Is it normal to feel this way? The truth on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders

In the news cycle every few months, we hear a horrible story and are reminded that perinatal mood and anxiety disorders affect everyone.

In fact, 7 out of 10 people experience perinatal anxiety. 4 out of 10 people experience perinatal depression. 1 in 10 partners experience PMADs (perinatal mood and anxiety disorders).

The bad news: perinatal mood and anxiety disorders do not go away on their own.

The good news:They are treatable! You have to first know what they look like.

Baby blues can start during the 1st week after birth and symptoms usually resolve by 2 weeks post-delivery. If you’re into the 3rd week after the birth of your baby, and not feeling like yourself, it may be PMADs. Start looking out for PHYSICAL symptoms of PMADs: headaches, back aches, nausea, brain fog. Other indicators of PMADs includes:

• sadness/crying

• lack of appetite

• feelings of guilt or shame

• loss of interest in families and hobbies

• severe mood swings

• overwhelming fatigue

• insomnia

• angry remarks toward the baby and their partner

• racing thoughts

• anger/irritability/rage

• intrusive thoughts (ex: images of baby getting hurt, or you falling down stairs)

• compulsions or avoiding activities (ex: washing baby excessively, or avoiding stairs)

• fear of being alone with being baby

• hypervigilance (ex: checking baby’s breathing often)

• panic attacks

• flashbacks/nightmares

• delusions, irrational thinking, auditory or visual hallucinations (ex: hearing your partner say “you’re not a good parent” even though they didn’t say that)

• extreme paranoia (ex: someone is breaking into house)

• hyperactivity/mania

  
  Pro Tip: Write your PMADs post it, keep it on your fridge, then bring to your doctor "If i am beyond 2-3 weeks postpartum and feeling sad worried, anxious, nervous about the way I am feeling, it is NOT the baby blues. Please determine what next steps I should take." (Courtesy of Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts).
  
  In emergency situations (postpartum psychosis, lost basis in reality, suicidal ideation, thoughts of harm to self or baby),
  
  1) Text or call 988, or
  
  2) Call Massachusetts Mobile Health Crisis Unit 1-877-382-1609. Then dial your zip code and then get a local unit’s phone number. They are trained mental health providers, available 24/7 to help de-escalate crisis in home

About the Author: Kathleen Stern is a certified infant feeding specialist, birth and postpartum doula and founder of Boston Area Doulas. Kathleen believes in the power of support, connection, increasing access to resources and increasing one’s confidence in parenthood. She and her doula team offer support to families before, during and after pregnancy. 📞 (857) 600-1907 ✉️ kathleen@bostonareadoulas.com