05/03/2023
It's World Maternal Mental Health Day! Did you know that 1 in 5 women will be diagnosed with a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder, or PMAD, during their pregnancy or first year postpartum? PMADs are considered the most common complication of childbirth. They are treatable and they are no one's fault.
Our social worker, Delaney, shares her story below:
"My daughter, Eleanor, was born in the height of the pandemic after a long and painful induction of labor. The day she was born, I hadn't slept in over 24 hours and was almost delirious with exhaustion. Because of the pandemic, we couldn't have visitors in the hospital and there was no option to send our daughter to a nursery so we could rest. My primary memory in the hospital is feeling incredibly overwhelmed, tearful, and exhausted. When we got home, those feelings continued. I began experiencing symptoms of postpartum anxiety and depression: I couldn't sleep, even when my baby slept. My thoughts were racing, I relived my labor over and over, and I had heart palpitations. I felt like I wasn't bonding with my baby, because all I could think about was putting her down so I could sleep. I felt like I had ruined our lives by having a baby, which only increased my feelings of shame and anxiety. After a particularly tearful phone call with an amazing nurse in my community, I reached out to my OB and told her how I was feeling. She called me back right away and started me on an antidepressant. I started feeling more like myself within a week or two - I finally started sleeping, and I began to enjoy motherhood again. Today, my daughter is two and she is the absolute light of my life. If I could say one thing to new (or new again) mamas, it would be this: you are normal, this isn't your fault, and with help you can feel like yourself again."
If you or a loved one needs mental health support during or after pregnancy, please call Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773, or visit www.postpartum.net.
