Postpartum Progress

Two Great New Books for Clinicians on Treating Postpartum Depression & Related Disorders

Two great new books are being published for healthcare practitioners (and others!) by two amazing women in the field of postpartum mood disorders, Susan Dowd Stone and Karen Kleiman. 

The first, called "Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders: Perspectives and Treatment Guide for the Health Care Practitioner", was edited by Susan Dowd Stone and Alexis E. Menken and is being published this week.  It provides a wide foundation on these illnesses, and is intended for consumers and students/professionals in the following disciplines: psychiatry, social work, medicine, psychology, nursing, law, advocacy, social support, literacy (reaching consumers), pediatricians, obstetricians, administrators in health care facilities who are considering the issue and adding programs, legislators and health care policy advisors.  Contributors to the book, published by Springer, include Jane Honikman, Dr. Catherine Birndorf, Dr. Margaret Spinelli, Dr. Shaila Misri, Dr. Kathleen Kendall-Tackett, George Parnham, Cheryl Beck and many others. This is a ground-breaking text on the issue in terms of its breadth and depth ... there is none other that provides such a comprehensive overview of the entire issue in a multidisciplinary format.

"The point of the book is that without educating our healthcare teams, we can raise awareness all we want but those who need to identify and help these women will still not be up to par," said Stone.  "Hopefully readers in various disciplines will be moved to more fully explore the issue after reading these 'perspectives' chapters."

The second, called "Therapy and the Postpartum Woman: Notes on Healing Postpartum Depression for Clinicians and the Women Who Seek Their Help", is written by Karen Kleiman.  It is currently available for pre-ordering here and will be published in September.

The book, published by Routledge, provides a comprehensive look at effective therapy for postpartum depression.  Using a blend of professional objectivity, evidence-based research and personal, straightforward suggestions gathered from years of experience, Kleiman's book brings the reader into the private world of therapy with the postpartum woman.   Based on Psychodynamic and Cognitive-Behavioral theories, D.W. Winnicott's "good enough mother" and the holding environment, in particular, it was written by a therapist who has specialized in the treatment of postpartum depression for more than 20 years.

I haven't had a chance to read Susan's book yet (I'm sure it's amazing), but I have seen Karen's and I found it completely fascinating even though I'm not a clinician.  It was so interesting to see that my reactions are not unlike so many other women who go through these illnesses, and to learn how to get around all of my blocks and objections to being diagnosed and treated. 

Vote for Postpartum Progress in the 2007 Best of Blogs Award - New!!

PPD Warrior Chicks:  Postpartum Progress has been nominated for a 2007 Best of Blogs Award in the Health/Fitness category.  Voting for this award is much, MUCH easier than it was to vote for the Bloggers Choice Awards.  No registering or anything like that.  All you have to do is click this link, check the box next to Postpartum Progress, scroll down to the bottom of the nominee list and click "Vote".  If you're interested, I hope you'll vote. 

Easy as pie.  Mmmm, pie.  I'm hungry ...

http://www.thebestofblogs.com/2008/05/12/best-healthfitness-blogvote-here/

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!)

Hope Feels Good Mom Needs Your Support

Warrior Chicks -- please head on over to the Hope Feels Good blog and tell this mom who is suffering that you are with her.  We all need to be there for each other because no one understands like we do.

Postpartum Mood Disorder Event June 12th in Spokane

Postpartum Support International of Washington and the Council for Children & Families will host "Postpartum Mood Disorders: A Community Discussion of PPMDs" on June 12th from 10:30am to 5pm at the Downtown Spokane Public Library.  Presentations will include information on the cultural implications of PPMDs, the importance of early assessment and diagnosis, and the wellness model of treating PPMDs.  All are welcome.  The event is free and lunch will be provided.  To RSVP, email wcpcan@wcpcan.wa.gov.

Study Finds Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale Effective For Identifying Women At High Risk for PPD

The Journal of Women's Health reported this week the results of research comparing three screening instruments used to identify women with postpartum depression during the first 6 months after delivery -- the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS). The study, conducted by the University of Pittsburgh, concluded that administering the EPDS by phone at 6-8 weeks postpartum was an efficient and accurate way to identify women at high risk for PPD.  For more information, click the link above.

New Support Group & Treatment Program for PPD in Des Moines

According to the Des Moines Register, women experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression have a new resource in Des Moines that offers screening, assessment, treatment and a support group, all free of charge.

"The small group of moms that meets weekly is a component of the program offered by Visiting Nurse Services", said Donna Richard-Langer, manager of mental health services for Visiting Nurse Services ...
The Visiting Nurse Services Postpartum Depression Partnership Program is a collaboration between Visiting Nurse Services, the Wellmark Foundation and the Postpartum Depression Task Force of Des Moines, of which Visiting Nurse Services is a member ... Treatment can involve just the individual, or therapy for the couple or the whole family, she said. Another option is the support group, Motherhood and Moods, which meets every Monday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Calvary Baptist Church, 606 E. Ninth St. Child care is provided."

Psych Central Reviews New Women & Depression Brochure from NAMI

Dr. John Grohol over at Psych Central offers up his assessment of the new Women & Depression brochure put out by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).  He specfically mentions how postpartum depression is covered:

Postpartum depression, for instance, is a very real and serious concern for many women after childbirth. Oddly, however, it is mentioned briefly only once in the entire brochure. This would’ve been an ideal opportunity to dispel many of the common misconceptions about this type of depression unique to women, but the brochure largely fails to do so.

To read the rest of his critique, click here. 

Speaking of NAMI, I've actually always been bothered by the fact that NAMI doesn't include postpartum mood disorders as a specific set of illnesses in the Inform Yourself section at the forefront of its website.  See for yourself here and here.  That makes no sense to me, and I hope they'll update their site to include more information, as well as a link to Postpartum Support International. 

Why Are We So Guilty About Being Depressed?

How many women feel like this mom, who writes about her uncertainty as to whether she's suffering from postpartum depression and the guilt she feels for even being sad when she is so blessed?   

"Even hearing the words 'postpartum depression' pisses me off. What's there to be depressed about? I have a beautiful healthy daughter, a very hands-on husband who does more than his fair share, we're both employed in an economically uncertain time, and we have a roof overhead and food on our plate."

It makes me so sad that we blame ourselves for being depressed, and get mad at ourselves for not appreciating how good we have it, as though we've generated the depression ourselves.  That's just society talking, telling us that somehow or other we're at fault for getting depression.  Somewhere someone is starving, so what the hell is our problem, right?!!  If we'd just learn to be more grateful for everything we have we wouldn't have this problem, right?!!!!  Wrong. 

Even the most self-actualized, fully appreciative of us get postpartum mood disorders.  It is an illness.  Period.  It's a bad case of brain flu that clouds our perceptions and prevents us from experiencing joy.   

One day I hope every man, woman and child who experiences depression in any form will no longer feel any guilt or shame.   

PPD Support for Spanish-Speaking Families

Postpartum Support International offers Spanish-language support on its toll-free warmline, at 1-800-944-4PPD (press 1 for Spanish).  Andrea Zas Jimenez is the support coordinator for the Spanish Warmline, and Stephanie Morales will be coordinating PSI's national resource list for Spanish-speaking support.  If you know of resources in the U.S. to help Spanish-speaking families, please send it to Stephanie at stephaniemoralesmft@hotmail.com. 

Kleiman To Release New Book on Postpartum Therapy

A new book entitled "Therapy and the Postpartum Woman: Notes on Healing Postpartum Depression for Clinicians and the Women Who Seek Their Help" (Routledge) will be available in September 2008 (or for pre-order now either through Routledge or Amazon.) It will be a valuable resource for clinicians specializing in the treatment of PPD and as well as women who are in therapy or contemplating entering therapy for support.  The book was written by Karen Kleiman, author of "This Isn't What I Expected: Recognizing & Recovering from Depression & Anxiety After Childbirth" and "What Am I Thinking? Having A Baby After Postpartum Depression".

Online Petition Keeps Spreading for MOTHERS Act

We're up to 13,000 signers now for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance's online petition supporting the Melanie Blocker Stokes Mothers Act for postpartum depression.  Here are some more bloggers who have supported the cause, and believe in more funding for research into the causes and treatments of PPD ...

• Not That I Don't Love My Kids
• Fertility Stories
• Coping With Life
• Scobberlotch

Here's my question ... where the heck is everybody else?  How many millions of you out there have suffered depression and know how horrible it is?  How many of you wish there was more clarity around these illnesses?  Please join us in supporting the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.

NurturePDX: Postpartum Body Image

Here is an interesting story from NurturePDX on how our postpartum body image affects our mental health and what impact society has on how we think we should look after having babies.  A highlight:

A negative postpartum body image can contribute to low self-esteem and postpartum depression, as well as a host of other negative emotional and societal effects. It can also cause a mother to diet which could potentially be detrimental to her infant if she is breastfeeding as well as contribute to postpartum depression symptoms from lack of nutrients and calories.

I cannot count the number of times I have heard mothers of young children say, "I have felt so unattractive since I had my baby." We need to reclaim the "mama body" and celebrate it as an image of strength, warmth, and beauty.

NIMH Seeking PPD Study Participants

The National Institutes of Mental Health is continually looking for people in the Maryland/DC/Virginia area to participate in research studies on postpartum depression and related illnesses.  Their studies are currently looking at the role hormones play in PPD.  As Annie Shellswick of NIMH explains:

"Many women have planned for their pregnancies, have a track record of success in life, have no history of depression .... and then, WHAM!  Unanticipated PPD. We think this may be caused by an abnormal sensitivity to a very normal change of hormones that effects a subgroup of women.  We need women to participate in the studies to find the answers."

Please consider participating if you live in the area, because research is so important to identifying the causes and best treatments.   For more information you can call Annie at 301-402-9207 or visit http://patientinfo.nimh.nih.gov/womensdisorders.aspx.

PBS To Air "Depression: Out of the Shadows" on May 21

From the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI):

The national premiere of the PBS documentary, "DEPRESSION: Out of the Shadows", on Wednesday, May 21 at 9pm ET.  (Check local PBS station listings.)  The documentary weaves the science and treatment of depression with intimate portrayals of families and individuals living with its effects.  Personal stories include a woman from Minneapolis who experienced postpartum depression.

After the documentary, Jane Pauley will host "TAKE ONE STEP: Caring for Depression," a moderated panel discussion featuring NAMI medical director Ken Duckworth, Dennis Charney, MD, dean of Mt. Sinai Medical School, and Annelle Primm, MD, MPH, director of minority and national affairs for the American Psychiatric Association. 

Women Like Us: Poet Anne Sexton Suffered PPD

Did you know? ....  Apparently it is National Poetry Month, and because of this I have become aware that the Pulitzer-Prize-winning poet Anne Sexton suffered from postpartum depression.  Here is a bit of her biography from Poets.org:

"In 1953 she gave birth to a daughter. In 1954 she was diagnosed with postpartum depression, suffered her first mental breakdown, and was admitted to Westwood Lodge, a neuropsychiatric hospital she would repeatedly return to for help. In 1955, following the birth of her second daughter, Sexton suffered another breakdown and was hospitalized again; her children were sent to live with her husband's parents."

After that, Anne began writing poetry, as suggested by her doctor.  (photo credit: Rollie McKenna)

PPD Warrior Chicks Rock!

Postpartum Depression Warrior Chicks (and the supportive "roosters" out there), you rock!  The Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance's online petition to support the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act has now reached nearly 12,000 signatures in a week and a half.  I'm so excited for you and all of the other concerned people around the country who are taking action to show they care for new mothers.

Do we need more signatures?  ABSOLUTELY!!  Those U.S. Senators need to hear completely loud and clear that we believe the women of America deserve more research into the cause of postpartum mood disorders, better trained healthcare providers and greater awareness to reduce the stigma.  Keep pressing on your friends, and loved ones, and church members, and neighbors, and pets with opposable thumbs to sign, sign, SIGN!  Let's get 100,000 signatures -- don't forget, 800,000 women in America suffer from postpartum mood disorders each year. 

Here is the link again to the DBSA online petition, which is supported fully by Postpartum Support International (and Postpartum Progress, of course!): http://www.capwiz.com/ndmda/issues/alert/?alertid=11246546

We especially need to hear from people in the following states:  Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maine, Minnesota, Tennessee, Colorado, Mississippi, Utah, Connecticut, Alaska, Iowa, Nebraska, Arkansas, West Virginia, Kansas, Delaware, Hawaii, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Idaho, DC, Alabama, South Dakota, Montana, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Wyoming.  If you know people who live there, give them a shout out and see how they feel about the MOTHERS Act.  Bloggers in those areas, please help us out.  I hope more people from those states will be able to join us in supporting this bill, which is about taking positive action against a devastating illness.  I've got a Mississippi family contingent that I'm going to start calling as soon as I'm done with this post!! 

Author Stefanie Wilder-Taylor Shares Her PPD Experience on BabyShrink

Here is a link to an interview BabyShrink conducted with Stefanie Wilder-Taylor, author of the books Sippy Cups are Not for Chardonnay: And Other Things I Had to Learn as a New Mom and the newly released Naptime is the New Happy Hour: And Other Ways Toddlers Turn Your Life Upside Down. In the interview Stefanie, who has appeared several times on The Today Show, shares her experience with postpartum depression.

PPD DVD Wins Award

Mental Health Ministries has received a Bronze Telly Award for its DVD, Breaking the Silence: Postpartum Depression and Families of Faith.   Since 1978, Telly's mission as been to strengthen the visual arts community by inspiring, promoting and supporting creativity.   The 28th Annual Telly Awards received over 14,000 entries from all 50 states and 5 continents.  Congratulations!

Mom Needs Your Support

Ladies, please reach out and leave a comment with your support to this mom who was just diagnosed with PPD:  http://julinda.wordpress.com/2008/04/14/postpartum-depression/

More Mommy Bloggers Share Their PPD Stories

Here is a link to the Becoming Me blog where a mom opens up to share her story about antepartum and postpartum depression. 

And another GREAT PPD story from the Dig Your Toes In blog ... here is a highlight:

For me, PPD looked (looks) like this:

• Feeling off.  Just off.
• Feeling disconnected–from my life, from my kids, from my husband
• Feeling like I’m in a ‘fog.’
• Lacking joy.  Lacking joy in being a Mom, in little things that I normally love, in life in general.
• Guilt, guilt, and more guilt. 
• Just feeling down
• Having my ‘default’ attitude be negative and pessimistic rather than fairly optimistic
• Wanting to run away.  To sleep, to hide, to curl up in a ball.
• Shrinking when my children cried.
• Inability to focus
• “Escaping” often.  To the computer, to phone calls, to books, to anything to get me out of my ‘real life’ and my feelings.
• Snapping at my children very, very easily
• Feeling overwhelmed all the time
• Feeling like no matter what I just couldn’t get it all together.

And a link to the Unfolding... blog and another story about PPD.

Do New CDC Statistics Underestimate Real PPD Numbers?

I've been thinking more about the latest statistics on PPD in the U.S. recently released by the CDC.  As I wrote last week, the report included information from women in 17 states who responded either "often" or "always" to the following questions:

• Since your new baby was born, how often have you felt down, depressed, or hopeless?
• Since your new baby was born, how often have you had little interest or little pleasure in doing things?

The study found that women with PPD were more likely to be younger, less educated, and in financial or emotional stress.  In response, Postpartum Progress reader and total warrior chick Kim pointed out the following:

I wonder where I fit in? 36 year old non-smoking woman with happy marriage, financially stable, and a master's degree... I would think I was an anomaly but the few woman I know who have gone through it are all more like me. Strange.

A similar thought occurred to me when I was looking at the data.  I was 32 when I had my son, had been married 8 years and happily planned for this birth, was completely financially stable and had a great career and a college degree.  And lots of the women I know who've gone through PPD are like that as well.  From the women I've talked to around the country and across the world, it seems like people from all backgrounds are highly vulnerable.  Are there risk factors that make it more likely for some people than for others?  Sure.    But this does lead me to ask the following question:  Are those women who happen to have more education, better finances and more stable environments just less likely to self-report?

And if the CDC states that the percentage of women in the U.S. who experience PPD is probably somewhere in the 15% range based on the number of women who self-report, what must the percentage REALLY be, considering how many of us dare not open our mouths to self-report out of fear?  I mean, this is not like self-reporting a sore throat or headaches.  Postpartum mood disorders are the kind of illness that lots of people aren't interested in volunteering personal information about.  Could the true number of new moms in the U.S. suffering these illnesses be more like 20% to  25%?  More?

Supporting Mothers Everywhere

Have you signed the petition yet?

http://capwiz.com/ndmda/issues/alert/?alertid=11246546

Here are some other women who are speaking up in support of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act:

• Mental Health Notes
• Healthy Concerns
• Out of the Valley
• Postpartum Perspective
• Giggles and Gulps
• Dig Your Toes In

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???)
 

CDC Releases Latest Statistics on PPD Today

Per Miranda Hitti at WebMD, the CDC today issued its latest statistics on postpartum depression, and the figures show that certain groups of women may be at higher risk.  The CDC's report included more than 52,000 new moms in 17 states. The prevalence of self-reported postpartum depression ranged from 11.7% in Maine to 20.4% in New Mexico.  Postpartum depression was more often reported by teenage moms, mothers with less than 12 years of education, Medicaid patients, smokers, victims of physical abuse before or during pregnancy, and women under traumatic or financial stress during pregnancy.  Having a low-birth-weight baby or a baby admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit was also tied to self-reported postpartum depression in most of the 17 states.

The postpartum depression statistics, published in the April 11 edition of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, don't separate women who became depressed after giving birth from women who were already depressed before pregnancy.

The CDC urges women to get treatment for postpartum depression for the sake of mother and baby alike.

The CDC also notes that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that doctors screen all new moms for postpartum depression four to six weeks after birth.

P.S.  Here's a link to the Wall Street Journal's health blog's coverage of the CDC report on postpartum depression.

Moms Need Your Support

Warrior chicks who've been through PPD -- reach out to this momma and tell her you love her:  http://thechroniclesofmunchkinland.com/2008/04/01/the-weight-is-heavy/

And this momma too: http://abooblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/many-moons.html

And this one: http://wheresmycape.blogspot.com/2008/03/going-out-with-bang.html

And this one: http://kimmelinhull.blogspot.com/2008/03/as-i-sit-in-wild-joes-organic-coffee.html

We need to stick together.

PPD Screening Program in MI Receives Grant

The American Psychiatric Foundation (APF) has named five universities as the recipients of Helping Hands Grants, and one of the winning programs focuses on postpartum depression.

Michigan State University College of Human Medicine Upper Peninsula Campus in Marquette, Michigan, is being awarded the grant for the "Upper Peninsula Maternal Emotional Support Program" to implement a network of postpartum depression (PPD) risk assessment screening opportunities, professional educational curriculums and integrated community outreach efforts for all new mothers in the Upper Peninsula.  This program will establish a consistent risk assessment screening progam for PPD at Marquette General Hospital, educate health professionals in the use of PPD screening tools and provide outreach and community resources to at-risk mothers to reach 2,300 patients, physicians and staff.

Each of the five recipients receives a $5,000 grant for a community mental health service project initiated and managed by medical students under the supervision of medical faculty. The Helping Hands Grant Program raises awareness of mental illness and the importance of early recognition and builds an interest amongst medical students in psychiatry and working in underserved communities. The American Psychiatric Foundation is the philanthropic and educational arm of the American Psychiatric Association. The mission of the foundation is to advance understanding that mental illnesses are real and can be effectively treated. For more information, please visit the foundation's Web site at http://www.psychfoundation.org/ . The awards are made possible through an unrestricted educational grant from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Go State!  (I'm an MSU alumna.)

Postpartum Depression Video Clips to Check Out

Here are some links to some nice video pieces on postpartum depression:

Sarah Pond's beautiful YouTube piece on postpartum mood disorders -- really neat

ABC 30 in Fresno on Gena Kirby and postpartum depression

A little clip from Kristin Park on her PPD at empowher.com

Scientific American Looks At Postpartum Depression's Affect on Babies

Scientific American published an article in its February issue entitled "Postpartum Depression Epidemic Affects More Than Just Mom" written by Katja Gaschler.  This is a very interesting and comprehensive article, and makes a great argument for the importance of getting treated for postpartum illnesses rather than just hoping they'll go away on their own.  The longer you are ill, the higher the likeliness that your illness will affect your child.   

P.S.  Here is PPD Survivor's take on the article.  She asked me to share it with you.

Straight Talk About Hospitalization & Postpartum Depression

One area I don't like to talk about is hospitalization.  I don't know why.  It's like the ultimate embarrassment for me or something that at one point I had to be hospitalized in a mental hospital (UGH!) for depression.  It was only for a few days, but it's one thing of which I have to say I still feel slightly ashamed.  If our society considered mental illness a physical illness, then of course I wouldn't be ashamed, because there is nothing at all wrong with being sick and having to go to the hospital.  But you and I both know that's not the way people think when it comes to "mental institutions."  Nonetheless, I can't let that stop me from talking openly to you about a type of treatment that some women with postpartum mood disorders must experience, so here goes ...

The truth is, if we are a danger to ourselves or others we need to be hospitalized.  Period.  I wish there were another way, a better solution, but as far as I know there isn't.   I got to a point where I thought I might kill myself.  And so, that's where I was sent.  The minute I got there and saw what was coming I completely changed my mind about killing myself, of course.  I told them very articulately that I was all better and there was no need to move forward.  (Stop the train, I want to get off!)  But once the proverbial cat is out of the bag you can't p