Postpartum Progress

Highlights of Upcoming PSI Conference in Houston

If you want to know why it is DEFINITELY worth your while to attend Postpartum Support International's upcoming annual conference in Houston, here are a few very good reasons:

Margaret Howard, PhD will be speaking.  She is the Director of the Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island, which is one of the nation's leading specialty hospitals for women and newborns.  It's the only hospital where pregnant and postpartum women can come and be treated for all symptomatic conditions. It is also the first and only hospital in the country that allows the infant to stay with his mother during treatment if inpatient hospitalization is warranted.   To read a very touching story of a mother who greatly benefited from their program, click here.  Anyone who is attempting to bring cutting edge perinatal programs into a community-based facility needs to hear the story of how our nation got its first comprehensive program for women and their infants suffering from perinatal mood disorders.

Take advantage of PSI's Certificate Training in setting up support group services for women suffering from perinatal mood disorders.  Or, take part in advanced clinical training for professionals already serving this population -- this session will provide case presentations and application of efficacious treatment models for affective recovery.

Thomas Hale, RPh, PhD, will tackle the sensitive issue of medication use during breastfeeding.  This topic is always of great interest to mothers, clinicians and healthcare professionals.  Hale is professor of Pediatrics and assistant dean of Research at Texas Tech University School of Medicine and author of the widely-used reference book "Medications and Mothers' Milk".

Lucy Puryear, MD, will present on psychiatric illness during pregnancy.  Renowned in her field of pregnancy-related mood disorders, Dr. Puryear will walk us through the effects on the fetus and how these can be minimized with appropriate care.  Puryear, of Baylor University, is author of "Understanding Your Moods When You're Expecting".

Hear from George Parnham, Andrea Yates' defense attorney and tireless advocate for women whose mental status is not appropriately considered when tragedy leads them into the criminal justice system.  He will provide an outline of what recourses women may have in defense.

Valerie Plame Wilson, former CIA agent and author of the bestselling book "Fair Game", will discuss her battles with PPD and how she overcame it.  Wilson will be the keynote speaker at Friday night's banquet.

Anne Dunnewold, PhD, will discuss culture and motherhood, and offer sound advice to counter feelings of guilt that may arise when one is not the "perfect mother".  (Is there any such thing?)  Dunnewold is the author of the recent book "Even June Cleaver Would Forget the Juice Box".

There is much, much more.  Postpartum Support International is the world’s leading nonprofit organization devoted to eradicating the ignorance around pregnancy-related mood disorders in every community worldwide! It will be a great time to network with other sufferers and healthcare professionals who specialize in treating us.  I hope to see you there!!

IMPORTANT:  Early bird registration ends this Friday, May 16th.   Get your registration in now to save $50.   Online registration is now available.  Hilton's special hotel rate of $119 will end May 16th as well -- trust me, the room rate triples afte the 16th, so hurry!

(Thanks to Deborah Sorenson, Sherry Duson and Susan Stone for helping me put together the highlights of the conference!)

MOTHERS Act Losing Momentum -- Online Petition Needs Your Signature

It's time to talk about the Melanie Blocker Stokes (MBS) MOTHERS Act again.  I know, I know.  We've heard this all before, you're thinking.  I already called my Senator, you're thinking.  I already wrote about this on my blog, you're thinking.  Sheesh!, you may even be thinking.  Well, apparently everything you and I have done so far in support of this bill hasn't been enough. 

As you may know, there are some people who are completely convinced that the MBS MOTHERS Act is a conspiratorial plot by the government to drug pregnant and postpartum women, and it must be STOPPED AT ALL COSTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  You and I know that's not true.  So we've kind of ignored the negative campaign -- been slightly pissed and sometimes even truly annoyed but gone on with our day because it's silly and we have lots of more important things to worry about than some misguided folks.  But the U.S. Senate can't ignore it when lots and lots and lots of people speak out.  That's how they work, right?  Polls.  When they hear from lots of people on a certain issue, they tend to go in that direction.  Right now our Senators are hearing from a whole host of people who think it's a really bad idea to pass this bill -- a bill that provides funding for increased research into the cause and treatments of postpartum mood disorders, provides better training for healthcare providers and provides for an awareness campaign so that more women will know about these illnesses and realize that they can get help. Those people, bless their hearts, are very vocal and have every right to say what they think. (Tom Cruise must be very pleased.) 

Conversely, those who believe in the MBS MOTHERS Act are not being anywhere near vocal enough. Our Senators are NOT HEARING from enough of those of us who support it.  If this trend continues, this bill will not pass.  What happened to us, and to hundreds of thousands like us, and to our friends and sisters and mothers and girlfriends will keep happening.  Women will continue to think they've gone crazy, never to return to their old selves.  They will continue to live in fear of speaking up and telling someone about it.  They will continue to be afraid to lose their children.  They will continue to suffer, hurting both their health and the health of their children, because they won't get treatment.  Some might even kill themselves, or become so ill they harm their children.  That is unacceptable to me.  Is it acceptable to you?  I started this blog because I was damn well not going to let anybody go through the isolation and terror and ineffective treatment from an untrained doctor that I received.  Don't you feel the same? 

Postpartum Progress readers, and anyone who cares about postpartum mood disorders, I very humbly beg you to complete two very easy assignments:

1.  Click this link and sign this petition to support passage of the MBS MOTHERS Act.  It is as easy as pie.  Thanks to the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance for getting the petition going.  All you have to do is fill out your name and address and click send, and it will be sent all the proper places.   The petition is also supported by Postpartum Support International.

2.  Forward the petition link to everyone you know and tell them to sign their name to it as well.

We need thousands of people to do this.  Not just a few hundred.  Seriously, thousands.  Please get clicking. And if you have a website, or an organization of proactive women and moms, or a blog, please get your readers/members involved ASAP.

P.S.  In case you're wondering, here is a list of the respected organizations that endorse the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act:

• Postpartum Support International
• Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
• Children's Defense Fund
• March of Dimes
• American College of Nurse Midwives
• Suicide Prevention Action Network USA
• Mental Health America
• Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• National Women's Law Center
• National Partnership for Women & Families
• National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
• Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs
• American Psychological Association
• American Psychiatric Association
• Postpartum Resource Center of New York

If you would like to add your organization to this illustrious list, please let me know at stonecallis@msn.com.  (They can't all be part of the conspiracy to drug America's moms, can they???)
 

Jenny's Light Foundation Launches New Website

Jenny's Light, the foundation created in memory of the loss of Jennifer Gibbs Bankston and her newborn baby Graham late last year to postpartum depression, has relaunched its website with more resources, including information on suicide support and postpartum support.  The organization will focus on providing postpartum support and education in the states of Alabama, California, Louisiana and Minnesota.   

Postpartum Progress Speaks Out in Full Support of MOTHERS Act

I said I would speak out on the ridiculous campaign being waged through petitions and blogs right now to block passage of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act ... so here goes (hold on to your hats, folks):

I am truly peeved and disappointed at the breathless, hysterical ranting going on about the MOTHERS Act.  Many of those who oppose it seem to have done LITTLE to NOTHING to inform themselves about the actual bill and the organizations that support it.  Falsehoods are being spread.  Here are some examples:

"A federal bill that is dangerous to mothers and their newborns but being promoted under the guise of ensuring that 'new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms, and provided with essential services ...'  This is quite simply false ... it will push more mothers onto dangerous antidepressant drugs ..."

"If this bill is passed, any money spent on screening will be a complete waste of tax dollars.  The results will be an INCREASE in the severity and frequency of postpartum depression and an increase in violence and suicide."

"This legislation will ensure that new mothers and their families are also subjected to such treatment as they are screened for symptoms and provided so called 'help' that pushes these new mothers over the edge."

"The bill was originally proposed in response to the death by suicide of Melanie Stokes, a pharmaceutical rep. who took her own life by leaping from a balcony several stories off of the ground. Contrary to popular understanding it was not post-partum depression that killed Melanie, but the numerous antidepressant drugs she was taking ..." 

I'm not sure what algorithm they're using that would indicate that doing more to identify and treat these illnesses would lead to more PPD -- is this the new math they're teaching in schools?  And I have no idea how in good conscience they could spread lies about Melanie Blocker Stokes when her fearless and amazing mother Carol has worked so hard to get legislation like this passed so that other mothers can avoid the pain she has had to endure in losing her daughter. 

Now I know standards dictate that I don't share with you what these people are saying because it somehow gives them a voice.  But I'm blowing up the standards today, because I think my readers need to know exactly what is being said, so that you can be moved to speak up about it and defend the importance of the MOTHERS Act.  (One of the organizations behind this push is CCHR.  CCHR is the Church of Scientology.  Need I say more?)

The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act does NOT recommend drugs or require drugs or endorse drugs.  What is does is the following:

• Encourage the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate and continue research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and find treatments for, postpartum conditions. 
• Encourage a national public awareness campaign to be administered by HHS to increase awareness and knowledge of postpartum depression and psychosis.
• Encourage HHS to make grants available for projects for the establishment, operation and coordination of systems for the delivery of essential services to individuals with postpartum depression.

There is no nefarious undercurrent, no plot by "the man."  The simple point is to continue to look into the causes of postpartum mood disorders, to let people know they exist and to provide better support services for the women who have them and their families.   Period, the end.  Every woman has the choice to decline participation in a screening, and every woman has the choice to look at all of the various treatment options available to her and choose the best one for her, whether it includes medication, therapy, alternative treatments, support groups or some combination thereof. 

Do I agree that we must be careful to only treat those who are ill?  Of course.  Do I agree that we must be careful in the types of treatments that are used, and must recognize the risks of taking certain treatments as well as the risks of not taking them?  Of course.  But I will not allow fearful conspiracy theorists to derail what is most important, which is getting our country's healthcare system to eliminate the stigma of mental illness, recognize the prevalence of postpartum mood disorders, learn more about their cause, allow new mothers who are suffering to feel safe in getting professional help and identify the best and safest treatments possible.

Please add your thoughts.  Scroll to the bottom of this post and look for the comments link to speak out.  C'mon girls - USE YOUR VOICE.

Here are links to other great comments about the opposition and the importance of supporting the MOTHERS Act.  If I've missed your response, let me know and I'll add it to this list.

• Susan Stone, President of PSI - this is so beautifully written - you MUST read it
• Spin Me I Pulsate
• Buoy for Perinatal Blues & Beyond
• Postpartum Perspective
• Unexpected Blessing/Sharing the Journey
• Depression Introspection

PSI Annual Conference To Be Held in Houston June 4-7

Save the Date!  This year's Postpartum Support International conference will be held in Houston, June 4-7 at the Hilton Americas-Houston.  The event is co-sponsored by the Women's Mental Health Initiative of the Mental Health Association of Greater Houston.  Some of the main speakers include Dr. Margaret Spinelli, Dr. Lucy Puryear, Valerie Plame Wilson and George Parnham.  Registation will begin in March.  I'll be there, and I hope to see you there as well!  For more information, visit www.postpartum.net.

Upcoming PPD Events - Spring '08

A "Depression in the Mother" Conference will be held in West Columbia, South Carolina, at the Brookland Baptist Church from 8:15am to 4pm on Friday, February 29th.  The fee to attend is $30.  The event is hosted by the Midlands Postpartum Coalition, and speakers will include Dr. Meltzer-Brody of the University of North Carolina, Dr. Judy McKay from the University of South Carolina and Dr. Jeffery Newport of Emory University.  CEUs will be available.  For more information, email bhasty@mha-sc.org.

Also, "Perinatal Mood Disorders: Components of Care" will be held April 10 and 11 at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.  Hosted by Clarian Health, the event will feature Dr. Laura Miller of the University of Illinois at Chicago and Dr. Jamie Renbarger of Indiana University, as well as fabulous RNs Birdie Meyer and Sara Pollard.  The fee to attend is $150 for one day, $200 for both days. CEUs will be available.  For more information, call 317-962-8078.

There will also be a PPD event in Atlanta on March 28 hosted by Mental Health America of Georgia.  My doctor will be speaking, as will myself and Lauren Hale, who is the Postpartum Support International coordinator for Georgia.  I don't have all the details yet but I will definitely share them when I have them.  So mark your calendars!

Columbia University To Host "Mood Disorders Across the Female Life Cycle"

On Saturday, March 8, Columbia University will host "Mood Disorders Across the Female Life Cycle" led by Dr. Margaret Spinelli.  The event is being held in conjunction with Postpartum Support International, Postpartum Resource Center of New York, and the National Association for Psychosocial OB/GYNs.  It will be held at the Alumni Auditorium in the William Black Medical Research Building at Columbia University Medical Center.  CMEs are available for MDs, PhDs, CSWs, Nurse Practitioners and Nurses.  To register, click here.

Menendez & Rush Say MOTHERS Act Legislation Nearly Complete

This week, the offices of Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) announced they are finalizing the new federal postpartum depression legislation for its anticipated victory in the U.S. Congress.  The legislation, which was called the MOTHERS Act, has been slightly renamed as the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.  This is in order to honor the mother whose name served as the title of the House bill that passed this fall.  Melanie was a beautiful and successful new mother who committed suicide in 2001 while suffering from postpartum depression. 

Many bloggers took part in a big legislative push this October by participating in Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act, hosted by BlogHer, Postpartum Support International and my blog Postpartum Progress.  I believe the action many of you took through your blogs and your phone calls to speak out about the need for more education and better treatment had a huge influence on legislators moving forward so quickly.  I hope we will continue to make our voices heard as we get closer to bill passage.  It is expected that the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act may be passed in early spring or possibly sooner once America's legislative bodies reconvene.  It appears that Democratic support is substantial, but some Republicans still need convincing.  Postpartum Support International president Susan Stone has been informed that she and others will be contacted when the timing is right for renewed advocacy supportive of the bill's passage.

As many of you know, the 2007-2008 BlogHers Act has been focused on harnessing the power of women online and their blogs to address maternal health.  This issue includes postpartum depression and related mood disorders, which can have a devastating effect on new mothers and their families.   

 

Study Suggests New Moms' Mental & Physical Health Be Monitored Past 6 Weeks, But Who Will Do It?

A new study in the November/December 2007 issue of the Annals of Family Medicine takes a much-needed look at the postpartum health of working mothers.  The study looked at moms who return to the workplace 11 weeks after childbirth and found that they continue to need evaluation of their fatigue levels and mental and physical symptoms beyond the normal 6-week postpartum checkup.

"At 11 weeks postpartum these employed mothers continued to experience several childbirth-related symptoms, indicating a need for ongoing rest and recovery. Postpartum evaluations should include screening for anxiety and depression and evaluation of fatigue and other physical symptoms, including those related to job stress."

The study recommended that women showing continued symptoms should receive counsel on strategies to decrease job stress and increase social support at work and home, and that physicians should talk with them about the possible need for intermittent leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act to help them manage symptoms.

One of the most fascinating comments was this, from Pat McGovern, PhD, MPH at the School of Public Health at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and her colleagues who wrote the study:

"The traditional medical perspective of the postpartum period refers to the time after childbirth that is required for the reproductive organs to return to their nonpregnant state, a process that takes approximately 6 weeks. Many physicians perceive this time as one requiring little assistance other than the recommended single postpartum visit ..."

All new mothers know this is true but I don't think I've ever seen it stated so plainly.  Our healthcare professionals are essentially focused on making sure our uteruses (or is it "uteri"?) are in working order ... but the rest of us?  Not so much. 

Dr. Laurie Barclay writes on Medscape.com:

"Because of the increased prevalence in the workplace of mothers with infants, greater understanding of factors that could improve postpartum health and facilitate return to work is greatly needed. Recovery from childbirth and successful return to work may be affected by personal factors such as preexisting health status, parity, breast-feeding, and social support from family and friends; as well as work-related factors including the timing of return to work, job stress, and support in the workplace."

Honestly, I think the results of this study apply equally to women who don't go back to work.  All new mothers suffer a compounding list of stresses that make it difficult to cope with daily responsibilities, and there is no specific group of healthcare professionals who has taken on the task of monitoring our whole health.   

Which group of clinicians will make sure women are properly evaluated and counseled?  The study specifically cites the need for screening new moms for anxiety and depression, but who will do it?  At the moment, no group of doctors taken on the job of providing that safety net.  I sometimes wonder whether they're all hoping someone else will step up to the plate so they can be relieved of the duty.  Sure, there are pockets of doctors and nurses in different places throughout the country who have recognized the importance of paying more attention to the health of new moms over a more extended period of time, but as a general rule many ignore it, and I wonder if some of the larger physicians' groups aren't actually against it.

The OB/GYNs are concerned with taking responsibility for the process of pregnancy and childbirth.  The pediatricians are primarily focused on the health of the baby.  Your primary care physician may not see you for months unless you come down with the flu, so they may never know if you're having problems.  They all say they don't have time, they don't have the proper training, they aren't reimbursed for it, they worry about the legal ramifications, etc.  And they're right on all those points.  Yet mental health screenings and treatment remain completely necessary if we care about having healthy mothers in this country. 

New moms are just not very likely to wander by the office of a mental health professional and drop in to say hello.  These people are specialists, for whom you generally need a referral.  We need a comprehensive nationwide process to get mothers mental healthcare if they need it, where the doctors responsible for screening and referral have buy-in and there is a clear line of sight.  Somebody is going to HAVE to take responsibility for this, so we need to work together to begin developing workable solutions.  Hopefully the MOTHERS Act will help to address this when it is passed, and it becomes federal law that all women are screened for postpartum depression and anxiety.  Notice I sad when, not if.

(crossposted at BlogHer.com)

Help Mothers Everywhere: Join Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act on October 24th

(crossposted at BlogHer and Postpartum Progress)

A beautiful young mother of two has been missing in Rhode Island now for more than a month.

Her name is Katie Corcoran and she is suffering from postpartum psychosis.  She was supposed to be released from the hospital to her family, but on September 5th, in some kind of mix-up, she was sent off in a taxi instead.  Her husband, small children, family and friends haven't seen or heard from her since.  This week, a friend of the family emailed me the following letter from Katie's mother, Nancy, to publish on my blog Postpartum Progress:

Katie,

This is your mom - please call home.  I want to know if you are safe.  I think about you all the time.  I worry about you.  I want to take care of you - with love and understanding.  You have always been my pride and joy.

Please.  Please call.

This story and so many others like it fill me with deep sadness and regret.  Women who commit suicide.  Women, like my mother, who don't know what's wrong with them, don't get treated and become alcoholics to escape the pain.  Women who reach out for help but are ignored or stigmatized and feel that hurt for the rest of their lives.  I regret that in this day and age we still don't know enough about dealing with postpartum mood disorders that something like Katie's disappearance could happen.  She is out there somewhere, hopefully alive, most likely delusional and alone.  And it's not her fault.  Before this she was a perfectly normal person.  She just happened to draw the short straw for postpartum mood disorders, and now she's lost. 

You and I can do something about this.  Maybe we can't just drop everything, go off in a plane to parts unknown with a picture of Katie in hand and search for her, but we CAN do something ... for Katie and for all the other mothers past and present and future who have suffered or will suffer from these illnesses.

On Wednesday October 24th, BlogHer, Postpartum Support International and Postpartum Progress are joining together to host Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act.  We're asking bloggers from around the country to write about the MOTHERS Act for postpartum depression on the 24th and to encourage their readers to pick up the phone that day, call their Senators and urge them to endorse this critical legislation.  I hope you will join us in this effort, which is part of the overall BlogHers Act 2007-2008 initiative to improve maternal health.

What is the MOTHERS Act?  The Moms Opportunity to Access Help, Education, Research and Support for Postpartum Depression Act, or MOTHERS Act (S. 1375), will ensure that new mothers and their families are educated about postpartum depression, screened for symptoms and provided with essential services.  In addition, it will increase research into the causes, diagnoses and treatments for postpartum depression.  The bill is sponsored by Senators Menendez and Durbin.

Postpartum depression is a serious and disabling condition that affects up to 20 percent of new mothers -- as much as 800,000 American women each year.  Yet only 15 percent of these women will receive any assessment or treatment.  Let me repeat.  With all we know and as smart as we are, only 15% of 800,000 women will get diagnosed and treated.  That is so wrong on so many levels.  Women are not being diagnosed because they're not being educated and they're not being screened.  Untreated, the consequences of maternal mood disorders range from chronic, disabling depression to death.  The impact of untreated maternal depression on infants/children ranges from behavioral and learning disabilities to depression and, in the worst case scenarios, death from infanticide.

Specifically, the MOTHERS Act will help new moms by:

• Providing important education and screening on postpartum depression (PPD) that can lead to early identification and treatment.  The legislation includes two grants to help healthcare providers educate, identify and treat PPD.
• Expanding important research to improve and discover new treatments, diagnostic tools and educational materials for providers.  Since the exact cause of PPD isn't known, research continues to be the key to unlocking the mystery of this condition.

The bill is currently with the Health, Education, Labor & Pensions (HELP) Committee of the Senate.  If the majority of the HELP Committee members endorse the MOTHERS Act, the bill will move forward for consideration by the Senate.  Without Senate sponsors, the bill could languish in committee and await reintroduction at a future date.  The moms of America can't wait for that.

Most Senators rarely hear from mothers (and others!), and phone calls from you and your readers will cause them to sit up and take notice on a specific issue.  Writing or sending emails has much less impact.  With your support, Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act can truly have a measurable impact.

Here's what to do on October 24th: 

• Grab a Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act button from BlogHer here and display it on your blog now.
• Tell your fellow bloggers about Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act so they can participate too.
• Visit the Postpartum Support International website and click the Welcome Bloggers button at the top to get all the information you need about the bill, how your readers can call their Senators, what to say, etc.
• Publish your post on postpartum depression and the MOTHERS Act on Wednesday, October 24th and don't forget to tag your post with: Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act, BlogHers Act, BlogHer, Postpartum Progress, Postpartum Support International, postpartum depression
• MAKE THOSE CALLS!!
• Once you've blogged, be sure to go back to the BlogHer page and leave your URL so others can link to you.
• I also welcome you to visit me at Postpartum Progress and leave a link to your blog or a message to my readers, most of whom are sufferers and the people who care for them.  If you have a question, email me at stonecallis@msn.com.

By the way, if you're not a blogger, I still encourage you to participate by calling and asking those around you to call their Senators to galvanize support for passage of the MOTHERS Act.  The more calls the better!!!

Postpartum mood disorders are a disease of motherhood -- they can affect any woman who becomes a mother, regardless of who she is.  If we don't do something to better educate and treat the mothers who may suffer, we are doing a disservice to all mothers, children and families everywhere.  All it takes is a phone call to let the Senate know that the women of America want the MOTHERS Act to pass.    

PPD Among Latina Women To Be Addressed At November Conference

Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital will be hosting "The Latina Woman: Self Esteem, Postpartum Depression and Mental Health Issues" on Friday, November 9th, from 8:30am to 12:30pm at the Poplar Creek Country Club in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, just outside of Chicago.  The event offers free registration and CEUs.

The focus of the workshop is to highlight physical, emotional and spiritual issues relevant to today's Latina women.  Expert speakers will examine current research and provide practical information on how to assess and treat issues with this population.  For additional information or to register, email Donna.Siegler@abbhh.net or call 847-755-8006.

Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling Perinatal Depression Conference To Be Held October 17 in Chicago

The Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling Perinatal Depression Conference will be held in Chicago on October 17 from 7:15am to 4:15pm at the University Club of Chicago.  It is being presented by Mercy Hospital and Medical Center.  The event will help healthcare providers improve identification of patients with perinatal depression, explain current research and methods available for management of patients diagnosed with perinatal depression and describe the steps involved with organizing a comprehensive perinatal depression program.  The target audience for this event includes attending physicians especially in the fields of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and Emergency Medicine, APNs, RN/LPNs, social workers and mental health professionals.  Continuing education credits will be available for RNs and physicians. 

Faculty for the conference include Dr. Laura Miller, director of the Women's Mental Health Program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Dr. Shaila Misri, director of the Reproductive Mental Health Program at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, Dr. Zachary Stowe, director of the Women's Mental Health Program at Emory University, Dr. Jennifer Payne, assistant professor in the department of Psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University, and Dr. Lisa Rone, assistant professor in the department of Psychistry at Northwestern's Feinberg School of Medicine, Susan Stone, the president of Postpartum Support International, and Tina Zahn, author of "Why I Jumped: My True Story of Postpartum Depression, Dramatic Rescue and Return to Hope".  For more information, or to register, click here.

And don't forget all of the other upcoming fall conferences (thanks Wendy Davis for the reminder list!):

• Postpartum Support International of Washington on September 21 (http://www.ppmdsupport.com/intro)
• NYU Reproductive Psychiatry Conference on October 6 (https://tools.med.nyu.edu/Cmecourses/index.cfm?fuseaction=courses.DisplayWelcomePage&CFID=189654&CFTOKEN=14963082)
• "Social-Cultural Influences on Maternal Depression in Manitoba, Canada on October 4 and 5 (http://www.womenshealthclinic.org/public/whats_new.html)
• Arizona Postpartum Wellness Coalition and PSI Arizona's Prenatal & Postpartum Mood Disorders: Assessment & Treatment on October 18 & 19 (www.postpartumcouples.com)

PPD Workshop in Athens, GA on Aug. 24

On August 24th, there will be a 3-hour Postpartum Depression Workshop entitled: When Joy Finds Sorrow: Clinical Treatment of Perinatal & Postpartum Depression. J. Kip Matthews, Ph.D. will be presenting. He is a licensed psychologist in the state of GA.

To learn more about the seminar and for registration information, click on the following link:

http://www.akcconline.com/ppd_workshop.html

Need Help? PSI Offers Free and Anonymous PPD Info Sessions Via Phone

If you have questions about PPD, either because you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, or want to know more as a provider, there is a wonderful free service offered by Postpartum Support International.  You can talk with a PPD expert about resources, symptoms, options and general information about perinatal mood disorders from the privacy of your own home, thanks to toll-free informational sessions.   You won't need to pre-register or even give your name, if it's important to you to remain anonymous. 

These sessions are held on Wednesdays at either 3pm or 9pm EST.  They are limited to the first 15 callers.  For the call schedule and access codes you'll need to participate, visit www.postpartum.net or call 1-800-944-4773.  And if you do call, let them know you heard about it on Postpartum Progress!!

Registration Opens for NYU Reproductive Psychiatry Conference

The 6th annual NYU Reproductive Psychiatry Conference will be held on Saturday, October 6th, from 8am to 4pm in the Farkas Auditorium of Alumni Hall at the NYU School of Medicine.  The conference will provide information on the latest in research, premenstrual mood disorders, perimenopausal mood disorders, perinatal depression and bipolar disorder and the latest in prenatal diagnostic testing.  It is being sponsored jointly by NYU and the North American Society of Psychosocial Obstetrics & Gynecology, and in cooperation with Postpartum Support International. The target audience is psychiatrists, ob/gyns, pediatricians and other health professionals who care for women.  CMEs are available.  For more information, and to register, go to www.med.nyu.edu/cme.

P.S.  This just in!  Dr. Shari Lusskin tells me that Dr. Manny Alvarez of FOX News will be the keynote speaker. 

NJ Catholic Churches Launch PPD Program

A few weeks ago, the Catholic Church in New Jersey announced a statewide program to educate priests and parishioners about postpartum depression.

The program was unveiled during a news conference in Newark that brought together Archbishop John J. Myers, community health professionals and former victims of postpartum depression.  The program aims to make each of the state's 684 Roman Catholic congregations a source of assistance for women stricken with the illness.  The archdiocese will begin training priests, deacons and lay ministers next month, teaching them about the symptoms, and resources for referring mothers for treatment.  Amen to that!

Upcoming Event in Asheville Features My Psychiatrist!

The Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville, NC is hosting an evening for prescribing clinicians called "Postpartum Mood Disorders: A Systemic Approach to Biopsychosocial Treatment" on Thursday, August 16, from 5:30 to 8pm and an all-day conference on Friday, August 17, from 8:30am to 4:45pm..  The key speaker will be Dr. Jeffrey Newport, associate director of the Emory Women's Mental Health Program here in Atlanta and also my psychiatrist!!!!  I have firsthand knowledge that Dr. Newport rocks.  Dr. Judy McKay, a psychiatrist specializing in perinatal mood disorders from Columbia, SC, will also present.  Continuting education credits will be available, and the program is aimed at physicians, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists and physicians' assistants.  The fee to attend on the 16th is $65.00 and includes dinner, and the fee for the 17th is $99.  To register, go to www.mahec.net. 

PSI Offers Free Info Sessions on Wednesdays Via Conference Call!!!!

There is SO MUCH GOING ON!!!!!!!  This is very exciting for those of us who have survived these horrible illnesses.   Postpartum Support International has started to offer free Perinatal Mood Disorder Informational sessions via 800 teleconference line.  This new program began Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 3pm EST and will continue weekly on Wednesdays, alternating between 3pm in the afternoon and 9pm in the evening EST.  The sessions are limited to the first 15 callers.  They are informational only and will offer participants an opportunity to ask questions and obtain information from PSI healthcare professionals.  They are open to women who feel they may be suffering from a pregnancy related mood disorders, as well as to concerned family members and friends. 

This is a HUGE, free resource for people all over the country.  You will be getting information from people who REALLY know what they are talking about.  I would recommend this to anyone who isn't sure if they have a postpartum mood disorder, who isn't sure if they are getting the right kind of help,  or who isn't sure how to provide the best support for someone they love who is going through this!

Participants must call 1-800-944-8766 five minutes before the call begins.  After the 15th caller joins the call, no other callers may join.  (I think this is a good idea because it lets those who are on the phone get more in-depth information.)  Check the PSI website for dates, times and facilitators. 

Hearing on Melanie Blocker Stokes Act To Be Held May 1st

PSI President Susan Dowd-Stone informs me that there will be a hearing on the Melanie Blocker Stokes Act on May 1st. 

In addition, The MOTHER's  Act is scheduled to be reintroduced in the Senate soon.  Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME) has now signed on as the lead Republican Co-Sponsor, which was a very important step.  If you have not yet written or called your Senators and local Congressman, or even if you already have, call and write them now and urge others who care to do so as well.  For more information on these bills and how to reach your state's legislators, click here.

If you are a Republican, it is even more important to reach out, as they have lagged behind in supporting these bills.  I reached out to Republican Senators Saxby Chambliss and Jonny Isakson in Georgia with the following letter:

Please support the MOTHER'S Act, which has now been co-sponsored by Senator Olympia Snowe (R-Me).  As a Republican and a past sufferer of postpartum depression, for the life of me I can't understand why more Republicans don't get on board with this issue.  You should understand the importance of healthy moms in the first year of their children's lives and thereafter.  Please, PLEASE support this legislation.  Thousands of women in Georgia each year suffer from postpartum mood disorders, and Georgia even has one of the top treatment/research facilities at the Emory Women's Mental Health Program.  Georgia should be a leader in this effort!

Understanding Impact of Race on Resistance to Seek Counseling

Here's a link to a very interesting column from the New Jersey Record by columnist Lawrence Aaron about what he sees as the reluctance of African-Americans to seek mental health counseling.  It helps to remind me that there are many reasons -- including resistance from family members, worries about effects on insurance and social pressures, among others -- that prevent people from reaching out for help.  This is something we need to respect and to keep in mind as we try to get help for women who need it, regardless of their race, origin or creed.

PPD Conference in Denver on May 5

The Kempe PPD Intervention Program and Denver's Children's Hospital will host their inaugural annual conference on Saturday, May 5th, at the Children's Hospital Vestal Education Center in Denver.  The fee to attend is $150 and CMEs are available.  Click here for a link to the conference brochure and information on how to register (scroll down to the bottom of the page to see the link).

New PPD Awareness Campaign in Ontario, Canada

The province of Ontario in Canada has launched a new public awareness campaign on postpartum depression.  Here's some info from the Toronto Star:

"A new public awareness campaign launched this month is aimed at bringing the topic of postpartum mood disorders out of the closet to help struggling mothers ... find the support and treatment they need. And to let them know they aren't alone.

One of its slogans: 'Life with a new baby is not always what you expect.'

The campaign, launched by Best Start, an Ontario-government funded resource centre for mothers and young children, includes subway posters, shopping mall ads, television and radio clips, a 12-page brochure with information, strategies and resources for getting help, and a website (lifewithnewbaby.ca). Telehealth Ontario is also a partner, providing phone consultation and links to services and treatment for mothers needing help.

Hiltrud Dawson, health promotion consultant with Best Start, said several tragic deaths of women with postpartum mood disorders and their children over the past few years highlighted the need for more public information.

A survey by Leger Marketing last year showed that 80 percent of Canadians had heard of postpartum mood disorders, which affect one in five women and are treatable and in many cases preventable. But Dawson said there are still many misconceptions about the illness and many spouses and family members don't know what to do or how to seek help.

Campaign resources will help them distinguish the difference between 'baby blues' which affect most mothers but fade in a couple of weeks, and postpartum depression, which doesn't pass and can become debilitating. And it explains postpartum psychosis, a serious disorder that has generated headlines but is very rare, causing mothers to lose touch with reality and think about harming themselves and their babies."