There is nothing like a countdown to an upcoming vacation, whether you’re heading out for the ever-thrilling family reunion or seeking refuge from the day-to-day grind. You’ve made the reservations, submitted time off, and the only thing left is to pack—the worst part! When you have little ones, preparing for an upcoming trip is like an Olympic event except you haven’t been training your whole life and nobody told you the rules of the game. I’m still trying to find a way to pack throughout the upcoming week without my little guys rummaging through it, only to exclaim, “I don’t like that bathi ..read more

Inadequate sleep can impact pregnancy, healing in postpartum phase, and postpartum mental health. We often underestimate how much sleep we’ve had. The sleep you’re getting during pregnancy and the early months after baby arrives is likely broken up, which stops you from reaching the necessary deep sleep. Maybe it’s hard for you to sleep while baby sleeps, or to find a comfortable position to lie in if you’re still expecting. Whatever the reason, wen you’re sleep deprived, you are less likely to think logically, less tolerant of stressors, and not as present as you’d like to be. The good news ..read more

The holiday season is a greatly anticipated throughout the year, and for most of us signifies a time to be with family near and far, spread joy to others and enjoy a season of giving. However, for a parent with young children, especially a brand new baby, it can seem incredibly overwhelming to think about how to tackle everything during the holidays. Did you know there are at least a dozen holiday themed parades in your hometown, or that you can create an ornament out of your tree trunk every year? Did you know the neighbors are hosting a gingerbread house competition? Remember all the Christ ..read more

  One parent’s perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) affects everyone in the family including the spouse or partner. It’s essential to practice good self-care to stay healthy and be available for your partner and children. Tips for taking care of yourself … and each other! Be kind to yourself by setting reasonable expectations. Ask for help, information and support for yourself. Understand that PMAD is a medical problem and is not anybody’s fault. Show compassion. Develop a supportive circle for your family. Say yes when others offer to help. Realize that helping your partner adju ..read more

Most of us envision that welcoming a new baby will be a time filled with excitement and joy. For many parents though, the experience is not what they expected. If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed, sad, worried, or having upsetting thoughts, know you are not alone, and help is available. The term Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) is used to describe the set of disorders that individuals may experience during pregnancy and the first 12 months postpartum. Nearly 1 in 5 moms experience some form of PMAD during pregnancy or in the postpartum period. PMADs include Depression, Anxiet ..read more

Many factors can increase the chance a person will develop a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD), although sometimes one occurs without any risk factors present. Just as a woman can be proactive about the physical health of herself and her baby, she can also prepare during pregnancy to take care of her emotional and mental health. In addition, she can recruit a support person or team to help identify warning signs, identify and strengthen her resources, reduce or eliminate stress and put health practices in place. Specific actions that can help reduce risk of PMAD include: Make a plan ..read more

  Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) can and do impact the infant and other children in the household. The adverse effects can start during pregnancy and occur for multiple reasons. It can feel scary to read the negative impacts a PMAD can have on a new parent and their family, but getting help allows time to recover AND can prevent the negative impacts from affecting the baby. During Pregnancy Untreated PMAD during pregnancy impacts the developing baby as maternal hormones cross the placenta. These hormones lead to complications after birth such as fussiness, crying and incon ..read more

By Sarah DeYoung, LMSW and Elizza LeJeune, LMSW.  Half of black birthing parents experience a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD), a much higher rate than the 20 percent average for all birthing parents in the U.S. In addition, black birthing parents in the perinatal phase are three to four times more likely than their white or Hispanic counterparts to die from pregnancy-related complications. Addressing the social and environmental factors, emotional and physical factors, and systemic racism in healthcare can dramatically improve the maternal mental and physical health fo ..read more

The journey starts at two pink lines. A positive test. You’re pregnant. There is a tiny human the size of a poppyseed growing inside of you. For some women, an instant connection is formed. For others, emotions ranging from excitement to fear to panic to disbelief begin rapidly firing through your body. Regardless, you flash forward to visions of childbirth, nurseries, baby names, first day of school, wedding days, first jobs, etc. You picture the life to come of this little poppyseed. You picture meeting him or her. You don’t imagine hearing, “It could be that you’re not as far along as we t ..read more

When Pine Rest unveiled its innovative Mother & Baby Partial Hospitalization Program in 2012 to treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and encourage mother-baby bonding, it was the goal to help women and their families. After collecting patient outcome data over a 22-month period, clinical evidence now shows that patients’ symptoms are actually decreasing and patients are getting better. When Rebekah became pregnant with her son four years ago, it was not the joy-filled journey she had hoped for. A previous miscarriage had filled her thoughts with fear and anxiety over the impending b ..read more