Category Archives: pregnancy

Gettin’ my Party On!

Leave a reply

This week is Ultimate Blog Party Week over at 5 Minutes for Mom.

FYI, there ARE Prizes!!

My favorites are:

Afternoon Tea in a Box (111)

$25 gift certificate for DOVE Chocolate Discoveries (130)

A surprise box filled with goodies ($50 value) (103)

Any of the prizes related to relaxation or taking a deep breath for Mom are great, actually!

Welcome to those of you who are new here and hopping over via Mr. Linky.

A quick bit of history about the blog for those of you gaining your bearings:

I’m a mom of three who’s survived two episodes of Postpartum OCD and am now dedicated to advocating for and providing support to families struggling with Postpartum Mood Disorders. This blog is a huge part of my work. You see, it was started after discovering my third (and quite unexpected) pregnancy, hence the title. I aim to share my journey and empower others through theirs so they do not have to suffer alone and in silence as I did.

Through this blog I not only share research and information but insight about my own life, which includes not only overcoming PPD, but parenting a child born with a cleft palate, accepting and overcoming my husband’s marijuana addiction, and the challenges that come of course, with the normal motherhood territory.

I also post weekly interviews with moms who have been on the front lines of the PPD battle or those who work with those who have. (Are you a mom who’s survived PPD and willing to answer 10 questions about your experience? Email me at ppdacceptance@gmail.com with Interview Request in the subject line!)

And on Fridays, I post a really cool pic with an inspirational or thought-provoking quote to encourage my readers to slow down and smell the roses. You can search over to the side for “Friday soother” to find some of the recent posts.

Other features include Grace Awards for Journalists who treat reporting about Psychosis with compassion and responsibility. I also scour the internet to point out the misuse of Postpartum Depression. Know of any? Email me at ppdacceptance@gmail.com with Misnomer of Postpartum Depression and include the link of the sighting. (You’ll receive credit and be added to my blog roll if you’re a blogger!)

Most importantly I emphasize self-care. I practice it too and have been known to leave the blog untouched for a week (or two) while I tend to myself and my family. I do return, usually with some really good stuff, too!

I hope you enjoy nosing around and I hope some of you stay or at least help to spread the word and raise awareness that Moms with Mood Disorders do exist, they are not alone, they are not to blame, and they WILL Be well!

Warmest Wishes,

Lauren

p.s. And for the man in your life, I also have a little project called The Postpartum Dads Project. Check it out.

Natalie Dombrowski hosting Mother’s Day Event

Leave a reply

Natalie Dombrowski is hosting a Mother’s Day Brunch for expectant mothers in Orland Park, IL. Tickets are 29.95 and the meal will include a chat with physician Josephine Dlugopolski-Gach about what to expect during baby’s first year.

Reservations are required by 12 p.m. April 24. E-mail nataliedombrowski@live.com or call (708) 710-1206 to reserve a seat.

Open Mouth. Insert Foot.

Leave a reply

As if ABC’s Private Practice hadn’t failed enough recently, there’s a brief interview with Tim Daly in this week’s TV Guide.

Mr. Daly rails against Violet’s character rejecting help from both his character and the other possible father of her unborn child by calling it “sexist and bulls#$%.” Wait. It gets better, I promise.

Then Daly goes on to share his thoughts on way birth is portrayed on the show. (This is where it gets good) “For the sake of the psyche of American women, I’d like to see one woman on the show have a really easy, happy, joyous birthing experience.”

What, so watching a happy birth on a drama is supposed to help the American female psyche? How? Nevermind that your show just totally screwed the American female psyche over with your hack job on Postpartum Mood Disorders. Do you REALLY think they could do better with birth?? And what is your definition of an easy, joyous, happy birth? Medicated? Natural? What? Let’s go there, Mr. Daly.

Nevermind that birth isn’t always easy. And let’s just totally ignore the work of people like Ricki Lake and The Business of Being Born or Karen Brody and her play BIRTH. Or Susan Hodges and her organization, Citizens for Midwifery. Let’s show a Mom giving birth at home with a midwife instead of with an OB in a medical environment – that’d be happy and joyous!

And FYI, Mr. Daly, there is nothing EASY about birth. Try it sometime. Oh wait, you can’t. Sorry.

Blogger shares experience with Antepartum Depression

Leave a reply

Jill over at Owner of the Band, bravely opens up about her current experience with Antepartum Depression.

photo by mahalie @ flickr.com

photo by mahalie @ flickr.com

Pregnant woman DO get depressed – at a rate of about 10-20% at that. Many expectant moms dismiss their emotions as pregnancy mood swings. Then, just as with a Postpartum Mood Disorder, there’s the whole “you’re supposed to be happy” expectation – you know, the whole glowing pregnant mama thing. But not all Mamas glow. Even fewer of them bravely share their experience with depression.

The biggest issue depressed pregnant mothers face is one of medication. Should I take medicine that might affect my baby? Should I just tough it out even though depression too crosses the placenta? What do I do?

There are three sources of help that I would recommend –

Wellpostpartum.com, a blog dedicated to natural approaches for Perinatal Depression.

Pregnant on Prozac by Shoshana Bennett, a book dedicated to the situation more and mamas are finding themselves in – pregnant on psychiatric medications and the issues that go along with it.

iVillage’s Pregnancy and Depression/Mental Illness Board – a message board I moderate for expectant mamas struggling with Depression or the maintenance of other Mental Illness Diagnoses during their pregnancies.

You can read some more about Antepartum Depression by clicking here.

The most important thing to remember if you find yourself not glowing during pregnancy is to be honest, talk with your caregiver, and above all, remember that YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME!