08/14/2026
My heart is so heavy In regard to The Lindsay Clancy Case.
The Lindsay Clancy case has sparked difficult conversations about postpartum mental health, patient safety, and the responsibility of healthcare professionals to recognize when something is not right.
Regardless of the outcome of any individual case, there is a broader lesson for healthcare professionals & that is that
Postpartum mental health is serious & real!
Postpartum depression, anxiety, psychosis, intrusive thoughts, sleep disruption, and significant changes in behavior should never be minimized or dismissed as simply ānew motherhood.ā
Healthcare providers have an obligation to listen, assess, advocate, communicate, intervene when appropriate, and document thoroughly.
And back to what we were always taught, document document documentā¦ā¦
Charting is not just about checking a box. It should accurately reflect what the patient reported, what you observed, what you assessed, the education provided, recommendations made, referrals offered, communication with other members of the care team, and the patientās response.
If you are concerned about a patient, say it. Assess it. Escalate it. Communicate it. Document it.
Advocating for your patient and protecting yourself as a healthcare professional are not competing priorities. Good clinical practice requires both.
We have to create a healthcare culture where patients feel safe saying, āSomething is wrong,ā and where healthcare professionals feel empowered and prepared to respond appropriately.
Often the most important thing we can do is recognize that what we are seeing is not normal postpartum adjustment and have the courage to act.
Postpartum mental health deserves the same urgency, clinical attention, and advocacy as physical health.
Signed,
Sonya Wells, FNP- C
Sonya Wells Public Health & Wellness Consulting
