As a former nurse, Catrina Popelier spent years working with new and expectant mothers experiencing depression, anxiety and stress. She wants people who see these new mothers to know that it\u2019s ok to ask if they need help.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you have that trusted relationship, it\u2019s ok to ask,\u201d said Popelier, who is the program manager for children\u2019s health at First Things First, Arizona\u2019s early childhood agency. \u201cThe answer is always going to be no if you don\u2019t ask.\u201d<\/p>\n
May is National Maternal Mental Health Month and is designed to bring awareness and reduce the stigma of postpartum depression and other perinatal mental health disorders.<\/p>\n
Each year, hundreds of thousands of parents suffer silently because they don\u2019t know that what they are experiencing is common and treatable or they feel embarrassed and\/or ashamed, according to Postpartum Support International (PSI), which provides parents and professionals with direct support and resources to help women experiencing emotional difficulties during and after pregnancy.<\/p>\n
One in five moms in the U.S. suffers from postpartum depression. Popelier encourages providers, such as child care workers, home visitors and family members to approach the topic with open communication.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018Is there anything I can do to help? How have you been sleeping lately?\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cAsking those type of questions can open a pathway of communication. We\u2019re not asking anyone to be a clinician. But if they are a bridge to that communication or even being there and being that supportive connection every day can mean a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Today, there\u2019s a push to normalize the mental health journey of every family.<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of the normalization is knowing that mental health is akin to physical health,\u201d Popelier said. \u201cWhen we\u2019re doing all the things to take care of our physical health, we can\u2019t leave mental health behind. Why has there been this huge push? We know that a baby and its mother are intertwined. The baby is learning how to communicate. They\u2019re experiencing emotions. Learning how to regulate their emotions. When we have a parent that\u2019s maybe angry or nonresponsive, it adversely starts affecting the baby, as well. Untreated mental health concerns affect the whole family unit.\u201d<\/p>\n
There are ways to be a connection for families to know that they\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost treatment decisions are relationships based on trust,\u201d Popelier said. \u201cThat person might not be ready to hear that and they might not be there yet, but that doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019ll never be there.\u201d<\/p>\n
A new national hotline provides free, confidential support, resources and referrals to any pregnant and postpartum mother facing mental health challenges and their loved ones. The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline service is available via phone and text in English or Spanish.\u00a0 Pregnant and postpartum moms and their partners can call or text, 1-833-943-5746 to connect with counselors 24\/7.<\/p>\n
The hotline will also be helpful to early childhood providers, who sometimes are on the frontlines of working with families with a new baby.<\/p>\n
PSI offers these ways to help a mother experiencing a perinatal mental health disorder:<\/p>\n
Popelier encourages those around new and expectant mothers to be themselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think some people worry about reaching out to others because they\u2019re just not sure of what the intended outcome might be,\u201d she said. \u201cBut being authentic, being communicative and supportive helps parents feel like they\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
May is National Maternal Mental Health Month and is designed to bring awareness and reduce the stigma of postpartum depression and other perinatal mental health disorders.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":50375,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[155,482,483],"class_list":["post-50349","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-mental-health","tag-maternal-health","tag-motherhood"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n