CALDWELL – Caldwell College will celebrate its alumni’s professional excellence at its 25th Veritas Awards Dinner at 6 p.m. Friday March 26, at the Essex Fells Country Club in Essex Fells.
Mary Jo Codey, Class of 1977, will receive the Excellence in Mental Health Advocacy Award; Nancy Costello Miller, an attorney and Class of 1979, will receive the Excellence in Jurisprudence Award; and Edward Collins, Class of 1998, will receive the Excellence in Financial Management Award.
The Veritas Award is the highest honor the college bestows on its alumni for their professional excellence.
Codey has worked to raise awareness about postpartum depression and breast cancer. During her time as First Lady for the state, Codey advocated on behalf of the governor’s newly created Task Force on Mental Health as she had suffered from postpartum depression.Codey helped to launch a statewide campaign offering evidence-based data, as well as local screening and medical resources for women, their families and health care professionals.
The campaign – “Recognizing Postpartum Depression: Speak Up When You’re Down” – featured Mary Jo in radio and public service announcements on TV.
As a result, New Jersey became the first state to commit resources to uninsured new mothers for postpartum depression screenings and treatment after the Postpartum Depression Screening and Education law was passed in 2006…
Friday, March 5, 2010
Codey, Miller, Collins receive awards from Caldwell College
Rosemount woman will compete for state crown
By: Nathan Hansen, Rosemount Town Pages
It took three years for Marie Kurle to feel comfortable talking to people about the depression she suffered after the birth of her second daughter. Now that she’s started, she can’t seem to stop.
This weekend Kurle will compete in the Mrs. Minnesota International pageant in St. Paul. Her platform will be postpartum depression, the impact it can have on a woman’s life and the need for increased understanding and better resources.
“I just want to be an example that you will get through,” said Kurle, a Rosemount resident. “It is not permanent and it is something that, you will have a life afterward.” …
Blogger Labels: Marie Kurle,postpartum depression,Mrs. Minnesota International Pageant
Read More: http://www.rosemounttownpages.com/event/article/id/24163/group/Communities/
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Screening for depression before, during and after pregnancy can help: Physicians believe this can make a difference to the mother and child [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]
… "We have been screening at Magee almost four years now," added Dr. Wisner, an investigator at Magee Womens Research Institute and a multidisciplinary professor at the University of Pittsburgh.
"What we found is roughly 14 percent are positive for [postpartum] depression, so that's our rate in Pittsburgh, actually 14.1 percent," Dr. Wisner said.
"Of women that were in that 14.1 percent, when we talked to them and asked when did [the depression] begin, it began post-birth in a third of them, during pregnancy in a third, and before pregnancy in the other third."
The results were even more startling in a collaborative screening program Magee has with DuBois Regional Medical Center, located about 100 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. "Their postpartum depression rate is 20 percent now," she said. The DuBois center screens for depression during pregnancy, as well, and those numbers are even more troublesome than those of depressed women postpartum: 29 percent during the first prenatal visit.
"Again the rural area has a higher rate of positive screens," Dr. Wisner said. "Some population groups are going to have a higher rate, so it's a big problem."
For example, according to the University of Pittsburgh Office of Child Development, the rate of depression is higher among low-income families and more prevalent among parents who did not earn a high school diploma.
Depression can interfere with a woman's ability to care for her child. Interaction between mother and child can enhance a child's development if it is stimulating and responsive and nurturing.
"There is no question that if the mother is dealing with depression that you are going to have greater neonatal adaptation for the baby. There we're talking about what people typically refer to as bonding," said Ronald Thomas, director of the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine for the West Penn Allegheny Health System.
A doctor's ability to detect depression has limitations, according to neonatologist Nilima T. Karamchandani, chief of the Division of Neonatology, and medical director, of the Infant Apnea Center, both at the Western Pennsylvania Hospital.
Mother-infant bonding can be hard to measure, she said: "It is subjective to a certain point."
Entire families are affected, said Dr. David Wolfson, medical director of Children's Community Pediatrics, a network of pediatric practices and 104 pediatricians in the greater Pittsburgh area. It is affiliated with Children's Hospital.
"The issue is identifying these kids who are at risk because of parental depression. ... Anybody who thinks they're not seeing these families is just not recognizing [them]."
Each Children's Community practice either has access to, or has its own, behavioral therapist to provide family, child-centered, care.
The network also is planning a joint conference with women's health care specialists to learn more about postpartum depression and how to conduct screening. Dr. Wisner is among the speakers.
The local experts agreed more study was needed but that it shouldn't get in the way of screening and care.
"We know depression is not a good thing for the mother at least and probably not for the whole family, so let's give them the care while we do the research," Dr. Wolfson said.
Screening of pregnant and postpartum women can be as simple as observing their behavior, asking some questions, or administering any of several screening forms available for that use…
timestranscript.com - Take a mind-body approach to treating depression, anxiety | Dr. Martin Gleixner - Breaking News, New Brunswick, Canada
Dr. Martin Gleixner
Depression and anxiety are common mood disorders affecting many Canadians.
It can be debilitating, but it is treatable.
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself," "Calm down," "Try to relax," "Get out more," or "Get over it," are common pieces of advice that only contribute to making the person feel even more helpless.
A January 2010 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, involving nearly 800 patients, examined the effectiveness of two commonly prescribed antidepressants, paroxetine (Paxil) and imipramine. This study found the drugs produced benefits only slightly greater than a placebo in patients with mild to moderate depression. Treatment alternatives without drug side-effects are therefore warranted.
Naturopathic care includes a medical assessment and diagnosis evaluation, including the interpretation of laboratory results. Treatments includes nutritional and exercise suggestions, the use of specific vitamins or minerals in medicinal doses as well individualized herbal or homeopathic combinations to address underlying functional or pathological imbalances.
Equally important is a mind-body approach that includes the integration of counselling practices and relaxation and stress management techniques.
Is it as simple as using natural remedies such as St. John's Wort or vitamin B12 commonly used to treat mood disorders? Although these remedies can be helpful, for a more deep acting and long-lasting effect it is important to consider a whole-body approach.
Whether it's seratonin (or other neurotransmitter) imbalances in the brain, hormone deficiencies, or inflammation in the body, the key is to first understand and address your own unique medical predispositions that are contributing to depression and anxiety.
In previous articles, I used the bucket analogy to explain detoxification and how one can prevent unpleasant symptoms after smoking cessation (see www.monctonnaturopathic.com for previous columns).
This same concept is also very useful to help us understand the underlying causes of mood changes.
Let me review this analogy again. Let's think of our body as a bucket (see embedded figure). Generally we are born in a state of health; our bucket is empty. As we go through life, a number of factors can interfere with our health. Perhaps it's a lack of sleep or exercise, a stressful job, pushing oneself too hard, feeling exhausted, excessive worrying or poor dietary choices that can contribute to increasing the level in our bucket. The level in our bucket represents our health status. Declining health comes with rising levels, an indication that the body is out of balance.
We are also exposed to a great number of toxins during the course of our lifetime. Our lung, kidneys, digestive tract, and liver can normally remove most toxins on a daily basis, but sometimes these detox mechanisms become inefficient or overwhelmed.
In addition, key systems in the body (such as the nervous or hormonal systems) can become imbalanced which can put the 'squeeze' on the bucket thereby significantly contributing to raising the level in the bucket. Deficient or inappropriate secretions of neurotransmitters or hormones are very important factors involved in both anxiety and depression.
Eventually, our bucket can overfill, leading to changes in our mood as well as other symptoms such as insomnia, fatigue, skin reactions, muscle aches and pains, and unexplained weight gain (or loss).
So what can one do to address an overfilled bucket? We don't want to put a lid on the bucket by suppressing symptoms. Such quick fixes or band-aid solutions rarely work for the long-term and do not enhance overall health status. Rather, a more long-lasting way to improve our mood is to address all aspects that are causing our bucket to overfill…
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Date: Wednesday March 3, 2010
Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Location: D.D. and Velma Davis Center, Boardman YMCA - Community Room
45 McClurg Road Boardman, OH 44512
Support Group Meetings will be held at this location the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month.
For more information contact Leslie at leslie@poemonline.org or (330)550-2838
That’s why we’re here.
www.poemonline.org
MedEdPPD.org March 2010 Newsletter
March 2010
Dear Colleague,
Numerous studies have linked infant temperament and childhood behavioral problems to postpartum depression in mothers, but a new study finds that mothers who are depressed during pregnancy are more likely to have children who become aggressive or violent during their teenage years. Dr. Dale Hay and colleagues at Cardiff University followed 120 British children from inner city areas and interviewed them at ages 4, 11, and 16. Teens whose mothers were depressed during pregnancy were nearly 4 times as likely to display antisocial behaviors compared with teens born to mothers who were not depressed during pregnancy. In addition, the researchers found that women who themselves were aggressive or violent teenagers were more likely to become depressed prenatally.
To learn more about the effects of perinatal depression in mothers, please view MedEdPPD's previously recorded teleconference, Effects of Maternal Depression, presented by Lisa Segre, PhD. This presentation includes information about how maternal depression can affect conduct in children and includes earlier research findings of Dale Hay, PhD…
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Health Choices Network: Support your community!
Dear Health Choices Supporter,
We want to touch base with our past members, prospective members and current members. If you haven’t joined Health Choices Network for 2010 we urge you to join and ask for your support to keep the only Mahoning Valley holistic health and living organization going. We have made some big improvements to our website to provide our members with their own profile pages so that they can tell prospective clients/patients/customers all about who they are and what they can do to help people on their journey. This spring, we will also be distributing our resource guide to thousands across the Valley so they can learn about all the great natural products and services right here. We have extended our deadline to allow for everyone to be able to be included in the resource guide, please turn in all forms and payments by March 15th. Payments can be made through our website for both membership and advertising or you can mail a check to our P.O. Box. Being a member and advertiser is a very inexpensive ways to advertise your business throughout 2010. We offer full page, half page & business card size ads in the resource guide. We will also be listing all of our advertisers separately on the website to give you even more exposure. Do you have lectures or events you are involved with? Email them to us and we can add them to our website calendar, if you are a member as well. The Health Choices Network is a not for profit organization with a volunteer based board that runs the organization to help small businesses like yours. We need your financial support in order to help you. For more information, call Kathy Frangos at 330-301-0356 or go to www.healthchoicesnetwork.com.
Upcoming Member Events in the Valley:
3/9/10 - Holistic Moms Network Meeting - Boardman Library – 6:30-8:30pm
“It's Your Money, Honey! Steps to Maintain Control of Your Financial Life”
Dan Betts, a Certified Financial Planner with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney will share practical tips on how women can maintain or regain control of their financial lives. Call Maria Marucci for details at 330-533-4357.
3/11/10– Dr. Ted Suzelis, N.D. - Naturopathic First Aid for the Family
Dr. Ted Suzelis, N.D. will be presenting a lecture entitled, “Naturopathic First Aid for the Family” on Thursday, March 11th at 6:30pm at his Boardman office, located in the Southbridge Execute Park at 725 Boardman-Canfield Rd., Suite K-4, Boardman, OH. For more information or to register for the event since seating is limited, please call the office at 330-729-1350 or email info@ohiond.com. Free admission.
Acupuncture May Ease Depression During Pregnancy | EmpowHER - Women's Health Online
MONDAY, Feb. 22 (HealthDay News) -- Women who experience depression during pregnancy may have another treatment option, new research suggests.Acupuncture May Ease Depression During Pregnancy | EmpowHER - Women's Health Online
The study found that women treated with depression-specific acupuncture had a 63 percent response rate compared to a 44 percent response rate in women treated with control acupuncture or massage.
"We tested acupuncture as a standalone treatment, and the results are very positive," said study author Rachel Manber, a professor at the Stanford University School of Medicine Sleep Medicine Center in Redwood City, Calif. But, she added, because this is the first study of its kind, and the acupuncture protocol used was specifically designed for this study, "you always need replication of the findings."
Monday, February 22, 2010
New urban low-income moms risk depression - UPI.com
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Pediatricians and doctors who treat low-income urban new mothers are advised to be alert to spot postpartum depression, U.S. researchers said.
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, found 56 percent of low-income urban mothers met the criteria of a major or minor depressive disorder at some point between two weeks and 14 months after giving birth,
"This is an unexpected, very high proportion to meet diagnostic criteria for depression," study leader Dr. Linda Chaudron of University of Rochester Medical Center in New York said in a statement. "This may be a group at high risk for depression." …
Thursday, February 18, 2010
PSI Perinatal Mood Disorders Trainings
Postpartum Support International 2-Day Certificate Course in Perinatal Mood Disorders is scheduled in five U.S cities this Spring. PSI has developed a nationally recognized unique evidence-based training program for health providers and social support networks. For more information about registration please visit the PSI website link at http://postpartum.net.gravitatehosting.com/News-and-Events/Trainings-Events.aspx
Please contact us if you would like more information about the trainings or would like to find out more about sponsoring a training in your community. Here is the information about scheduled trainings:
· Tampa, Florida: February 19th and 20th
· Louisville, Kentucky: March 4th and 5th
· Visalia, California: March 14th and 15th
· Missoula Montana: April 15th and 16th
· Indianapolis, Indiana: April 22nd and 23rd
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Support Group Meeting 2/17/10
Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Group Meeting
Date: Wednesday February 17, 2010
Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Location: D.D. and Velma Davis Center, Boardman YMCA - Community Room
45 McClurg Road Boardman, OH 44512
Support Group Meetings will be held at this location the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month.
For more information contact Leslie at leslie@poemonline.org or (330)550-2838
It's okay to reach out for help
That's why we're here
http://www.poemonline.org/
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Support Group Meeting Tomorrow
Time:
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location:
D.D. & Velma Davis Center at the Youngstown YMCA
Street:
45 McClurg Rd.
Boardman, OH 44512
CLICK HERE for a map link and/or directions.
Support Group meetings will now be held in this location on the first and third Wednesday evenings of every month.
For more information contact leslie@poemomline.org or call 330-550-2838.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Fearful mothers finding help | The Columbus Dispatch
Support group, doctors take on depression
By Misti Crane
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Tonya Fulwider co-founded a local outreach group.
At a time when they expected to feel joy, these mothers feel terror, desperation and inadequacy.
Family members and doctors might not even notice, because the moms seem to have it together.
Postpartum depression is common -- some estimates say it happens after one in five pregnancies -- but it remains underreported.
The malady is a mood disorder that varies from woman to woman but can be characterized by sadness, anxiety and feelings of worthlessness. Some women have uncontrollable thoughts about how their baby could be harmed, such as falling out of their arms.
Many women go without support and treatment, which can include counseling, lifestyle changes such as getting plenty of sleep and exercise, and medication.
The new leader of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has made it his mission to boost recognition of postpartum depression by both doctors and new mothers.
"I wanted to bring it out of the closet for them, to let them know it's not them, it's a physical thing, and we can do a lot about it," said Dr. Gerald Joseph Jr., who works at the Ochsner Health Center in Covington, La. He took over as president of the influential doctors group in May.
He also wants his group to better study the disorder, including finding ways to help doctors accurately determine who is suffering and what type of help might be most beneficial to a particular woman.
This comes as welcome news to Tonya Fulwider, a leader in bringing recognition and support to Columbus-area mothers through the nonprofit group POEM (Perinatal Outreach and Encouragement for Moms). She and two other women began their effort to create POEM in 2004.
The members of POEM want to help stop the damage that postpartum does to the mother, her child and her family. The group focuses on mom-to-mom support, Fulwider said.
The group also guides women to medical and mental-health professionals. And Fulwider works to educate doctors, nurses and others most likely to help women recognize what they're going through.
Heidi Sommer McAlister, a Columbus psychotherapist who specializes in postpartum depression, said recognition has increased in recent years, but misconceptions persist.
"When the public hears postpartum depression, they generally think of a psychotic mom that is going to hurt her baby. In eight years of therapeutic work, I've never had a case like that."
What she does see are women who have anxiety, including panic attacks. Some feel they're out of control and are terrified about their baby's safety. She sees women who are overcome by guilt, or weighed down by sadness.
"I was completely worthless. I wanted my husband to find a better wife. I wanted my children to have a better mother," said Jobie Krantz, a Powell woman who has experienced postpartum depression twice. She found POEM the second time, after the birth of her daughter Evelyn.
"If I was holding the baby I would think, 'What if I drop the baby on the stairs?' Things that weren't logical to the outside world."
She choked up last week as she explained how far she's come, how joyful she was to be preparing for Evelyn's second birthday party, which was yesterday.
Through POEM, and a combination of therapy and medication, Krantz has come out of the dark, she said. She now mentors other mothers…
Fearful mothers finding help | The Columbus Dispatch
For help, or more information about postpartum depression, call 1-614-315-8989 or visit www.poemonline.org.
“Moving Beyond Prenatal and Postpartum Depression” with Shoshana Bennett, PhD
Wherever you are in the world…join us for this Live Interactive Virtual Video Broadcast for Practitioners Physicians and Parents
“Moving Beyond Prenatal and Postpartum Depression”
with Shoshana Bennett, PhD
Clinical Psycholgist and Author of:
“Pregnant on Prozac”
“Postpartum Depression for Dummies”
“Beyond the Blues”
Saturday, February 06, 2010 from 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM (PT)
Learn the critical KEY strategies that every new mother needs to know about coping with, and recovering from, Prenatal and Postpartum Depression
In the “Live Virtual Video Broadcast” with Shoshana Bennett, PhD we will explore how to:
Debunk the myths:
* “This should be the happiest time of my Life!”
* Discover creative ways to put the brakes on ‘Burn-out’
* Accept and Embrace the importance of Self Care
Also learn how to:
* Create an ideal sleep schedule
* Devise a co-op sleep plan
* Discover sleep solutions that work for all your challenges
And more!
We will also be taking questions and discussing topics from our participants from around the world!
Listen below to an audio invitation from Dr. Shosh to this event:
or, see a video invitation to the broadcast here.
To register: Click here
Location: Hilton Seattle
Organized By: Heidi Koss-Nobel, MA
Street: 1301 6th Avenue
City/Town: Seattle, WA 98101
Website or Map: <mapquest>
Phone: 425-802-6607
Export to Outlook or iCal (.ics)
Invite More People
Event Description:
Shoshana Bennett, Ph.D. (”Dr. Shosh”) is the author of Postpartum Depression For Dummies and co-author of Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression . Her latest book Pregnant on Prozac was released on January 10, 2009. She’s also created guided imagery audios that are specifically focused on helping moms take care of themselves. National TV shows including “20/20″ and “The Doctors” feature Dr. Shosh as the postpartum expert and news stations consult her. Several publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News have written articles on Dr. Shosh’s work. She’s interviewed regularly on national radio and television and has been quoted in dozens of newspapers and magazines such as the Boston Globe, Glamour, Psychology Today, New York Post, Self, Cosmopolitan, USA Weekend and the Chicago Tribune.
Dr. Shosh is a pioneer in the field and considered the “go-to” expert for postpartum depression. She is a survivor of two life-threatening, undiagnosed postpartum depressions. She founded Postpartum Assistance for Mothers in 1987, and is a former president of Postpartum Support International, www.postpartum.net . She has helped over 18,000 women worldwide through individual consultations, support groups and wellness seminars. As a noted guest lecturer and keynote speaker, she travels throughout the US and abroad, training medical and mental health professionals to assess and treat postpartum depression and related mood disorders. She earned three teaching credentials, two masters degrees, a Ph.D. and is licensed as a clinical psychologist. She is working to pass legislation that helps reduce the incidence and impact of postpartum mood disorders.
See more details and RSVP on Finding & Keeping Joy with Dr. Shosh
EMERGING TRENDS AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES IN MIDWIFERY
EMERGING TRENDS AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES IN MIDWIFERY
All Ohio Midwifery Forward 2010
February 5-7, 2010
Cherry Valley Lodge
Newark, OH
This is an excellent conference!
Just getting the word out for those who may be interested!
With Joy,
Caroline
Caroline Schleappi, CD(DONA), ICPD, CPCE, CHBE, IAT-PD
The Columbus Doula
The Hopewell Center for Perinatal Services, President
Online at www.HopewellPerinatalCenter.com
Phone 614.620.BORN [2676]
Call for Abstracts - Marce Society and PSI annual conference in October
Hello PSI Friends!
We are happy to remind you that The International Marcé Society and Postpartum Support International will hold their international meetings together in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania on October 27-30, 2010. Below are details on submitting proposed presentations. The call for abstracts deadline is April 1, 2010.
You can submit your abstract directly from the Marcé conference website at www.marce2010.org.
Marcé Society President Katherine L. Wisner, M.D., M.S., has selected the overarching theme of the Marcé Society 2010 meeting: Perinatal Mental Health Research: Harvesting the Potential. Dr. Vivette Glover (UK) has agreed to chair the abstract review committee.
Structured abstracts will be considered (deadline April 1, 2010) for the following Presentation Formats:
· Oral Paper Presentations may be submitted by individuals. Sessions will consist of 20 minute presentations followed by discussion, and will be incorporated into a symposium with related papers. If papers are not accepted for oral presentation, they will be considered for poster presentations.
· Symposia. A chairperson must be named. The symposium must contain four papers, 20 minutes in length, with a 10 minute discussion period lead by the Symposium chairperson. The Chair may also present a paper. An overall abstract for the symposium, which provides the basis for the selection of papers, must be provided along with abstracts for each paper.
· Special Interest Group. This is a new format for the meeting that provides an informal discussion opportunity; no slides are allowed! Two organizers must be named to lead a discussion of a novel (not usually included in Marcé meetings) topic of interest to the membership. All members will be welcome to join the discussion.
· Posters. Posters are visual displays of program descriptions, research findings, clinical information or other topic content of interest to the Society.
The organizations:
The Marcé Society
The principal aim of the society is to promote the identification, treatment and research into all aspects of the mental health of women, their infants and partners during the perinatal period. Our interests span a broad range of disciplines and topics - ranging from basic science to health services research. The conference includes a wide range of topics of interest to the membership of the Marcé Society: 1) Promote discovery in the brain and behavioral sciences to fuel research on the causes of perinatal mental disorders; 2) Chart perinatal mental illness trajectories to determine when, where, and how to intervene; 3) Develop new and better interventions that incorporate the diverse needs and circumstances of women with perinatal mental illnesses and their families; 4) Strengthen the public health impact of research for women with perinatal disorders and their families. Presentations from representatives of all disciplines of health care and consumers of health care, from all countries, will be considered.
Postpartum Support International
Postpartum Support International (PSI) is the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to helping women suffering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression, the most common complication of childbirth. PSI was founded in 1987 to increase awareness among public and professional communities about the emotional difficulties that women can experience during and after pregnancy. The organization offers support, reliable information, best practice training, and volunteer coordinators in all 50 U.S. states, Canada, and Mexico, and more than 30 other countries. Working together with its volunteers, caring professionals, researchers, legislators and others, PSI is committed to eliminating stigma and ensuring that compassionate and quality care is available to all families. To learn more, call PSI at 800-944-4PPD or visit www.postpartum.net.
Accommodations: Sheraton Station Square
Pittsburgh is a lovely city that is situated on the confluence of three rivers (the Monongahela and Allegheny Rivers form the Ohio River). Our meeting site is on the Monongahela River near that confluence. Shopping, a comedy club, river and city tours, and good restaurants are within walking distance.
Wendy N. Davis, PhD
PSI Program Director
503-246-0941
Biology at the root of debilitating perinatal and postpartum depressions | Health and Fitness - cleveland.com
By Angela Townsend, The Plain Dealer
The images are hard to miss -- and for some women, hard to live up to.
Magazine ads for high-end maternity wear -- and, it seems, every photo of celebrity pregnancies -- show images of women with impeccable hair and makeup and glowing smiles. Commercials for baby products depict an environment of easy bliss. Mom, Dad, baby and everyone else in their world appear healthy, happy, content.
It's no wonder, then, that anyone who falls short of these inflated images during and after pregnancy may feel a bit overwhelmed and guilty.
According to the March of Dimes, one in eight women suffers from postpartum depression, which can begin at any time within the first three months after delivery.
Unlike the "baby blues," a common condition that usually subsides within the first couple of weeks after birth, postpartum depression is real depression and can be so debilitating to the mother that it puts a newborn baby's health and care in jeopardy.
Perinatal (during pregnancy) and postpartum clinical depression are as severe and significant an illness as depression experienced by men and nonpregnant women, said Dr. Toni Johnson, associate director of behavioral medicine and counseling and director of emergency psychiatry services at MetroHealth Medical Center.
"It's a biological illness," Johnson said. "It has nothing to do with a person's character or desire to parent."
Women with a history of severe PMS are at higher risk for perinatal and postpartum depression -- and for depression during menopause.
"The reproductive cycle has a big impact on a woman's risk for depression," Johnson said. One common theory is that the hormones estrogen and progestin somehow influence brain chemistry.
That can provide essential clues as to whether a woman needs to seek treatment for depression, she said.
When Karen Gross of Lyndhurst begins working with a new client, she focuses immediately on the delivery.
"Sometimes, the way a woman's delivery goes [contributes to] postpartum depression," said Gross, a member of the Doula Network of Northeast Ohio. "Especially if it didn't meet her expectations -- if she wanted a natural childbirth but had to have an epidural or a cesarean."
Physical and hormonal changes, alone or coupled with life stressors, can precipitate the depression, Johnson said. For that reason, educating a woman early on about her reproductive life is important in the treatment of depression. But instead of focusing on changes in appetite, sleep and energy levels -- changes that often signal depression but that are hard to gauge in pregnant women and those who have just recently had babies -- physicians instead use another tool…
Susan Kushner Resnick lobbies for bill requiring screening for postpartum depression - The Boston Globe
Susan Kushner Resnick wrote a book in 2000 about postpartum depression because there wasn’t one when she needed it. After the birth of her second child, she had suffered four months of insomnia, anxiety, and unhappiness she knew wasn’t right but was undiagnosed by her doctor. Last week, the Massachusetts author spoke out in support of a state bill that would require screening for postpartum depression and referral for treatment. Her latest book, an account of a 1943 Montana mining disaster called “Goodbye Wifes and Daughters,’’ will be published March 1.
ELIZABETH COONEY
Q. Your memoir is called “Sleepless Days.’’ What was it like? …
Click to join postpartumyoungstown
It’s okay to reach out for help.
That’s why we’re here.
www.poemonline.org
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Postpartum Support International Free Phone Chats - DADS call too!
Posted by: "Wendy Davis" wdavis@postpartum.net
Fri Jan 29, 2010 1:32 pm (PST)
Postpartum Support International has free phone support chats each Wednesday
for Moms and the first Monday of every month for Dads. These sessions
provide a free forum for information, support, and connection. Our next Dads
call is coming up this Monday February 1.
THIS WEEK:
The Monday Chat for Men will be held on February 1, 8pm EST, facilitated by
David Miller, MD, PhD. David Miller, MD, PhD is an
obstetrician-turned-psychiatrist who specializes in women's mood disorders
with particular focus on Perinatal Mood Disorders. He is a founding board
member for Postpartum Education and Support, Inc. in North Carolina, and
maintains a private practice in Wake Forest, NC.
The Wednesday Chat for Women will be held on February 3, 9pm EST,
facilitated by Ilyene Barsky, LCSW. Ilyene Barsky, LCSW is a licensed
clinical social worker, PPD survivor, and founder of The Center for
Postpartum Adjustment,
This is a great opportunity to connect and receive support. You can join the
call to talk or just to listen to others discuss resources, symptoms,
options and general information with a professional member of Postpartum
Support International. You can talk from the privacy of your own home and
there is no need to pre-register or give your name. Sessions are
informational only and open to anyone with questions and concerns about
themselves, a loved one, friend or family member.
See this link for details.
http://postpartum.net/Friends-and-Family/Weekly-Chat-with-the-Experts.aspx
