be sure to share it with you all first!  I am thrilled to share with you that I will be working with Mental Health America of Georgia regularly in the area of Perinatal Mental Health.  What that looks like is still TBD, but for now we are getting started on work to expand resources, including peer support, so that moms all over metro Atlanta, and eventually Georgia will have plenty of tools at their fingertips should they be confronted with a PMD.  Here's the announcement that is currently posted on MHA of GA's homepage:

A recent article in Obgyn.net stated that "despite the recent growth in publicity, postpartum depression is still all too often unrecognized or cavalierly dismissed. However, this common disorder is readily diagnosed and treated by the primary care physician who is willing to take the most basic measures." (For the complete article, click here)

In an effort to increase awareness and education, encourage the use of depression screening tools and improve the availability of effective treatment and support services that promote maternal mental health, certain areas of the country declared May as Perinatal Mental Health month.

Actress Brooke Shields and Senator Robert Menendez (R-NJ) were recently among participants at a press conference announcing the passage of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act which will also help to educate mothers and their families about these conditions as well as support research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression and psychosis.


The statistics speak for themselves.  Between 15 and 20 percent of all women experience some form of pregnancy-related depression or anxiety.  A recent article in the Seattle times quoted a study in the AMA Journal which found that 10.4 percent of men experienced serious depression at some point between his partner's first trimester and one year after childbirth, more than double the depression rate for men in general. (For the complete article, click here).

MHA of GA is in the process of expanding our work in this area and we are pleased that Amber Koter-Puline is partnering with us as we move this initiative forward.  Amber is the author of the blog Beyond Postpartum, website author of Postpartum Healing and is a facilitator of the Atlanta Postpartum Support Group.

More information on this expanded program will be available soon.  However, if you would like to know more now, please contact Sarah Schwartz at sarah@mhageorgia.org.

From the MHA website: Mental Health America of Georgia (formerly known as the National Mental Health Association of Georgia) is our state's leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all Georgians live mentally healthier lives.  With our state-wide affiliates, we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of everyone in our state, emphasizing mental health as a critical component of a healthy lifestyle.

Sad Dads: PPD or B.S.?

On May 18, 2010 a piece of research was released that affirmed what many practitioners and fathers have been purporting for years.  That men can and do experience postpartum depression.  The JAMA study results indicate that the numbers affected are greater than previously thought were initially published into a story at CNN. 

That day, just moments after the story went live, also having been "broken" on Good Morning America, the internet was a-buzz with reactions.  Being a regular Twitter user, I saw the first impact of the news release there.  Mostly just people tweeting links to the article at first.  But as the day progressed, I noticed an incredible amount of emotion being shared (in 140 characters or less, of course).  The thoughts and feelings expressed ranged from anger to empathy and the way they were expressed ranged from disbelief and disregard to sheer and utter hate and ignorant ranting.  It is people and comments like these that stigmatize and encourage those suffering from mental illness to isolate themselves in unnecessary/undeserved shame.  Below is just a sample of the hundreds of reactions publicly communicated.  By sharing these comments with you, I hope not to give extra acknowledgment to this insensitivity , but rather to offer insight into how many people in the world think about depression and anxiety and encourage you in the work you may be called to do to help de-stigmatize and educate about mood disorders.  Knowing what we are up against only arms us with more knowledge to address the issues.  We CAN make a difference.  One person at a time.

Disbelief:

Postpartum in men?  You have got to be kidding

New study shows dads also suffer postpartum depression. Remedies include games of bunco or tub of rocky road.

Appreciation:

Idea that postpartum in head will hopefully finally be debunked now that dad's suffer from it too! Sadly, women weren't believed for eons.

Mocking and/or Offensive: (all tweeted by different people)

Is it weird that I get postpartum depression after an epic poop dump?

hahahah this radio guy just said men who claim to suffer "postpartum" are p___ified. lol

as a fellow LOST fan Im sure you too have postpartum depression, let me know when you find a show to fill the void (not likely) 

Post Partum Depression for dad's? Really? Already a name for that. Called "Life got tougher. Deal." Judges also would accept, "Parenthood." (this was tweeted by a news anchor)

"Dads get post-partum depression too." Oh, come on. It's called sleep- and sex-deprivation.

A man suffering from postpartum depression is a girly man.

Angry/territorial:

Postpartum depression and dads: is it real or just taking attention away from mom?

What is this bullshit about men suffering postpartum depression? They're not the ones who sacrificed their bodies and health to give life! 

I just retweeted re postpartum depression hitting as many dads as moms.Typical of men- taking EVERYTHING from women :-)

$5 says post partum depression in dads has risen directly at the same rate as businesses offering paternity leave.

CNN reporting on men with postpartum depression. Sorry. I have about zero sympathy.

I'm sorry. I just cant see a man suffering from postpartum depression. No one is cutting his man hole & sewing it up to bring out a baby

Lol "postpartum depression can strike new dads". Yeah, no. Until they have to have an episiotomy...no. 

Here you'll find links to some very thoughtful posts in response to this research and the reactions that followed the publication of it.  I encourage you to visit these blogs and join in the conversation.

Lauren Hale at My Postpartum Voice Speaks Up for Depressed Dads

Katherine Stone at Postpartum Progress responds to why people don't believe PPD exists in Dads

Ivy at Ivy's PPD Blog on Fathers and Postpartum Depression

Lauren Hale at the Postpartum Dad's Project writes an open letter to those who choose not to believe in PPD in men

Are you a man who suffered from PPD?  Are you the wife of a husband who suffered?  Are you the child of a father who was depressed when you were a child?  If so, then you already know what the rest of us just learned...that NO, PPD doesn't come neatly wrapped in a package exactly 3 weeks after a vaginal birth by a mom who simply can't deal with "life getting tougher."  One might suffer from PPD if you have a vaginal birth, or a c-section, or adopt your baby, breastfeed or formula-feed, have a baby that sleeps well or doesn't, have a history of depression or not OR even if you have a vagina or not.  So there it is...PPD doesn't discriminate, not even by gender.