You Can Feel Better! 

Pregnancy and the first year postpartum are without question two of the most vulnerable times of a woman’s life. We are different physically, emotionally, and spiritually in ways that are difficult to explain to our family and friends. This is compounded by the fact that we are responsible for a new life at a time when we may still be experiencing pain and discomfort associated with the pregnancy or delivery.  

*Experts report that symptoms of anxiety or depression occur in 10-20 percent of new mothers.  

Unfortunately, these symptoms may go largely untreated because of shame or self-blaming. Though women with a personal or family history of depression or abuse are most at risk, postpartum depression is, in part, a physical response to the cascade of biochemical and hormonal changes that take place in every pregnant woman’s body. Lack of support and other social and emotional factors certainly may complicate the picture further. Even women who have no history of anxiety or depression can develop sadness and anxiety that is more than just the baby blues.

*The great news about postpartum depression and anxiety is that they are highly treatable.

The bad news is that the stigma many women feel when admitting that new motherhood is not what they expected, combined with the fact that relatively few psychiatrists and therapists are highly trained in this area can make accessing services difficult. Highly publicized cases like the Andrea Yates tragedy, can lead new mothers to worry that they are going “crazy” or might hurt their babies. The truth is that postpartum psychosis is a relatively rare phenomenon, occurring in only .1% (1 in 1,000) women. More common are postpartum OCD symptoms which can lead a woman to be compulsively afraid that she will accidentally hurt her child. This is quite different than the delusions and hallucinations that accompany postpartum psychosis.

*One of the most disturbing things about feeling depressed or anxious after having your baby is that these symptoms come relentlessly at a point when energy and resources are at their most scarce.

You may know you need help, but can’t imagine having the time or energy to make it to an appointment. It’s downright confusing when what you may have thought would be the happiest time of your life turns out to be the most difficult. But, it doesn’t have to be this way. You can, and you will feel better. Sometimes, even one appointment with a knowledgeable clinician can pave the way towards coping with the enormous changes that pregnancy and childbirth bring.