Category Archives: postpartum depression

Issues with Jane fails women with Postpartum Depression

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Earlier this evening through a search on Twitter for #postpartum, I found a tweet mentioning that Postpartum Depression Expert Mike Silverman would be appearing on Issues with Jane on the Headline News Channel. So of course, I retweeted it. I regret having done so.

Issues with Jane is a sensationalist show. And the story was a horrific one out of Florida regarding a mother who was very very cruel to her children.

Once the possibility of untreated Postpartum Depression was brought up, one of the panelists could be heard in the background saying “oh please.” The very fact that Postpartum Depression was dragged into this is horrible. They went on to discuss young girls having kids and not knowing how to raise them, how the educational system was failing them, etc.

I have to say that I am very disappointed in this show. Instead of opening up about Postpartum Depression and educating, they further perpetuated the myth of sensational cases and behavior often involved in stigmatizing mothers who don’t feel so great/happy/fuzzy after the birth of a baby.

Thanks, Jane. Thanks so much for being a sensitive and understanding fellow woman. Thanks Dr. Mike for dragging Postpartum into this. Thanks for perpetuating the stigma instead of removing it. Way to go, guys.

Speaking up across the blogosphere

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Here’s a quick list of some moms who are speaking up across the blogosphere about their experience with Postpartum Depression:

Paige @ Walker World “It Snuck up on Me”

Melissa @ YogaMamaMe “Turn Turn Turn …or not: What I learned at 6 months”

Erin @ Go Erin Go “Bad day”

Shuggilippo “Lately I really suck at being nice.” (focus on delayed PPD)

Just Talkin’ Tuesday 09.29.09: What does self-care look like for you?

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In my pre-kid days, I took good care of myself. Got my nails done, did my make-up, spent hours on my hair and paid attention to detail. These days I’m lucky if I manage to throw a shirt on without baby food stains, have make-up left over from Sunday church and really lucky if I’ve managed a shower. Point is, I could be doing more. But with three kids it is really hard to get even basics taken care of sometimes.

But I do try to make sure to take time for myself each day and breathe. It may be as small as going to a favorite website or listening to some great music. It may even be as little as a bite of chocolate or some awesome tea.

Motherhood is hard work! Through my bouts with Postpartum Depression I learned that self-care is the most important care. So while my priorities have changed from having awesome nails to making sure I’ve managed to put on stain-free clothes, I still work pretty hard at taking time for myself.

So let’s get to Just Talkin’! What does self-care look like for you? What are some of your favorite “I’m just being me and not a mom or a wife at the moment” things? Tell us!

Guanabee: “What Otty Sanchez’s story can teach us about Latinas & mental health”

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I’m always in awe of how this works for me. Earlier today I was thinking about how we could learn about the effect of postpartum depression on latinas as a result of Otty Sanchez’s story. Then BAM. Into my inbox flies a link to an amazing article over at a beta site, Guanabee. (Click here to read the article for yourself. Be warned that it does mention what Sanchez did in a rather graphic manner)

Alex Alvarez really hits the nail on the head when he asks what could have been done to prevent this tragedy. Alvarez cites misinformation of family members, pracititioners, and others surrounding Sanchez. He also points out that latinas are more likely to seek help from a general practitioner or a clergy member. Language is also mentioned as a barrier to treatment.

One of the best books I’ve found out there for latinas is a book called “The Seven Beliefs.” This book empowers the latina woman to confront and face her depression. While it does not specifically address postpartum depression, it is indeed a powerful tool which speaks the latina’s language.

Postpartum Support International also provides support in Spanish. For more information on their support for the spanish speaking loved ones in your life, please click here for a list.

The importance of Kangaroo Mother Care

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"Day 6" by samwebster @ flickr

"Day 6" by samwebster @ flickr

Kanga-what?

Kangaroo Mother Care is when a human mother and her infant snuggle skin to skin with the infant lying prone on mom’s chest. It’s a term coined after the Kangaroo’s close relationship with her little joey who doesn’t come out of mom’s pouch for four months after birth. Instead, joey relies on mom’s warmth, nutrition, and support for his “fourth” trimester. Research has concluded over and over again that this care is invaluable for both human moms and babies as well.

In 2007 a study published in the Oxford Tropical Pediatrics from researchers at the Instituto Materno Infantil in Brazil concluded that Kangaroo Mother Care may prove helpful in warding off postpartum depression. Researchers evaluated mothers at the beginning of NICU care and at the end of their Kangaroo Mother Care. NO mother developed depression during their Kangaroo stay. Let me say that again. NO MOTHER developed depression during their Kangaroo stay.

WHO, the World Health Organization, also offers an article regarding Kangaroo Care in the early months of infancy. Their article focuses on the bonding and encouragement of breastfeeding that Kangaroo Care provides. Many of the after-birth procedures and examinations can take place while baby is on Mom’s stomach in the prone position thereby improving chances of maternal and infant bonding.

There’s also another personal story proving the very value of Kangaroo Mother Care. Carolyn Isbister, a mom out of Edinburgh, saved her infant’s life with a Kangaroo Cuddle. Her little one had been given up on by doctors. Carolyn cuddled with her infant to say goodbye. She and her husband watched as their daughter’s breathing and heart beats regulated. They watched as she went from grey to pink. Carolyn’s little girl is now healthy and home, thanks to Kangaroo Mother Care.

One of the calmest moments I had in the midst of my own downward spiral was as I sat with Charlotte snuggled up on my chest. We were in the middle of the NICU, beeps and boops all around us. The fragility of life hung heavy in the air. Her many wires, tubes, and other non-baby items draped across me as well. But all that mattered was her soft warm head resting peacefully under my chin, her breath caressing my chest. I wrapped my arms as tightly as I dared around her tiny body and closed my eyes. This was a moment in which I wanted to get lost. I wasn’t experiencing many of those at the time. Time stopped as we stepped out of the NICU and into our own little world for a bit. Even as I type this I can still smell her fresh baby scent and feel the weight of her little body curled up on my chest. It is a moment I will always cherish and never forget. My eye in the midst of a hurricane from hell.

If you’re a new mom struggling with bonding with your new infant, please try Kangaroo Mother Care. It’s free, it’s easy (mostly naked baby, mostly topless parent) and it does wonders.

There is a website dedicated to the promotion of Kangaroo Mother Care as the standard of care for all newborns. They do sell products there which I am not endorsing in any way shape or form. But the website is very informative and something worth checking out if you’re interested in trying Kangaroo Care, know or work with a population who may benefit from this option. You can reach Kangaroo Mother Care by clicking here.