Perinatal and Postpartum Care
A topic near to my heart is perinatal and postpartum care. In a time that is so special and unique, we hold hope that it will be a cozy, loving, and tender season. When instead we experience anxiety, annoyance, terror or sadness, it can be devastating.
There is an incredible shift within us during the postpartum and perinatal period. We are intrinsically changed through the process biologically, neurologically, and psychologically. In what I assume to be a vastly underreported statistic, we know that at least 1 in 7 families will experience a mood or anxiety disorder after the birth of a child. What may be the most confusing part of postpartum mood disorders is that they tend to be very high functioning. Most parents do not realize just how much they are struggling until they reach a breaking point or a loved one points out that they seem “off.” Unfortunately, most PMADs (postpartum mood and anxiety disorders) are also expressed though high levels of agitation. It seems that what its like to be a parent with postpartum anxiety or depression is to be in the balance of holding intense love, heart melting experiences, tears of joy right alongside tears of pain, fear, horrifying intrusive thoughts (the most secretive symptom), responsibility, urgency, as well as a desire to be ok, to be viewed as ok and a need to be ok for your baby. Whew, talk about a perfect storm.
It is important to state here that postpartum mood and anxiety disorders come from a variety of causes, and a character defect is not one of them. You are not weak, selfish, or a bad parent for experiencing what is a mental health disturbance. We know a history of anxiety, depression, PMDD, a history of loss or infertility, or thyroid disfunction creates a greater risk of developing a PMAD. Also, birth trauma or what we call “unexpected outcomes” during a birth are especially likely to create a distressing state. We all have narratives and ideas of how our children will come into the world, and when those stories get interrupted or completely derailed we can absolutely experience a trauma response.
If you are pregnant or expecting a baby in your home, I highly recommend having a therapist you trust before the baby even comes. We all know how hard it can be to reach out for help when we need it most. If you have any of the listed above risk factors, having someone you know you can talk to can help with any precursory nerves.
The good news is postpartum mood disorders, as well as the adjustment troubles, are very treatable. Please know that you are not alone in your struggle and can still be a good parent while you deal with postpartum anxiety and depression.