Category Archives: public awareness

Letter from Mary Jo Codey in support of the MOTHER’S Act

Leave a reply

Here is a letter from Mary Jo Codey supporting the MOTHER’S Act. Susan Stone published this at her blog and you can read the complete post here.

Dear Supporters,

In 2004, when my husband was appointed acting governor for the state of New Jersey, I didn’t have to talk my husband into introducing legislation that would not only help women, but save the lives of women , babies and families suffering with this unforgiving illness called postpartum depression. Richard lived the pain with me. He saw the destruction this illness caused the entire family.

The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS ACT will ensure that ALL women and their families are educated about postpartum depression. It would also provide research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression. This bill will tell ALL women that they no longer have to suffer in shame or silence if they are confronted with feelings of depression during and after the birth of their newborn.

Now is the time to join me and help pass this critical legislation. Please show your support and sensitivity towards an issue that is so dear to my heart by adding your name today.

Warmly,

Mary Jo Codey
Former First Lady, State of New Jersey

Please endorse this critical legislation by sending an email to susanstonelcsw@aol.com with your name, state and any credentials or affiliations you have. The list will be sent to every Senator the week of MOTHERS Day.

Featured Blogger @ Coping with Life

Leave a reply

I recently completed work on an essay, The Desperate Village.

Upon completion, I decided to share it at as guest piece rather than publishing here.

The essay uses my personal experience as a frame to explain why the MOTHER’S Act needs to be passed.

Tom Davis over at Coping with Life loved the piece and published it last Thursday. As you know, I have regular features here on Thursday and Friday which is why I’ve waited until now to publish the news. Click here to read The Desperate Village. Feel free to leave comments at both blogs if you’d like.

The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act moves to Senate H.E.L.P. Committee

Leave a reply

Here’s Susan Stone’s blog post about the MOTHER’S Act moving into the Senate. Please contact the Senators on the committee to voice your support in addition to contacting your own senator!

After passing by an enormous bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives on Monday, March 30th, The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act has moved to the powerful U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee where it will be “marked up” in the near future.

In addition to adding your name to the state by state listing of national supporters on PerinatalPro, you can email members of the Senate HELP committee at

help_comments@help.senate.gov

Below are the members of the H.E.L.P. committee, U.S. Senator Edward Kennedy chairs this committee and is an ardent supporter of this legislation. And Barack Obama was the first presidential candidate to endorse this legislation! With healthcare reform at the center of senate activity, our issue must be heard!

Lisa Murkowski, AK (R) 202-224-6665
John McCain, (AZ) (R) 202-224-2235
Christopher Dodd (CT) (D) 202-224-2823
Johnny Isakson (GA) (R) 202-224-3643
Tom Harkin (IA) (D) 202-224-3254
Pat Roberts (KS) (R) 202-224-4774
Edward Kennedy (MA) (D) 202-224-4543
Barbara Mikulski (MD) (D) 202-224-4654
Richard Burr (NC) (R) 202-224-3154
Kay Hagan (NC) (D) 202-224-6342
Gregg Judd (NH) (R) 202-224-3324
Jeff Bingaman (NM) (D) 202-224-5521
Sherrod Brown (OH) (D) 202-224-2315
Tom Coburn (OK) (R) 202-224-5754
Jeff Merkley (OR) (D) 202-224-3753
Bob Casey (PA) (D) 202-224 6324
Jack Reed (RI) (D) 202-224-4642
Alexander Lamar (TN) (R) 202-224-4944
Orrin Hatch (UT) (R) 202-224-5251
Bernard Sanders (VT) (I) 202-224-5141
Patty Murray (WA) (D) 202-224-2621
Michael Enzi (WY) (R) 202-224-3424

You may call their offices directly to proclaim your support (and you don’t have to be from their state!).

The momentum is growing! In the last few weeks S 324 has picked up additional powerful sponsorship by some of our nation’s most respected professional organizations! We are also grateful to the group who opposes this legislation, because the controversy has catalyzed more scrutiny of the bill’s language, purpose, and initiatives, bringing more educated constituents to our mission and more support for its passage! The bill’s noble purpose is clear to all who read its life saving initiatives.

Many constituents have sent their personal stories which are so inspirational and speak to the unique courage and shared compassion of those who have survived these disorders. The message is the same… they don’t ever want another person to have to suffer like their wife, mother, sister, friend or themselves. They want it to end. With your continued support we will begin to turn the tide this year toward primary prevention.

“One Freakin’ Out Mama” speaks out about Post-Adoption Depression

Leave a reply

Over at Pearls from Africa, Melissa bravely opens up about her experience with Post Adoption Depression. She’s an adoption advocate who wants to be honest about all aspects of her experience.

Here’s a brief teaser:

I still experienced a prolonged period of “post adoption depression.” This often ignored, and not spoken of, aspect of adoption hit me fairly hard. I don’t know what makes some people more prone to this than others, but it is a very real aspect of adoption. Just like postpartum depression is a very real aspect of giving birth. It doesn’t happen to everyone, but when it does happen, the feelings experienced, leave a mother feeling guilty and alone. It’s not about whether or not you love the child…you do. At least I did. There was just this…emotional fog.

It’s not often you hear about Post-Adoption Depression, let alone come across a mom being honest about her experience. This is her first post about it so keep in touch with her blog to hear more.

Mother’s criticism causes distinct neural activity in formerly depressed women

Leave a reply

Not too many research articles make me say “Whoa!”

This one is a very interesting exception and it’s not even directly linked to Postpartum Mood Disorders.

Via fMRI, researchers examined the brain patterns of formerly depressed v. non-depressed women as they listened to their mothers speak. These recorded statements varied from praise to criticism.

After listening to the statements, both groups had similar verbal reactions.

But their brain patterns revealed a much different story.

As the formerly depressed women listened to the criticisms, something interesting happened.

Individuals who had never been depressed showed increased activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, which are brain areas involved in the cognitive control of emotion. The formerly depressed individuals did not show activity in these areas, but instead showed increased activity in the amygdala, a part of the brain that is responsive to potentially threatening stimuli. Previous research has shown similar activity in these neural systems among individuals who are currently depressed.

Researchers aren’t sure if this reaction is a “scar” from depression or if the brain reacted this way prior to depression.

So if Mom’s criticism is a little harder to take in the midst of a Postpartum Mood Disorder, it’s really not your fault. (And no, she’s really not out to get you)