Postpartum Progress

Mother in Postpartum Psychosis Case Returns to Jail After Plea Deal

The Des Moines Register reports that Heidi Anfinson, who drowned her 2-week-old child in 1998 while allegedly suffering from postpartum psychosis, is now headed back to jail. 

Anfinson had been granted a new trial after being imprisoned for nine years of her original sentence of 50 years for second-degree murder.  She had been out for jail for about a year. 

"The [Iowa] Supreme Court threw out her conviction at a second trial, held in 2000, because her attorney at the time, Bill Kutmus, failed to raise compelling evidence of severe postpartum depression, or psychosis.

Anfinson, and some legal experts nationally, had hoped a new trial would put a spotlight on postpartum psychosis, which has become a more recognized legal defense since her son died."

Her new lawyer had planned to present evidence that she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the infanticide.  Anfinson waived her right to that new trial, however, reportedly out of fear that a jury would again find her guilty.  She plead guilty to child endangerment in a plea deal with the prosecutors.

It is still unclear how long her new prison sentence will be.  While the judge sentenced her again to 50 years, the Iowa Parole Board could allow her to be released for time served, according to the Register.

"Judge Rosenberg, who presided over Anfinson's post-conviction case, noted that he had no choice under the plea agreement but to sentence Anfinson to prison.

'Although this is a tragic incident beyond description ... the court believes (Anfinson) is no further threat to public safety,' he said. 'We often like to think of things in black and white. But often, it is the gray that is the truth.'

Many of Anfinson's supporters cried as she was ushered out in handcuffs.

Mike Anfinson said he has never stopped loving his wife, or admiring her strength, or thinking she was not to blame for the death of their only child."

A Rare Enlightened Look at the Infanticide Defense

Regular readers of Postpartum Progress know that I do cover instances of infanticide due to postpartum psychosis here when they occur.  I imagine some would rather I didn't mention it.  To be honest, I almost would rather I didn't mention it.  I HATE writing about that stuff.  But, it happens, and this blog doesn't sugarcoat.

Thankfully, tragedies happen very, very rarely.  When they do happen, they make my blood boil because they are so unnecessary and most often preventable.  And my blood's temperature shoots way past 212 degrees fahrenheit when I see the meanness and vitriol spit out by people who comment on these tragedies, who have no understanding of psychosis and no belief that someone might actually not be in control of their actions.  Nine times out of ten the stuff that I read is completely ignorant and saddens me.  That is why it was such a lovely surprise to read this on the Huffington Post.

Jacob Appel is a bioethicist (try typing that ten times fast!) who has taught at Brown University and writes for many highly-regarded publications.  His piece on the penalty for infanticide was enlightened and informed.  Here's a tidbit: 

"Britain's approach is representative of our closest international allies. Canada recognizes infanticide as a distinct, lesser offense than homicide; offenders face a maximum of five years in prison. Twenty-seven other nations recognize the unique nature of maternal infanticide as a crime distinct from murder, a diverse group of nations that includes Australia, Brazil, Colombia, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Norway, Sweden, the Philippines and Turkey. In making no legal distinction between troubled mothers who suffocate their children and professional assassins, the United States now stands as a glaring outlier among the enlightened democracies."

Thanks Mr. Appel.

Does Texas Media Really "Get" Postpartum Psychosis?

There have been several nice editorial pieces that have run since the news broke a couple of weeks ago now about the horrific infanticide in San Antonio.  These pieces, most of which have appeared in major Texas newspapers, show that the community in Texas has a better awareness of postpartum psychosis and more empathy for those who suffer than most.  Rather than lining up to give Otty Sanchez the death penalty, it seems Texans are having reasoned discussions about mental incapacity and lack of services. In my mind, this can primarily be attributed to Andrea Yates.  The people in Texas received an in-depth education on the reality of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders through that case, and as a result have a deeper understanding of what can happen when women fall through the cracks.  Out of tragedy, good can come.

San Antonio Express-News: Mental Health System is Underfunded, Flawed

San Antonio Express-News: Columnist Cary Clack's New Voices We Should Listen To

Houston Chronicle: We Can Prevent Tragedies From Postpartum Illness

San Antonio Express-News: More Than the Baby Blues 

(Note of serious warning:  Anyone currently suffering or just getting over perinatal mental illness should NOT read the links to the following articles as they are TOO graphic.)

Outside of Texas, I have seen other writers and websites display a better understanding of postpartum psychosis and the challenges women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders face, while others are still getting it wrong.  There is Salon.com, where writer Karen Houppert, while portraying some level understanding throughout the article, still confusingly interchanges the terms "baby blues", "postpartum depression" and "postpartum psychosis" as if they are all one in the same.  She equates Otty Sanchez and Andrea Yates to Susan Smith, who was not suffering from a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder.  But then there is a GREAT piece on Feministing called "Otty Sanchez and Watching Women Fall".  A highlight:

One question is, “Were Otty Sanchez a man, would his media coverage be the same?”  ...  And how common is front-page coverage of a man killing his child ?  It would possibly make it into the B section, titled “Metro”- just for local news.

Anyway, a little food for thought before the inevitable feeding frenzy that will occur once Otty Sanchez goes to trial.

MGH: Can We Identify Women At High Risk for Postpartum Psychosis?

The fantastic MGH Center for Women's Mental Health has posted a piece on its blog that I imagine is partly in response to the infanticide in San Antonio and the resulting discussion all across the country about what was wrong with Otty Sanchez.  The article is entitled "Can We Identify Women At High Risk for Postpartum Psychosis?"  According to author Ruta Nonacs, it would seem the answer to that question is ... sort of.  While women with bipolar disorder or those who have had previous psychotic episodes are clearly on the high risk list, it may be that there are other risks factors that we just don't understand yet.  Nonacs suggests that this is why it is so important that all women, not just those with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, be educated on the symptoms of postpartum psychosis, as should their healthcare providers, and I might add their partners/husbands.

For more on postpartum psychosis from Postpartum Progress, click here.

Questions Left Unanswered In San Antonio Infanticide Case

I've been gone for a little bit.  Moving and then entertaining my kids before they go back to school fairly soon.  The two of those combined has completely prevented me from writing, or doing anything else for that matter, so forgive me.  And now, I come back to work by having to write about something profoundly awful.  I don't want to write about it.  I'd rather ignore it, actually.  But since it's all over the news I suppose I can't pretend that a mother in San Antonio didn't just kill her newborn in a way that I'd rather not discuss on these pages for fear I'd send those of you who are fragile into a complete tizzy.  (Seriously, if you are suffering, DO NOT look for or try to find out more about this story.   It has nothing at all to do with you and your particular situation.)

The story is hard to figure out at this point, because the details are conflicting.  The various Associated Press stories and others confuse me -- some say she was diagnosed with postpartum depression, some with postpartum psychosis.  Some family members say she was clearly ill, her husband says she was fine.  Had she or hadn't she been diagnosed with schizophrenia prior to the birth?  Was she actually hospitalized because she had PPD or postpartum psychosis?  Who cared for her and why was she released from the hospital?  What symptoms did her family or others see that required her to be hospitalized in the first place?   These details are so important to this story, yet we don't have any answers; only people lining up for the chance to give Otty Sanchez the death penalty.

According to one version of the story in the Houston Chronicle, she checked into the hospital because she had been hearing voices, but then checked herself out.  If a woman who has just had a baby and has a history of schizophrenia is hearing voices, what hospital in their RIGHT MIND would release her? 

On top of that, the media writing, as usual, clouds the whole issue of postpartum depression as compared to postpartum psychosis.  To wit, from the Associated Press via the New Jersey Star-Ledger:

"According to the Associated Press, Sanchez had a history of schizophrenia and had been hospitalized on July 20 with postpartum depression, and yet she lived in a home where she had access to Samurai swords and child welfare officials were never called."

Child welfare officials do not, I repeat, DO NOT need to be called just because someone has postartum depression.  WRONG, media people, and way to go on furthering the myth that mothers with PPD are dangers to their children. 

Part of me wants to know nothing of this horrible story.  The other part of me wants to know a whole lot more so that I can understand how this woman and her child were possibly left unprotected by everyone around them, leading to a tragedy that could have been prevented.

Pennsylvania Mom Receives Probation After Harming Infant During Psychosis

I remember reading about Lauren Shockey last year, but I don't think I wrote about it because I was just so bummed out.  Shockey, 27, was arrested last Fall after injuring her 8-day-old daughter by throwing the baby to the asphalt after running through the neighborhood naked and screaming with her during a psychotic episode.  Apparently the baby has recovered although she is still being monitored carefully.

The Philadelphia Intelligencer reported last week that the judge in Lauren Shockey's case chose to sentence her to probation.  She must continue receiving mental health treatment as a condition of her sentence.  The judge said his decision was based on studying postpartum psychosis, and that he was also affected by the amount of support family, friends and others put behind her.   He could have sentenced her to up to 5 years in prison.

Shockey is still not allowed to have contact with her daughter although she hopes to regain custody, and she must report to the judge if she becomes pregnant again.  The baby now lives with her father, who fully supports his wife.  Shockey and her husband live in separate houses.

Debra Gindorf, Postpartum Psychosis Sufferer Who Killed Her Kids, Gets Sentence Commuted

On Friday night, I got an email from Dr. Sarah Callen of the PPD Illinois Alliance letting me know that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn was granting Debra Gindorf clemency.  Since then, the news has spread like wildfire. 

Gindorf, now 45, was 20 years old when she killed her two children, and attempted to kill herself, with overdoses of sleeping medication.  When Debra woke up after the first suicide attempt, she tried to kill herself again.  When that wasn't successful, she turned herself in to the police.  The Chicago Sun-Times reports that all of the nine mental health experts who evaluated her now believe she was suffering postpartum psychosis at the time of the murders.  

Chicago Tribune reporter Eric Zorn writes:

"She was sentenced to  life in prison without the possibility of parole in 1986. But that sentence was a miscarriage of justice that needed a humanitarian touch to correct given the justice system's poor understanding of post-partum illness at that time.

Said who? Dr. Ronald Baron, the Highland Park psychiatrist who testified against Gindorf at her trial but later weighed in on her behalf."

The Lake County prosecutor's office also offered no objection to her release.

Carol Blocker and Dr. Callen, as well as Gindorf's attorney Kathleen Hamill, are thrilled with this news as all have been vocal supports of Gindorf.  Many are hailing this as an important recognition of the severity of postpartum psychosis and the importance of making sure these women are properly recognized and treated so such tragedies can be avoided.

More detail from:

The Chicago Sun-Times 

The Chicago Tribune and here

Let's hope Ms. Gindorf has family and friends to support her as she emerges from prison after so many years.

Will Texas Be First State With An Infanticide Law?

Two lawmakers in Texas have proposed a bill under which postpartum mental illness would be recognized as a legal defense for women.  According to the Dallas Morning News, which broke the story this weekend:

"If lawmakers approve the measure, Texas would be the first state to have an infanticide law, said George Parnham, the Houston attorney who defended [Andrea] Yates.

'It's something every civilized country has on its books,' said Parnham, a strong proponent of the legislation. 'The only thing that will change public attitude is education about postpartum issues.'

The bill, introduced earlier this month by Rep. Jessica Farrar, D-Houston, applies to women who commit the crime within 12 months of giving birth. If jurors find a defendant guilty of murder, they can take testimony about postpartum issues into consideration during the trial's punishment phase.

If jurors believe that the woman's judgment was impaired as a result of childbirth or lactation, they can find her guilty of infanticide – a state jail felony that would carry a maximum punishment of two years in jail ...

Postpartum depression is recognized as a legal defense in at least 29 nations, including Britain, [as well as Australia and Canada] which has had an infanticide law on the books since 1922."

Of course, there are a lot of people on the internet and talk radio in Texas who are pretty upset about this bill, many concerned that it would give women carte blanche to go around committing infanticide and not having to take responsibility for their actions.  They don't care one whit that most Western countries around the world already have such laws. 

I can see their point.  It's a difficult concept to grasp that some who commit violent crimes may not be responsible, while others are surely responsible.  How do you decide who is and who isn't?  And then there's this: "Isn't anyone who would kill their child crazy?  Does this mean they'll all get away with it now?"  Before I had the unpleasurable opportunity of losing my mind for a brief period, I would have agreed with all of them wholeheartedly, so I understand their perspective.  At the same time, I'm not a fan of some of the more ignorant and even downright mean statements being made -- if you scroll down to the comments on the Dallas Morning News piece, you'll read some pretty uneducated, unbalanced stuff. 

As I've written previously, it is very difficult for people who haven't "lost their minds" to understand how anyone could.  We can choose to pretend it doesn't happen, and watch as more crimes are committed that could have been prevented.  Or we could try to create better programs to help these people, and when we don't help them, we could take a little responsibility on ourselves.  

Fortunately, you can find reasoned discussions of the infanticide bill if you look, like here at Grits for Breakfast, and explanations of why it might make sense, like here at Coping With Life.  As Susan writes on Coping With Life:

Postpartum psychosis is an extremely rare (less than 1 in a thousand) condition in which a mother may be susceptible to “command hallucinations”, i.e. auditory or visual hallucinations which may order her to kill her children in order to save them and her family or prevent evil. This condition presents a true psychological emergency and immediate treatment is required to prevent the possible advancement of the illness that could result in tragedy.

Because such psychotic hallucinations may continue for days at a time and result in the planning of death, it is difficult for a considering jury to believe the mother is truly insane feeling that “insane people are not logical and could not execute a step-by-step plan”. It is this misunderstanding of the course and content of psychotic illness which often brings such outrage and condemnation to the convicted mother during penalty phase of deliberating jurors, resulting in jail terms equivalent to that for intentional murder or manslaughter."

There are actually some sufferers who, in waning moments, are aware they need help, or at least those around them are aware and they try to get that help before the "bad thing" happens.  We can't ignore that a percentage of those people are either misdiagnosed, improperly medicated, poorly cared for by untrained providers, and/or released from the hospital without being well ... it happens more often than you think.  For those who would argue that mothers with postpartum psychosis who kill could have, and should have, chosen to ask for help, some have.  What about them?  What about Andrea Yates, whose psychiatric provider took her off of her antipsychotic medication?!!! 

What about this story from the Palm Beach Post about Amy Kern?  The paper reports that "Acquaintances portrayed Kern, 30, as a bipolar schizophrenic who had been trying in vain to seek help and medication since a recent pregnancy and postpartum depression exacerbated her condition."  Before killing two people, she tried to check into a psychiatric hospital but " ... no one would let her in."  Why not?  What happened? 

As Susan Stone pointed out in the Dallas Morning News piece, "We do not want women who abuse children to use this defense.  There are very clear guidelines for postpartum psychosis."  That part of the story gets missed sometimes I think. 

Do you believe there is a difference between a woman who kills a child with a history of mental illness or evidence of being mentally ill -- for instance she was being treated for a perinatal mood disorder or her family and friends had all shared concern that she was suffering a perinatal mood disorder or her behavior clearly indicated such an illness -- and another woman who kills a child without any such history?  Might we find that there really are some people who have been failed by everyone around them and who were not in control of their thoughts and actions?  If so, should they pay a different price?

Colorado Community Says No To Postpartum Psychosis Speaker

I don't believe in censorship, including when it comes to the discussion of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  There are a lot of people in this community who take the stance that the only way to communicate with you and the community at large about these illnesses is to stay as positive as possible and not scare you with the details.  I totally respect that, and I hope I've learned a lot from those people about how to be honest but still careful with my words.  

Still, at my core I'm a no-nonsense chick.  I don't want to feel like I'm being treated like a baby.  I still feel that if I had had a more realistic understanding of what was happening to me when I had postpartum OCD I would have reached out for help even sooner.  So I'm biased in that I want the truth for msyelf, and I want the truth for society, because that's the only way for all of us to be fully informed and for women who are suffering to be identified and treated.

Society, on the other hand, doesn't like too much of the truth when it comes to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, perhaps because it conflicts with the myth of perfect motherhood.  Any picture that doesn't look like serene and happy "mom-ness" just does not compute.  

An extreme case of this is the current situation in Colorado.  The Mental Health America chapter in Pueblo invited Rebekah Amaya, a mom who killed her two children in 2003 while suffering from postpartum psychosis, to speak at one of their monthly meetings.  After three doctors testified that Amaya was insane at the time of the crime, the judge in her case found her unfit to stand trial and she was committed to the Colorado Mental Health Institute.  Recently that judge found her well enough to have supervised leave from the hospital, which I assume is what would have allowed her to attend the MHA meeting and discuss postpartum psychosis.  According to KKTV, the CBS affiliate in Pueblo, the community reacted so negatively that MHA canceled her appearance. 

I understand the reaction.  The insanity defense is often misused, so people are very distrustful of it.  Additionally, those who have never "lost their minds" are fully convinced that it is not possible to do so.  They don't believe anyone could ever not be in control of their thoughts.  And then there's the loss of those two beautiful children, which of course can never be made right, no matter how long someone spends in an institution.  The Pueblo Chieftain reports that even the family of Amaya is vehemently against her speaking.

Maybe she wasn't the right person to speak.  I don't know.  I certainly don't know the details of her case, and I'm not excusing what happened.  I just wonder whether the appearance might have led to a poignant discussion about the very rare but extreme consequences that can occur when people don't recognize that a woman is suffering from severe PPD or postpartum psychosis and she doesn't receive treatment. 

Could Pueblo still use this opportunity to do some good by educating people on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders?  After all, not talking about these things doesn't make them go away. 

Warrior Mom & Postpartum Psychosis Survivor: Why It's Important To Educate Public About Postpartum Psychosis

Because postpartum psychosis is so rare, we don't have as many opportunities to hear from women who have gone through it and get their perspective.  I was happy to hear from a Warrior Mom who wanted to share some of her experience as well as her thoughts on the ABC "Private Practice" episode that has caused such a ruckus this past week.  I appreciate her willingness to share her point of view with us:

"Firstly, I agree it was irresponsible of ABC to request a public service announcement (PSA) about postpartum depression (PPD) from PSI when the show was about postpartum psychosis (PPP).  For those who viewed the PSA on the web, it clearly could have created confusion about what PPD is and what PPP is.  The PSA should have been about PPP.

Additionally, the segment of the show where Violet [the therapist] tries to comfort the father by speaking about depression creeping up insidiously and then mentions psychosis as though it is something that naturally follows depression also muddles the picture.  I can also appreciate how it could frighten mothers experiencing PPD, postpartum anxiety (PPA) or postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (PPOCD). 

All that being said, as someone who suffered from postpartum psychosis (more specifically, severe postpartum depression with psychotic features) and who has since been able to get help for four PPP-afflicted women, I believe that the show was very accurate in depicting a postpartum psychosis crisis.

Anyone who has experience with PPP (either personally or perhaps through a spouse) would easily identify with the scene of the woman talking to herself or to people only she can see, being excessive in speech while making little to no real sense and laughing inappropriately.  The scene where the woman stresses emphatically that she would never harm her baby and that she loves her baby is particularly poignant.  In my experience, the afflicted women I dealt with behaved similarly in an effort to communicate that they did not wish or want to do what they felt compelled to do because of their hallucinations, delusions or disorganized thinking (as in the character's case). 

Additionally, I saw Violet's behavior to be representative of the moronic attitude of some healthcare professionals.  In one situation I was involved in, I personally witnessed a nurse trying to involve child services against a woman with postpartum psychosis after we had her admitted to the hospital for treatment.  Why she would do this to someone in the process of getting help is beyond me.  Imagine the afflicted woman's horror when, after my assuring her that getting help was the right thing to do, the healthcare professional reported her as unsafe to child protection services.

However, I appreciate that they ["Private Practice"]showed two balanced, level-headed doctors whose views prevailed in letting the mother be with her baby.

Ultimately I thought the show did a remarkably accurate job of presenting how a woman with PPP may behave, the ethical dilemmas healthcare workers face and the right thing for them to do in a situation where a women with PPP is seeking help -- all in the 15 minutes they had dedicated to this storyline.

Reading some of the comments posted on Postpartum Progress, I can see that people would have preferred an episode about the more common PPD and I can appreciate that.  However, the episode that did air was also necessary in that people need to know that PPP exists, what it may look like, that it can be treated and that even women with PPP are good mothers and can expect to be well again.  All of that goes a long way in making women exhibiting the early symptoms of PPP and their families know that coming forward with such symptoms is the best thing to do toward getting help.

Connected to this is that too many people, include healthcare professionals, don't know enough about PPP.  The perception that PPP is rare is often an excuse to stay ill-informed.  This is a dangerous situation that not only led my family to not realize the seriousness of my symptoms, but also resulted in my being consistently sent home by doctors who repeatedly misdiagnosed me -- first with PPD, then PPA and even PPOCD.  Sadly, this was also an experience shared by most of the women with PPP I have been able to help.

It is bad enough not to be able to get help when you have PPD, but imagine how it feels to suffer from the symptoms of PPP and consistently be turned away by the very people you are counting on to help you through a dangerous condition.  Perhaps this show will make that kind of behavior happen a little less."

Thanks HK for feeling comfortable enough to share your feelings.  As someone who has not experienced postpartum psychosis, I appreciate hearing from someone who has a more personal view of what it's like and what may happen.

In Their Own Words: Why They'll Never Watch ABC's "Private Practice" Again

I have heard from so many Warrior Moms, as well as from some family members and friends of Warrior Moms and from the healthcare professionals who treat them.  So many of you were disturbed by ABC's treatment of what they termed in their promotional materials as "postpartum depression" on the February 12 "Private Practice" episode entitled "Ex-Life".  I wanted to share with all of you some of the commentary I received, so that you can see the kind of impact media, whether news or entertainment, has on vulnerable women. 

Some were comments to the original post that you may not have seen, others have been direct emails to me.  Some are allowing me to use their names, others prefer to remain anonymous, and I respect all of them regardless of their preference.  Anne Sweeney, president of the Disney-ABC Television Group, I hope you read these:

Nicole Piervencenti:  "OH MY GOD - I was just LIVID - I am definitely not watching it anymore and it was a fav of mine ... totally irresponsible - my husband is tired of hearing me rant and rave ... just awful ... I am now in grad school for Mental Health Counseling and we are discussing stigma - boy oh boy do I have something to add to that discussion ..."

Sandra: "I agree with you 100% about the postpartum psychosis episode of 'Private Practice.' These harmful views of mental illness only serve to stigmatize and cause unnecessary fear among those who are uneducated about the facts. I pledge to never watch a future episode of ABC's 'Private Practice.'"

Kathy: "I am a psychotherapist and am completely appalled at the way a therapist was portrayed on the show.  I plan to speak out to friends and family to tell them to ban the show!"

Kelly Jaszka:  "I was in shock the entire time the story line unfolded, and I know I shouldn't take it this way, but I feel the way they portrayed it is a personal insult to me and every single mother who has or is experiencing a postpartum mood disorder. I have been suffering from severe PPD/Anxiety since a few days after the birth of my daughter in October, and am just starting to slowly come out of it with the help of medication. I have been hospitalized for a few days and this has been the hardest time of my life. As I start to get better I am becoming a huge advocate for postpartum mood disorders and have been telling my story to anyone who will listen. I am a school psychologist, and I have encountered a few people who think that this does not happen to people like me, and that because it did, I am not good at what I do because I cannot help myself. It's sick to think of all the people who completely misunderstand PPD and other postpartum issues, and how they treat us because of their ignorance. I was hoping that the 'Private Practice' episode would shed some light on what it's really like for us, and that it would be educational for people, especially my family. How wrong was I?"

Melissa Jacobowitz:  "I'm with all the others -- completely disappointed in the approach the show took.  From what I've been reading on your site, this was absolutely no help to those of us who have suffered or the future moms who will suffer."

Jessica Banas: "This hyper sensationalism in the media happens frequently and is WHY I almost never promote TV shows at the Online PPD Support Group, Katherine.  Unfortunately, television producers can't seem to resist the urge to go with hype over facts and this results in promoting fear over help every time.  Now, we at our humble support sites will have to deal with the fallout. Frankly, I'd rather do that than deal with ignorant angry people over at the Private Practice Website Poll....been there done that ..."

Val: "I think the poll upsets me the most. I can totally understand your anger and frustration after working so hard on writing the PSA (which I thought was excellent btw, even if it is connected with this trainwreck). But.... Private Practice and Grey's BOTH go for the outrageous and sensational, so I guess I didn't have my expectations set too high.  The poll though is over the top and is incredibly UNhelpful to any woman who may be dealing with PPD--especially with the portrayal of PPD and Psychosis being so blurry in the episode, and especially when presented in tandem with the PSA. So I'm disappointed, but not surprised I guess. Mostly I'm just sorry for the women this may harm, and that you put so much effort into educating when this show did nothing but sensationalize."

Diane: "... I thought the same thing, Val. --disappointed but not overly surprised. Kind of along the lines of how Tom Cruise brought negative attention to PPD, but got people talking anyway, and that (in my world) got the door open for far more honest discussion. I stopped seeing his movies, but do allow for the awareness he brought inadvertently to PPD."

Peggy: "I don't watch this show, but I was a fan of Grey's Anatomy. I'll never watch it again. This is sick and I can't think of any other way to show my disgust at ABC. I am thinking of all the women who are in doubt right now, and hope they find your website."

The Muser: " Amen! I saw the show and was annoyed at the way it combined ppd and post-paartum psychosis (as so often happens!) and how horrible that, once again, women are being told to be afraid to get help, to be honest about their symptoms, are thinking of themselves as potential murderers as soon as they being experiencing the symptoms of perinatal mood disorders. Argh!"

Laura: "I'm so glad you voiced your opinion about this. My friend emailed me yesterday to tell me to tune into Private Practice because it was about PPD. I am just now starting to feel like myself again after a long battle with PPD, so I was of course interested to see this portrayed on television. As soon as I realized they were going down the psychosis route, I was so disappointed (but not surprised) and I actually turned the show off as soon as the mother said she tried to drown her baby (not to mention that it brought out a lot of anxious feelings in me that I haven't felt in a long time). I immediately went online to see if others were as upset about this as I was and I'm so glad my feelings are mirrored by so many others. PPD is hard. Really, really HARD. For ABC to focus on psychosis, it's almost like they are saying depression alone isn't interesting enough to be taken seriously. It's Hollywood - I get it. But don't use psychosis as your story line then call it PPD in your public service announcement. You're mis-educating your viewers and hurting the very cause you are trying to support."

Anonymous: "I too will never watch Private Practice again.  I happened upon this particular episode, having never watched Private Practice to begin with, and I (sadly) flipped it on during the part where she runs into the room with all the accupuncture needles in her face and I instantly had to turn it off because I couldn't handle the way she was being protrayed. I knew right away what this was about and where it was headed and I wanted no part of it. I ended up reluctantly watching the whole episode's replay tonight hoping that the protrayal of this PPD mom had ended with a happy ending and more understanding and compassion, but sadly I was wrong.  I support you whole heartedly to never watch the show again."

 

Anonymous:  "It is so frustrating how the media perpetuates these misconceptions.  I used to be a fan of this show but I don't think I'll be watching it anymore.  I've linked to your blog from my own and have emailed your message to everyone I know.  Thank you for being a voice!"

 

Elizabeth: "I'm so glad you're saying this! I found it horrifying as wel!!!! And it just made me hopeless that the public will know more about PPD, not less.  I just kept thinking "give her the baby!"  I honestly turned it off and didn't watch the end because it was so false and upsetting."

 

Mark Bentley:  "This was a pretty horrific way to treat the entire illness and I am totally appalled.  Needless to say, while I used to like 'Grey's Anatomy' and sometimes watched 'Private Practice' my wife and I have decided to skip them from now on.  I want nothing to do with a show that would do so much damage to such a good cause.  I know that when my wife had postpartum (quite badly), it was hard enough for us to get treatment for just postpartum ... A show like this only makes it harder for families to ask for basic help and for mothers to admit they need help.  I am truly appalled with this and I suggest sending letters to the show's advertisers asking why they would support this kind of a show ..."

 

Helen Crawford: "I was so disgusted about the ignorance of PPD on Private Practice that I turned the TV off.  I am overcoming severe PPD with grace, patience and love.  It is just clear to me how many people do not understand what PPD is -- it's always 'BAD' to them."

 

Ivy Shih Leung: " ... This episode was an utter failure in its attempt to educate the public about PPD.  All it did was feed the general public's misconception about PPD overall.  Unfortunately, it only shows how much further we still need to work together (us bloggers and experts in the field) to educate everyone and clear away misconceptions.  ABC should've known better than to air an episode dealing with this subject without first consulting the experts.  Shame on ABC!"

 

Adrienne: "I am writing to let you know I will never watch Private Practice again.  I am still on the road to recovery from PPD, anxiety and OCD.  I watched the show thinking it would give me some comfort and insight, and instead it scared me and I actually dreamt that night that I had psychosis.  I too played back the ending of the show and even went back to the beginning to see if I missed something regarding the PSA."

 

Cindy Bachmann: "I was really hoping to see responsible television educating the public.  I can't be more disappointed and I won't watch Private Practice again."

 

Wendy McDowell: "I’m so glad I was not the only one outraged by the episode on Thursday night!!!  My husband and I sat to watch it after I urged all the maternity nursing staff at my hospital to do so as well.  What a huge disappointment!  I made the same comments you so eloquently spoke of in your blog.  Leave it to the media to represent psychosis and stigmatize women with PPD even more!  And Violet…I can only hope that therapists with views like hers are not in practice (although sadly I know this is not the case).   I forced myself to watch the whole show just to see the announcement at the end, which of course was missing…how disappointing!  At least women could have been referred to someone who could help!  This could have been a really great way to not only educate millions of people about PPD but also to help women who are out there suffering and desperately hoping for help…"

 

Tandy S.: "I was OUTRAGED that ABC and Private Practice would run a program that was inaccurate and full of misconceptions. Yes I do feel it is important to run programs that involve postpartum psychosis but they need to be advertised as such ... Further frustrating was the fact that they did not post the link where people could go to to get factual information. I firmly believe that knowledge is the key to helping woman everywhere that are fighting this. In today's society where reliable information is so readily available these types of situations should be nonexistent or few and far between. However, due to wanting a ratings boost or not wanting to take the time to properly research all aspects of a perinatal mood disorder these situations are the norm. The last straw for me was ABC posting a poll on their website wanting to know if the woman should be allowed to see her child. Somebody should tell them that what women don't need is the people of the world voting on this issue when they are misinformed. I speak from experience when I say that my biggest fear during my perinatal mood disorder was that my child would be taken away from me. This should not weigh on any mother's mind when they are fighting this. They should be reassured that they will get help and not lose their child. Although I did not suffer from psychosis and I do understand some people may not be in the position to be alone with their child until they are better, they do not deserve to have this threat. It is because of situations like this where people are misinformed and think that all women suffering from a perinatal mood disorder should not be around their children ..."

Calling All Dads: PSI Hosts Expert Chat for Fathers & Postpartum Dads Project Speaks Out Against "Private Practice" Episode

The Postpartum Dads Project takes a look at ABC's "Private Practice" Episode from the dad's perspective.  I'm glad they did, because I think it's also important to point out that fathers are deeply affected by what happens to their wives/partners and care about the role they play in their recovery. 

They are pulling the plug on "Private Practice" as well.   

Also, on Monday February 23rd, PSI will add a weekly information phone forum for dads called "Monday Chats for Men".  (I'm so excited about this!) There is no need to register, the sessions are live and free, and the facilitator are licensed mental health professionals.  This is a place where dads, extended family members or other support people can find some answers and support from an expert -- and from other men.  Dads will find honest and compassionate talk about the adjustment to parenthood, information about how fatherhood can affect you and some helpful advice.  If you would like, you can remain anonymous on the call.  See this link for details:   http://postpartum.net/info-sessions/

P.S.  As of Sunday, ABC STILL has not taken down the offensive poll on its website.  Nice.  Maybe they'll leave it up all week.

Warrior Moms Pull the Plug on ABC's "Private Practice"

I'm so happy to hear from those of you who are choosing to stop watching "Private Practice" (and a lot of you quitting "Grey's" too) or to speak out against ABC's irresponsible portrayal of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders like postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety and postpartum psychosis. 

Some of us are tired of this kind of treatment and the effect it has on suffering moms and their families.  I'm tired of people thinking it's okay, that they can get away with it because it makes for good television.  The truth about our illnesses is that one size does not fit all.  Not everyone who has a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder gets postpartum psychosis.  Not everyone who gets postpartum psychosis harms or tries to harm their baby.   

The ABC Television Network, which airs "Private Practice", and ABC Studios, which produces the show, are owned by Disney, the supposedly family-oriented company.  Anne Sweeney, the president of the Disney-ABC Television Group is a WOMAN, for goodness sake!!!!   Do they not understand the impact these illnesses have on the families whose business they court?  Do they know that women who are stigmatized and don't reach out for professional treatment are often affected over the long-term with physical and emotional health problems, as are their infants?

I can already hear the PR people at ABC saying, "But it's just a TV program.  It's not real.  No one takes it seriously."  Bull.  If that was the case, why use a medical consultant to get the facts right on the illnesses you portray in the show (a medical consultant who obviously had no clue in this case, but whatever)?  Why did you reach out to PSI?  Why am I getting emails from women who are so terribly upset?  It's just "imaginary" is the standard answer whenever the public gets upset.  Or, "Oh well, you know, we did our best ..."  No you didn't.  I worked in corporate marketing at The Coca-Cola Company for nearly 7 years, and trust me, whatever was important to the company was buttoned up and done right.  Exactly right.  Period.  The people at Disney-ABC TV would have gotten it right if they'd cared to, believe me.  

Maybe some think I should be more forgiving.  Gentle.  Nice.  After all, relationships are important, right?  Just ask them if they can do better next time, right?  They can't be responsible for everything, right?  Don't make too much noise, right?  Because maybe someday ABC won't invite you for an interview, or they won't advertise with you, or they won't partner with you, right? 

NO. WAY. 

If I followed that line of thinking, I wouldn't say half the things I say on Postpartum Progress.  This blog is for the nights I sat in my room in the dark crying and for the nights you have to.  It's for the times I almost reached out for help, but didn't out of fear, just prolonging my illness.  It's for the times I was convinced my child would be taken away and I'd never see him again, and for the times you have felt the same way.  It's for all the women who will come after me who I hope never feel as alone as I did.  YOU, ladies, deserve better.  

Warrior Moms, you rock!  I'm so proud of you for refusing to accept sensationalism and misinformation.  So honored to know you.  So great to hear from you and get all of your emails.  You can still email me at stonecallis@msn.com.

It takes a lot of people speaking very loudly to get any attention whatsoever.  Here are some of you who have spoken out:

• Tara Mock at Out of the Valley is pulling the plug as well and hopefully her readers will follow, with this piece "Private Out of Practice"... 

• Lauren Hale Again from Unexpected Blessing/Sharing the Journey writing "More Irresponsibility from ABC Regarding PMDs".  She won't be watching Private Practice any more.

• Here's Laura at Depressed But Not Unhappy Mormon Mommy with her piece "Private Practice is Put to Shame" ...

• Here's Stumbling Barefoot with "Disappointed But Not Surprised: My Take on Private Practice's Handling of PPD"

• Here's Ivy at Ivy's PPD blog with "ABC's Private Practice" Failure

• The mom at Just Gliding Along joining in ...

• Karen Kleiman at the Postpartum Stress Center with "PPD & TV Do Not Mix" ...

• PPD in Paradise with "Private Practice-PPP episode"

• Adrienne at Martinimade

• And my original post is also over on Psych Central (thank you Dr. John Grohol for allowing me a little real estate on your amazing site), and Therese Borchard over at the wonderful Beyond Blue blog on Beliefnet also shared it with her readers.  I wrote a piece over at BlogHer as well, and very much appreciate the support they have always given to maternal mental health.

If you haven't said anything yet but want to, DO IT!  Every voice counts.

ABC Television Should Be ASHAMED of "Private Practice" Postpartum Psychosis Treatment

First, let me sincerely apologize.  I'm horrified that I encouraged you to watch what I thought would be a responsible storyline about postpartum depression on the ABC network television show "Private Practice".   Never again will I tell the readers of Postpartum Progress to watch something that I haven't already seen myself and can't fully endorse.  Sorry I waited to write about this until now, but I was so spitting mad late last night I couldn't calm down enough to type. 

Last night's episode was promoted, both to the public and to the members of Postpartum Support International, as one about postpartum depression, but -- surprise, surprise -- it immediately devolved into a show about postpartum psychosis and a mom attempting to kill her child by holding her down under the water in the bathtub.  Every time the media, whether entertainment or news, chooses to cover perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, the portrayal is always of some out-of-control woman committing or attempting to commit infanticide.  They NEVER represent the fact that 99.99% of women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (including PPD and psychosis) NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER do anything to harm a hair on their infants' heads.   That all of them are very good and loving mothers who simply have an illness that requires treatment.  They never represent the fact that there is so much more to these illnesses and that postpartum depression is very common and treatable. They make it seem like every mom who does have postpartum psychosis ends up killing their child.

In the name of getting more viewers for "Private Practice," ABC and the shows producers have irresponsibly represented perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and potentially traumatized HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of new mothers.  I do NOT exaggerate when I say that.   Just ask yourself how many husbands, family members and friends who saw the show are looking at the new moms around them today wondering whether they're capable of murder?  Just ask yourself how many moms are not going to reach out for treatment because they now think their babies will be taken away as the character's was?  Just ask yourself how many moms won't get in contact with a healthcare professional because they're afraid the person will behave like Violet, the therapist on "Private Practice"?

There were so many things wrong with the storyline that I don't know where to begin.  The symptoms the mother presented could have been postpartum depression (feeling overwhelmed, having problems sleeping), postpartum anxiety (constant worries about the baby) or psychosis (mania, hearing her baby crying -- which at first indication seemed like she was hallucinating but then the mom actually finds the baby in the lobby and it IS crying).  Every mom who saw the show with any of these symptoms potentially now sees herself as psychotic, which is most likely not the case.  And even if she is psychotic, she can get treatment and recover and move on.  Violet, the therapist on the show played by Amy Brenneman, may be one of the worst ever to practice therapy on the planet.  She displays very little knowledge of these illnesses and how to treat them in both her words and deeds, and she shows more concern for herself than the client.  She lets her own personal problems completely interfere with the treatment of her patient.  Her line "She could snap her neck" almost gave me a complete heart attack.  I can't share with you the string of swear words I used at that utterance.  As one of my son's storybooks says:  I'm 10 X 10 furious, which is 100% furious.

As the PR Chair for Postpartum Support International, it was my responsibility to write the text of ABC's public service announcement.  I happily did so because I was excited about the opportunity to educate millions of people, and I wrote it about postpartum depression because that is the direction I was given.  Had I been given more truthful information up front, I could have written something completely different and more appropriate to the episode.   Since I didn't, the PSA just continues to blur the lines between postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis as if they are one in the same.

To make things worse, despite Postpartum Support International being informed it would happen, there was NO message at the end of the show offering a link to ABC's website and the public service announcement.  This means viewers were completely unaware they could go to the "Private Practice" section of ABC.com and get the PSI web address and phone number to get more information and support.   I checked twice, using my TIVO to go through the end of the show frame by frame in case the message flipped by fast and I missed it.  They did have enough time, I notice, to inform me that the show's costume designer was Cynthia Bergstrom and that the department head hair stylist was Gwyne Redner.  I guess it was more important to use that time to promote next week's crossover episodes between "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice". 

To make things EVEN worse, the "Private Practice" website now has a poll with the following question:  "Should a woman undergoing psychiatric treatment after nearly drowning her child be allowed to see the baby?"  Possible answers:  Yes, it will motivate her to get better or No, She can't be trusted right now.   Gee, I wonder how the public will respond ...  Fortunately, as of now, the poll shows more people answering Yes, but that's only because I and all my colleagues have been rushing to the site to answer it.  Does ABC think that poll is particularly helpful?  Was that part of its strategy to help others and destigmatize these illnesses?

Additionally, the show's Medical Researcher's Blog, written by Moira McMahon, does a fairly lousy job of explaining postpartum psychosis, and doesn't mention any of the other illnesses in the perinatal mood and anxiety disorder spectrum and how they may be different, or even how rare psychosis is.  At the end of her post, she writes:

"But should a woman who almost drowned her baby have access to her child?

And how did her husband miss her mental illness?

What would you do?"

Wow.  That goes a long way in eliminating stigma.  Or helping people understand the treatability of these illnesses.  Or helping husbands know what signs to look for.   Or helping new mothers feel safe in reaching out for help. 

There's no point in complaining to ABC about it -- they'll just say it was out of their control, they tried, there was no space, time, etc.  I know how it works.  I've worked at a Fortune 100 corporation -- it's always easier to beg for forgiveness after the fact than to do what you should.  But they can't blame this on anyone else: the show, which airs on the ABC Television Network, is produced by ABC Studios (as well as The Mark Gordon Company and Shondaland).

If I did complain directly, they'd argue that at least they covered the topic and that they did put together the 22-second PSA featuring actress Amy Brenneman (standing in a corner) on their site which they didn't have to do.  That is true.  But it doesn't excuse the fact that it was possible to do this entire thing much more responsibly.  They could have listened to admonitions to please not do the show on postpartum psychosis because it oversensationalizes the illness and makes it seem like every mom who is ill must have it.  They could have consulted true experts on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders to get it right.  They could have aired the link to the PSA that they promised.  If you say you want to help others, why not follow through on it 100%. 

Just as I stopped going to Tom Cruise movies, I will not watch "Private Practice" ever again.  In fact, I may stop watching my favorite ABC show "Grey's Anatomy" and switch over to NBC which has equally compelling shows in the 9pm EST time slot ("The Office" and "30 Rock").  I ask you to please join me to PULL THE PLUG ON PRIVATE PRACTICE.   C'mon ladies, use your voices.

And, no, I'm not overreacting, and here's why:  We have to start somewhere.  We have to stand up at some point and let the media know the way they treat perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and mental illness in general, is unacceptable.  We have to tell them that they power they have to influence and move others is much too enormous to be improperly used.  We have to make sure the information that moms and moms-to-be receive is correct and measured and encourages them to get the treatment they need.  We have a responsiblity to help the infants in our country have healthy mothers.  If we don't make our feelings known loud and clear nothing will every change.  We owe it to many millions of women who will suffer perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in the next decade.

If you plan to stop watching "Private Practice", email me at stonecallis@msn.com.  I also encourage you to write about this on your own blogs and use the tag "Pull the Plug on Private Practice".

Here are some other bloggers' takes on this:

Susan Stone at Perinatal Pro:  "ABC's Private (Mal)Practice Fails to Present the Facts In a Botched Opportunity to Raise PPD Awareness":

"Postpartum psychosis is extremely rare with incidence less than 2% and was not accurately presented in this three ring circus.  The implication that postartum depression and postpartum psychosis are interchangeable labes is incredibly irresponsible.

But the show's mothers weren't the only target of ignorance and blatant indifference to client care.  The show also managed to insult every health care professional associated with the mother's illness.  The therapist came off as a clueless, self-absorbed nut case who failed to advocate for her client ..."

Lauren Hale at Unexpected Blessing: "ABC's Private Practice Misses the Mark"

"Then Violet didn’t want to give the baby back to the mother for fear that THEY would be the ones thought of as “what were you thinking!?” We work SO hard to fight against the myth that a mother’s baby will be taken from her if she seeks help. I can’t help but think about how many new moms saw this show and may possibly avoid seeking help because of this portrayal."

Amber at Beyond Postpartum:  "Does ABC Care?":

"WHY did Rachel have to hold the baby under the bathwater when she fell? ... This was a great opportunity to go down a different path. To talk about something more common and educate a population of Americans who are VERY unsympathetic and completely filled with rage. Below each and every national media article about postpartum psychosis you see hundreds of comments from angry people who do not understand postpartum mood disorders. They chastize the women who suffer and offer no sympathy. They make statements like, "How could she do this to a helpless child? She was not sick, she was just selfish." Those of us who have suffered or know someone who did know better. But look people, MOST Americans are not educated and need to be. Let's utilize the means that we have to help them to learn...to understand...to see the full story and to find their way to a place where in America routine screening, referral and treatment are no longer options but mandatory steps in the postpartum period.

I think ABC lost an opportunity here to shed light on a real and prevalent illness for their selfish desire to get ratings and viewers from the more dramatic and interesting spin that just one aspect of the story illicited. Oh well. At least it got people talking about PPMDs."

NOTE:  This post represents my views only, not those of the board of Postpartum Support International. 

 

 

Postpartum Psychosis Higher in First-Time Mothers

In a new study published in PLoS Medicine, Unnur Valdimarsdóttir and colleagues investigated the clinical incidence of postpartum psychosis and its risk factors in a large study of first-time Swedish mothers.  They studied first-time moms in the first 90 days after the birth who were experiencing psychosis for the first time in their lives in order to find out what might contribute to the illness other than previous history of psychotic episodes, which is already well known as a risk factor.  

They found that the incidence of psychotic illness peaks immediately following a first childbirth, and almost 50% of the cases of postpartum psychosis were women without any previous psychiatric hospitalization. 

They also found that, among women without any previous psychiatric hospitalization, those who had their babies at the age of 35 or older had a higher risk of getting postpartum psychosis.

Additionally, they found that most of the psychosis cases appeared in the first month after chilbirth, with 32% of the cases being hospitalized within 7 days after birth, and 59% hospitalized within 14 days, reinforcing the fact that postpartum psychosis usually has sudden onset.

Here's another story on this from Science News.

Postpartum psychosis is a rare and dangerous perinatal mood disorder and can feature the following symptoms:

• Mania

• Hallucinations (seeing and hearing things others don't)

• Delusions

• Feeling paranoid and/or distrustful of those around you

• Periods of confusion, difficulty communicating and/or memory loss

Related Stories:  British Study Finds Recessive Gene May Be Linked to Postpartum Psychosis

And now for the bad news ...

Sanity alert:  If you're feeling vulnerable, do not read the rest of this post.  It's a bummer.  I don't always report this kind of news anymore, mainly because I myself don't like reading about it, but since there seems to be several unhappy things happening at once I thought it important share them.  So proceed at your own risk.

A judge has ordered psychiatric reviews for a 25-year-old Stamford, CT, woman charged with killing her newborn son.  Angelina Sarmiento has been found competent to stand trial in the death of her newborn son on Oct. 29, 2008. Her attorney says the exams may help determine if she was experiencing postpartum psychosis after the boy's birth. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and is being held on $1 million bond.

In California, Kristina Fuelling has been sentenced to more than 6 years in prison, with at least 6 months to be spent in a psychiatric facility, for killing her infant daughter. Two separate medical evaluations found 27-year-old Kristina Fuelling was suffering from severe postpartum psychosis and was legally insane when she drowned her 8-day-old daughter in January 2008.  Her attorney, Tom Johnson, said Fuelling will spend at least six months in a psychiatric facility, then be reevaluated. Then, she would either serve the rest of her sentence in state prison or be held indefinitely in the psychiatric facility.  Her husband and family are fully supportive of her.

Meanwhile, in Ft. Carson, Colorado, a new mom who is the wife of a soldier serving in Iraq disappeared last Friday and is considered missing.  The woman's mother has said her daughter has postpartum depression and was not taking her medication.

Alisa Lorraine Evans Acquitted in Milwaukee Infanticide Case

Alisa Lorraine Evans was just acquitted in the drowning death of one of her infant twins.  She will be committed to a mental institution with the possibility of supervised release. 

Diana Lynn Barnes and Ruta Nonacs served as consultants to Alisa's attorney and testified in the case in Milwaukee.    Diana believes this verdict shows the progress being made in the postpartum mood and anxiety disorder arena. 

Here is the original news report on the case from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

British Study Finds Recessive Gene May Be Linked to Postpartum Psychosis

The London Telegraph reports on a new study by British institutions Cardiff University, Birmingham University and Trinity College suggesting that postpartum psychosis may have a genetic cause.  The study looked at the DNA of families in which at least one woman had experienced postpartum psychosis and found that women with a particular recessive gene were susceptible.   The study will be published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

The paper also reported that a separate study has found that as many as 17,000 late-onset cases of postpartum depression go undetected each year in Britain.  The results are due to be published in the Bipolar Disorders journal.

Postpartum Depression & Anxiety: The Waiting Is the Hardest Part

I can't tell you how many women I've spoken to lately who are worried and upset by the setbacks they experience while recovering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.  They have a string of good days and think they're finally getting better, and then they have a terrible day and feel that all is lost.  It's heartbreaking.

I know exactly how they feel.  I can remember starting to feel better after beginning my treatment.  I'd have a few good days and begin to glimpse peace.  I'd feel like I was turning the corner.  I'd have a sliver of hope, for goodness sake.  And then -- SLAM! -- the sadness, anxiety, misery and guilt would flood back over me.  I'd think to myself, "Of course.  How could I have been so foolish?  I knew I'd never get better.  I'll never be me again."  I'd be crushed with disappointment, and angry for even thinking I could ever get back to my old self.

I did get better, though.  In fact, I'd venture to say that the me who came out of my experience with postpartum OCD is even better than the me who went in.   It took a while, but that's the deal unfortunately.  Recovery from these illnesses is a process.  I wish it was like bronchitis or strep throat:  Call doctor.  Go to appointment.  Get prescription.  Take 1 pill twice a day with food.  10 days later, all better.  It isn't.  It can be scary to hear that, but it's better to know what to expect so that you can be patient with yourself.   

We all start out with more bad days than good, or perhaps even all bad days.  Then you have a few good ones here and there.  Then you start having more good days than bad.  Then one day you realize you've had only good days, for a long time, and you have this slow and cautious realization that maybe the sun has come out for good.

In the meantime, don't let bad days define you or defeat you.  It's okay to have them, and to feel the bad feelings.  Just don't let them convince you that the progress you've made up 'til now is gone.  You're still moving forward, even on bad days.  Just continue to do the things you need to do to take care of yourself.   

There is one thing you can do to help your recovery process along:  Don't take it over as though you are a healthcare provider.  The first time you feel better, don't decide to quit your meds (if you're taking them) cold turkey, or quit seeing your therapist (if you're seeing one) cold turkey, or quit asking for help or taking care of yourself or following whatever method of treatment you and your doctor have decided to follow.  This could impede your progress.  I know lots of people who decide they know better than their healthcare providers, and so they start making decisions as to what they should and shouldn't be doing without the counsel of trained professionals.  I don't think that's a good idea. 

If you feel like the professional you're working with isn't helping you or hearing you, that's different.  It's okay to go out and find another one.  But if you like the one you're with, don't ignore your physician's advice just because you've started feeling better, or because you've bought into the false belief that you should be over this by now, or because you've bought into the false belief that you should be able to get over this all on your own.  There is no set timetable for recovering from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. And there is no law of nature that states that you're a better person if you can get over it all by yourself.  No one can get through life on their own without help, regardless of whether they're ill or not.  We all need support at some point.  It just happens to be your turn.

In the meantime, try and accept that you're moving in the right direction, even if you have a bad day.  Try and find inspiration and patience in your faith, or in music and literature, or in nature, or in speaking with women who have long since recovered, who know how you're feeling and who know you can get better. 

We know how hard it is to wait for the clouds to lift.  We know that there are ups and downs, and that it can take a while.  We'll wait with you.  You're worth it. 

Iowa Supreme Court Awards New Trial to Convicted Mom

On Friday, the Des Moines Register reported that Heidi Anfinson was awarded a new trial after the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that her initial lawyer was ineffective in failing to submit evidence of depression and odd behavior prior to her 2-week-old son being found drowned.  The decision means Anfinson, now serving 50 years in state prison for the second-degree murder of her two-week-old son, Jacob Anfinson in 1998, could be free on bail as early as next week.

Alfredo Parrish, Anfinson’s new lawyer, said the ruling is good news for women because it means defense attorneys now are obligated to examine all possible cases of postpartum depression before deciding on a defense.

Anfinson’s family later argued during a post-conviction relief petition that Heidi's original lawyer rebuffed their wishes before the murder trials and refused to pursue evidence of postpartum psychosis and Anfinson’s history of childbirth-related mental problems.

“We find a reasonable probability that if a reasonable investigation had been undertaken, evidence would have been developed and presented at trial tending to establish Anfinson’s conduct from the time of Jacob’s birth until his death was profoundly affected by postpartum depression,” the justices wrote.

Here's another story on this: http://iowaindependent.com/7208/anfinson-relative-this-has-been-a-long-road

I was at the Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling Postpartum Depression conference in Chicago when I got this news.  Then I ran into George Parnham, Andrea Yates' lawyer, and shared the news with him as well.  He was on his way to speak to the law students at Northwestern, and he took a copy of the Des Moines Register article with him.  It's SO important for all members of the legal system to be educated on mental illness.  I'm glad we have compassionate people like George who understand that sometimes horrible things happen to people who are terribly ill.  I'm grateful that he is willing to share his experience with others. 

In related news, Iowa Health Systems is now going to start depression screenings for all women who give birth.

First-Hand Account of Postpartum Psychosis from UK's The Guardian

Click this link to read a powerful story from a woman who shares her experience with postpartum psychosis in The Guardian, a leading newspaper in the United Kingdom.  (Alert: she goes into some detail about what happened to her, so if you are in a fragile state it would be better to skip over this one.)  I like this because it is a well done account of how her symptoms -- delusions, religiosity, paranoia -- became worse and worse over the first few weeks and months postpartum, as well as of the efforts to treat her.

In general, the symptoms of postpartum psychosis are seeing and hearing things that aren't there, having difficulty sleeping, feeling manic, having difficulty communicating and more.  If you aren't experiencing hallucinations or delusions, you likely having a different type of perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, such as postpartum depression or postpartum OCD. 

For more on this topic, see the following other posts from Postpartum Progress:

Warrior Mom & Postpartum Psychosis Survivor: Why It's Important To Educate Public About Postpartum Psychosis

Postpartum Psychosis Higher in First-Time Mothers

How to Use Postpartum Progress

You may be a new Warrior Mom who has just found Postpartum Progress, or someone who has been reading for a while but wants to learn about the various resources available in this blog.  You may have just been diagnosed, or be worried that you may have postpartum depression or a related illness.  Or, you may be a pediatrician, obstetrician, social worker or other clinician who works with moms and moms-to-be.  This blog is for all of you, and this page will help you find your way around.

Postpartum Progress is a blog about postpartum depression and related illnesses intended to provide hope and comfort to the women who suffer, as well as the people who care for them (family, friends, healthcare providers).  It features news, the latest research, a list of support groups around the country, stories from moms and fellow sufferers, and links to major support organizations and treatment programs. 

Below is an outline of some of Postpartum Progress' key features.

For Moms-to-Be & New Moms:

If you have been diagnosed, or think you may be suffering, from postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD, postpartum panic disorder, postpartum PTSD, postpartum psychosis or antepartum anxiety or depression, welcome.  I'm really glad to meet you.  I hope you will find a kindred spirit in this blog.

I cover every illness in the perinatal mood and anxiety disorder spectrum, so no matter what you're going through I hope you can find something here that gives you knowledge and comfort.

The "Help Is Here" section (on the right hand side of your screen, underneath the "Welcome" section) includes several important resources: 

• the "What's Wrong With Me?" description of all perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including risk factors and symptoms
• a list of support groups around the U.S. and Canada
• a list of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder treatment programs in the U.S. and Canada, and
• a list of state and national organizations that offer a wide variety of local resources, services and information.  All of these may be helpful to you on your journey to recovery.  (Please note:  Many of these organizations and groups have "postpartum" or "postpartum depression" in the name, but that doesn't mean they don't serve women with other illnesses.  In fact, they are usually knowledgable of all illnesses across the spectrum and offer support services to everyone.  It's just that postpartum depression is the most widely known of all the illnesses, so that's the name they use.   The proper term for the entire spectrum is "perinatal mood and anxiety disorders" -- that pretty much covers us all.)

Surviving & Thriving Mothers Photo Album -- This fabulous photo album can be found on the right hand side of the home page screen, directly underneath "Help is Here" and above Readers' Favorites.  It features photos of women who have survived perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and their children.  I hope it serves as an inspiration to everyone going through one of these illness by showing that, with treatment, you can be a happy and healthy mom.  I look forward to adding your photo as well.  If you'd like to participate, email me a jpeg to stonecallis@msn.com, along with info on which illness you suffered, what year, and in which state you live.  I use only your first name and last initial.

If you're looking for specific information on a particular topic related to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, check out the Categories section further down on the left of your screen.  We cover it all here, from Birth Trauma and Breastfeeding to Infertility and Intrusive Thoughts and everything in between.

The Readers' Favorites section (further down on the right hand side of your screen) includes links to the most popular posts I've ever written, based on reader feedback.  These were the ones that struck a nerve or have been most helpful or comforting.  I hope you'll feel the same way about them. 

Read Up (even further down on the right hand side) features a wide variety of books on our illnesses.  If you click on the book, it will take you directly to Amazon.com where you can learn about it, read reviews, and purchase it if you so choose.

As many moms do, you are also welcome to email me if you want to reach out, at stonecallis@msn.com.

For Healthcare Pros:

If you look in the Help Is Here section on the right hand side, you'll see a link to the Tools for Professionals page with a bit of helpful info specifically for you.  Check it out.  Plus, nearly every week I'm posting info on new research and on events that may be of interest to you.  To find them, scroll down the left hand side of Postpartum Progress until you see the Categories section. 
Some categories that may be of particular interest to clinicians:  Research, Obstetricians, Pediatricians, Effects on Children, Screening and Education & Training. 

If you are hospital that has created a special PPD program, someone with a support group or event related to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, or a researcher looking for participants or announcing research results, please send your news to postpartumprogress@gmail.com so that we can cover it here.

For everyone:

I've created a series called Six Things.  You can find it on the left of your screen, directly underneath my picture.  These brief Microsoft Word documents are a "quick and dirty" way to let people know what I believe are some important things to understand about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, which include depression and anxiety during pregnancy and in the 12 months postpartum.  If you or someone you know has time to read nothing else, hopefully these Six Things lists will help give you and those who care for you some clarity as you grapple with these illnesses.   

You can Search the entire blog with the search function (powered by Ligit).  It is on the left side of the blog, directly under the subscriber box.  Just type in the topic you're looking for (just like you would if you were searching on Google), and click search and it will take you to a list of posts from Postpartum Progress about that topic.

Home Delivery (on the left hand side, underneath Six Things) allows you to be a regular subscriber to Postpartum Progress.  Just enter your email address and click "Subscribe me!", and you're a subscriber via Feedblitz.  What does this mean?  In the morning, you will receive an email in your inbox with links to each post that I have written the previous day.  This way you always know what's going on without having to remember to visit the Postpartum Progress site every day.  FYI -- I have never, EVER shared the list of subscribers with anyone, so you won't be receiving unwanted email from anyone else.  Also, if you should ever decide you don't want to receive the emails any more, you can easily unsubscribe.

The Listed On section (further down on the left) is simply a list of some of the places on the web that feature Postpartum Progress or have highly ranked it among all internet health sites.  I'm very proud of those associations and happy to display my "blog bling".

I welcome comments on the posts I write.  Just click on the little "comments" link that can be found at the bottom of each post and let me know what you think, or if you disagree, or have a different idea.  And if you have a news tip or story idea, please email me at stonecallis@msn.com.  It is important to note that all commenters on this site are by default considered as non-medical professionals.  If you are a health professional and decide to offer medical information as a commenter, your status as a medical professional must be identified.  If you do make any medical claims, you must offer references or links to material(s) that would support those claims.  It is the policy of Postpartum Progress that all commenters behave at all times with respect and honesty. 

If for some reason you want to learn a little more about me, Katherine Stone, click on the About link and you'll probably get more info than you ever needed to know.  It's underneath my picture.  Just remember, I am not a healthcare professional.  I am simply a mom who has been through this.  Nothing on this site constitutes medical advice.  Postpartum Progress exists to provide peer support.

Again, I hope you find Postpartum Progress helpful and I'm really glad you are here.  God bless you.

P.S.  The Swiper, No Swiping! section (a reference to Dora the Explorer for those of you who don't know) on the left hand side of the blog is a reminder that Postpartum Progress has a creative commons copyright.  You may reprint the original content in this blog with permission, but it must not be altered in any way, and must be attributed to Postpartum Progress/Katherine Stone at http://postpartumprogress.typepad.com.

updated March 10, 2009

Moms All Over the Blogosphere Write About Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders

Here's a roundup of what's going on out there in the world of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders this week ...

Cate at 18 Years and Counting is suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety and needs a Warrior Moms Virtual Hug.  Here's a post she just wrote about her obsessions and fears.

Jodi Kluchar has just created the PTSD After Childbirth blog.  I'm am sure that those of you with postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder will want to follow along for information and comfort.  The blog offers info on conferences, birth stories, research and more.

Miranda has just created a blog called Postpartum Help to share her experiences with postpartum depression and try and help others.  Give her a shout out!

Laura at Depressed (but not unhappy) Mormon Mommy has written about the helpful things people said to her when going through postpartum depression, and what she would say to others.

Lisa at the Lis & D blog writes about the recent loss of a friend of hers to postpartum psychosis.  (This breaks my heart.) She also shares her own experience with postpartum depression.

Diane at The Mommy Diaries writes about postpartum depression vs. stress.

To Blog or Not to Blog? Writing About Tragedy on Postpartum Progress

I want to highlight an interesting comment on Postpartum Progress this weekend from a reader responding to a news story I posted a while back about a woman in Iowa who killed her baby and then herself:

"How can these stories not cripple and terrify the many women on this site currently experiencing perinatal mood disorders?  This is probably the most difficult part of the illness ... hearing these stories and believing you are insane and have no control over your actions.  Why doesn't anyone make any posts about dealing with these feelings??  How can you ever start to bond with your baby while getting treatment if you hear these stories and believe they are about you???"

What an excellent comment.  I tried to email the reader back but my response was undeliverable, which really bums me out, because I wanted to be able to talk to her in person and offer my support.   

I struggle with this as well.  I don't want to upset the readers of Postpartum Progress.  I know exactly how it feels to be so vulnerable and confused and afraid of yourself.  And it is true that stories of infanticide can make you feel worse because you're so worried that you're capable of doing the same.  What women need to do in this case is reach out.  Talk to your doctor about your concerns and your fears.  Listen to what they say.  Treatment at the hands of professionals is the answer.  If your trained therapist and/or psychiatrist is concerned that you are at risk of harming yourself or someone else, they will hospitalize you and help you stabilize.  If they aren't concerned, they'll tell you.  You'll still be afraid, of course, because that is part of our illness.  The truth is, even if you didn't read or hear scary stories in the media, you'd still be afraid of what you might do.   

I feel that we're victimized by the fact that people gloss over perinatal mood disorders as though women can't handle the truth.  As if it's just too touchy a subject.  I'd rather err on the side of being completely truthful than pretending bad things don't happen.

I made the decision to tell the stories, although I try to leave out the scary details.  I tell them because they are the truth, though thankfully just a small part of the truth.  Such tragedy is among the consequences of our illnesses.  People need to know that so they will take us seriously and educate themselves about perinatal mood disorders and take action to make sure women have the services they need. If society can convince itself that postpartum depression is just a temporary setback and no real strategic plan of attack is necessary, than it will take that path of least resistance.  We can't afford that.

I want to hear from the Warrior Moms on this.  What do you think?  Do you think I should leave out such stories, or that it is an important part of the whole story?  Please let me know. 

Chat with the Experts Session This Wednesday

Every Wednesday, Postpartum Support International has free open forum phone sessions called "Chat with the Expert".  These sessions are anonymous and offer a place where callers can ask questions and get information for themselves or family members about perinatal mood disorders.  Check here for details on how to join in.  This week's forum will be July 23 at 9pm EST, facilitated by Susan Stone, LCSW, past president of PSI. 

Jennifer Gibbs Bankston's Sister Alternate on U.S. Olympic Triathlon Team

Here is an article from the Mercury News about Becky Lavelle, twin sister of Jennifer Gibbs Bankston, who has secured a spot as the alternate on the 2008 US Olympic triathlon team.  As I know you're aware if you read this blog, Becky's sister killed her baby and herself while suffering from a postpartum mood disorder.  Her family's nonprofit organization is Jenny's Light. 

Mother Kills Baby, Self in Iowa

Shannon Elizabeth Steinbach, mother of two and resident of Schleswig, Iowa, killed her infant child and then killed herself on May 19. The case has tentatively been ruled a murder-suicide. Authorities say it appears that Shannon hanged herself in the basement of the family home. Four-month-old Hope was found drowned in an upstairs bathtub.  There are, of course, questions as to whether Steinbach was suffering from a postpartum mood disorder.  Her family members have said she was a very loving mother, and had just spent thee months visiting her newborn daughter every single day at the hospital, where she had been born prematurely.   They believe Shannon was experiencing postpartum depression. This story was reported by WOWT in Omaha, Nebraska.

Woman Found Guilty by Reason of Insanity For Murdering Child Petitions For Restoration of Sanity

I missed y'all last week. I took the week off to hang out with my son, who graduated from kindergarten.  (Go monkey go!!!)  Now, of course, I'm paying for that week off, with hundreds of emails in my inbox.  Scary overwhelming.  First I'll be catching up on last week's news, including the following:

The Orange County Register reported that Sheryl Lynn Massip, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in 1988 for running over her infant son with the family car, has petitioned for a restoration of sanity.  Massip said she was compelled by voices in her head when she ran over 6-week-old Michael Massip.

"Defense attorney Milton Grimes argued during a headline-making trial that the petite woman was driven insane by postpartum psychosis, an extreme form of 'baby blues' experienced by many women after childbirth.

She was convicted by a jury of second-degree murder, but Superior Court Judge Robert Fitzgerald shocked prosecutors on sentencing day when he reduced the murder verdict to voluntary manslaughter and ruled that Massip was insane at the time of the killing ...

Her case focused attention on postpartum psychosis, a severe syndrome that some say strikes three out of every 1,000 mothers and is believed to be triggered by a shift in the hormones caused by childbirth ...

Massip has been a model patient for more than 19 years now, Grimes said Thursday. She has attended every therapy session and completed every treatment program.

He said that the former beautician has remarried, and is living with her second husband in San Bernardino County, where she is raising a 12-year-old daughter.

'She has a wonderful loving relationship with her daughter, who is as happy and as healthy as any 12-year-old can be,' Grimes said. 'I think it's time Sheryl be allowed to go one with her life and not be restricted unnecessarily.

'She is doing great,' Grimes added. 'I think she is living the best she can after going through what she went through ...'

She is seeking a court order restoring her sanity and an unconditional release from obligations to report for mental health treatment and therapy. CONREP authorities agree that Massip no longer needs treatment, Grimes said."

It would seem by all accounts that her petition should be granted.  What an awful thing for everyone involved, though.  And the reporter who wrote the article obviously knows nothing about postpartum mood disorders, which you'll see if you click the above link and read it. 

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. 

Rusty Yates Has Another Child

Here is a link to a story from ABCNews.com about Andrea Yates' former husband Rusty Yates, who just had another child with his second wife.

"From The Hips" Pregnancy Guide Offers Deeper Look at PPD

There is a great new pregnancy guidebook out called "From the Hips: A Comprehensive, Open-Minded, Uncensored, Totally Honest Guide to Pregnancy, Birth & Becoming A Parent," written by Rebecca Odes and Ceridwen Morris.  I think this book rocks and will eventually outsell many of the other books that just cause fear and confusion and frustration for women who are about to become mothers.  (Was anybody else freaked out after reading "What to Expect When You're Expecting," or was it just me?)

My favorite feature? The chapter called "The Postbaby Brain" on pages 188-205.  The authors take an unvarnished look at the feelings moms have about parenthood, both good and bad.  And they actually talk about postpartum mood disorders for 5 pages (!), rather than the usual paragraph or two, even offering a list of symptoms for postpartum depression, postpartum OCD, postpartum panic disorder and postpartum psychosis.  It's nice to see a general interest pregnancy book go into more detail about the variety of symptoms one can experience and recognize that PPD is not a one-size-fits-all illness.  I would have liked them to offer a little more information on how to seek help, but they do provide a list of resources on page 194 that includes Postpartum Support International and Postpartum Progress (wahoo!), among other good sites and books.

Odes and Morris offer ten "anti-rules" for parents-in-progress, which you can learn more about by picking up their book:

1. Everyone's an expert, but you're the authority on yourself and your baby.
2. Confidence is more important than instinct.
3. Strive for imperfection.
4. Parenting is out of control.
5. There's no such thing as a "natural" mother.
6. Shift happens.
7. Babies are people, not problems.
8. Frustration, resentment, anger, exhaustion, exasperation, aggravation, jealousy, nostalgia, regret, etc., don't make you a bad parent.
9. Look forward, not backward. 
10. There is no right way.

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 Responds to False Rumors About MOTHERS Act

Stories have been circulating on the web and elsewhere disseminating falsehoods about the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act.  Postpartum Support International has shared a response to those falsehoods that is very important for everyone to read.  I'll offer my response separately.

It has come to the attention of PSI that misinformation about the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act and its lead sponsor, Postpartum Support International (PSI), is being aggressively circulated on the web.  This bulletin suggests protest against the bill's adoption on false belief, and implies that PSI's interest in the legislation emanates from its funding by pharmaceutical companies.  These assertions indicate the bulletin's authors have neither read nor understood the legislation nor sought verification of PSI's funding sources, which are available to the public.  The following is true:

1.  PSI is not, nor has it ever been, funded by pharmaceuticals.  Our funding comes from private donations, memberships and our own fundraising efforts.  It appears our fine organization was mischaracterized without any attempt to verify this false assertion.

2.  The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act does not mandate screening, the use of medications, or any other form of involuntary or coercive engagement in unwanted services for perinatal mood disorders.

3.  Melanie Blocker Stokes leapt to her death as a result of postpartum psychosis which was not promptly diagnosed and treated.  Her mother, Carol Blocker, has devoted her life to the passage of this protective legislation named for her daughter.  Her death was not the result of medication misuse.

4.  To further clarify and summarize, the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act encourages the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to coordinate and continue research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and find treatments for, postpartum conditions.  It also encourages a national public awareness campaign, to be administered by HHS to increase awareness and knowledge of postpartum depression and psychosis.  It encourages 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.

It is most unfortunate that any organization would attempt to dissuade public support of critical legislation by circulating erroneous information about the bill's contents and intent.  Please call or visit PSI's website to read the legislation or submit any questions.

AMA Newspaper Focuses on Barriers to Caring for PPD Moms

American Medical News, the newspaper of the American Medical Association has just published a great story on postpartum mood disorders called "Beyond the Baby Blues: A Spectrum of Postdelivery Conditions."  It features myself and a host of fabulous doctors, including Dr. Marlene Freeman, Dr. Shoshanna Bennett and Dr. Katherine Wisner among others.  It covers barriers to care by physicians, which is extremely important given that we're trying to get a bill passed in the Senate asking for more education and training of doctors, among other things.  Here is my favorite quote from the article:

"This is a disease that lives between specialties [obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatry, pediatrics]," Dr. Wisner added. "Patients are running around in circles."

Exactly.

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.

More Deaths Reinforce Need for Screenings

Last week in Milwaukee, Alisa Lorraine Evans, 38, attempted to drown her 2-week-old twin boys in the bathtub, killing one and leaving the other hospitalized.  According to WTMJ-AM in Milwaukee, "Issues of postpartum mental illness will figure significantly in the case ... Authorities said the woman had lost an adult son in a Texas shooting incident last fall, and she told police she only wanted the babies to go to heaven."

Of course I won't go into any details here, but the WTMJ story states:

"Joyce Smith told investigators her daughter was depressed and had said Jan. 10 she didn't want to live anymore and talked about 'hurting or killing herself.' She had been living in Milwaukee about six months and was separated from her husband in Waco, Smith said. Evans, who was a licensed vocational nurse, told police she wanted a permanent solution to her problems and 'only wanted the children to go to heaven'..."

Additionally, last Sunday a mother in Sacramento apparently drowned her 8-day-old daugther.  Kristina Feulling of Granite Bay faces murder charges.  According to News10 in Sacramento, "Kristina Fuelling's psychological condition was being investigated late Sunday and there was no indication that drugs or alcohol were a factor in the child's death."
Fuelling's family and friends issued the following statement:

Kristina is known as a loving and caring person and we have only witnessed Kristina showing affection and care towards her baby. Kristina stopped work months ago only to take care of her pregnancy and baby. She has called the doctor numerous times for every little concern since the baby was born. Her life has been completely dedicated to caring for her child. It seems illogical that such a loving mother would harm her baby and we hope officials will find the same to be true. It does not seem real that baby Faith is not alive and with us. Our prayer and support are united for Kristina.

More women who have slipped through the cracks.  We need postpartum mood disorder screenings in the hospital and at the 6-week postpartum checkup.  Period.

Postpartum Progress Opens Up To Guest Authors

Would you like to be a guest author on Postpartum Progress in 2008?  I have decided to open the blog up to some additional voices this year, as Postpartum Progress continues to grow. 

I've thought about doing this in the past, but haven't done it because I've been nervous about offending people if I edit them or choose not to use their articles.  But I've decided to ty and get over that for the sake of diversity.

You can submit your stories/articles to me at stonecallis@msn.com anytime throughout the year.  Here is how I will make choices about what will and won't appear on the blog:

1) Stories should run no more than 700 words.  I try to keep all my blog posts fairly short and easy to digest.

2) The article must be 100% relevant to Postpartum Progress and its readers, meaning it should be focused on postpartum mood disorders (postpartum depression, postpartum psychosis, postpartum OCD/anxiety, postpartum PTSD) or antepartum mood disorders.  As a reminder, Postpartum Progress is written to SUPPORT the women who have suffered or will suffer, and for their families and friends and those who treat them.

3) I will not run any article in which the writer is attempting to sell their product or service.  No shilling.  I will make an exception, however, for published authors of books focused on PPD and related-disorders if they would like to share an excerpt of their book of which they are particularly proud.

4) I will not run any article where I feel the story has already been done many times on Postpartum Progress, so it would help you to be very familiar with the site.  The subject should be a new and fresh take on the issues surrounding PPD and related disorders.

5) I welcome personal stories of people's experiences with PPD as long as they are fairly concise and well-written.  I also welcome brief summations from people who have been able to attend conferences or roundtables or other events that I have not been able to attend, as long as there is some interesting, newsy nugget of info that came out of the event.  And I welcome stories about newly published research as long as it comes from a highly-regarded source.

I hope this makes sense to everyone.  You will, of course, be credited as a guest author for your story, and should you have a blog or website I will be happy to link to it in your article.  I will try and respond back to each person who submits an article to either let you know that it will appear and when, or to let you know why I don't plan to use it.  If I don't reply back it may be because I get too overwhelmed.

Chicago Tribune Columnist Asks Why Mother Remains in Prison

The following commentary on Debra Gindorf appeared on December 23 in Eric Zorn's blog on the Chicago Tribune online edition:

"Gutlessness leaves governor open to scorn

When people ask me why I have such a cranky attitude about Gov. Rod Blagojevich, I'm happy to tell them the story of Debra Gindorf.

Gindorf had a hearing in front of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board in early 2003. The board was clearly sympathetic to her lawyers' contention that she was in the grips of post-partum psychosis in 1985 when she killed her 3-month-old baby and 23-month-old toddler before trying to kill herself and that she was sentenced to life in prison before this condition was properly understood.

Not even the Lake County state's attorney's office, which prosecuted Gindorf, objected to her release.That was more than 1,700 days ago. Gindorf, 43, is still at Dwight Correctional Center with a bum heart and a broken spirit, according to her assistant state appellate defender Kathleen Hamill.

Not only has Blagojevich not had the guts to release this poor woman and explain to skeptics why it's the right and compassionate thing to do, he hasn't even had the guts NOT to release her -- to deny her petition for commutation.

Instead, it sits somewhere in the stack of 1,445 other pending parole and pardon requests on the desk of our state's invertebrate hockey-fan-in-chief.

Remember that next time you hear him preen about women's health issues, about his courage and about how other lawmakers need to buckle down and get to work."

Thank you, Eric Zorn.

Katie Corcoran Found

According to WPRI-TV in Providence, Katie Corcoran has been found.  I hope this is true.  See below:

LINCOLN, R.I. (AP) -- A Lincoln woman who had been missing for more than two months has been found. Lincoln police say Katie Corcoran is home safe with her family.

A family says that Corcoran was spotted this weekend in Baltimore by a woman who recognized her from the media coverage of her disappearance. Corcoran's husband and a private detective then went to Maryland to get her.

The 35-year-old mother of two disappeared September 5 after she left a psychiatric hospital in Providence and took a cab to a homeless shelter. She never went inside. Since then, there were reports that she took a bus to Newport and was seen there.

Family and friends had offered a $50,000 reward for information leading to her return.

Vancouver Mother Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Murdering 20-Month-Old

AGAIN???!!  This happens again??!!  When will people wake up and see that postpartum psychosis is no joke?  When will we develop better ways to treat and care for women with psychosis so that they aren't in a position to harm themselves or others?  My heart breaks all over again every time I read about another family destroyed due to postpartum psychosis.  From The Columbian:

"A Vancouver mother was sentenced Tuesday to 24 years in prison for murdering her youngest child.

Kelly N. Meining, 32, pleaded guilty Sept. 12 to first-degree murder in the May 19, 2006, stabbing death of Bryce J. Meining, age 20 months ...

Meining's husband and parents told Clark County Superior Court Judge Diane Woolard on Tuesday that doctors and child protective services had failed Bryce and his mother, because they knew she was mentally ill.

Every time his wife saw a doctor about her hallucinations, insomnia and paranoia, we left the hospital with nothing more than a bottle of pills,' Kris Meining said.

Sandy Reed said that in the years leading up to her grandson's death, her daughter had been diagnosed with illnesses from bipolar disorder to schizophrenia to postpartum psychosis. She was prescribed  22 different medications, Reed said.

I love you, Kelly,' Reed said before returning to her seat in the courtroom.

When it was the defendant's turn to speak, Meining told Woolard she was tired of people making excuses.

'I murdered my son, and there are no excuses,' Meining said. 'He was supposed to be safe with me, his mom.'

She said she knows her family is just trying to help, 'but I deserve to be in prison' ...

The one request she made of Woolard was to allow contact visits with her daughter, 7, and son, 4. She has seen them every other month while incarcerated at the Clark County Jail, but only through a glass panel.

Woolard, after consulting with Kris Meining, agreed to supervised, contact visits so the children could hug their mother and attempt to maintain a relationship while she's in prison.

I know it isn't easy to treat people with psychosis.  If they don't take their medication they won't get better.  If they or their families refuse hospitalization, what can be done?  If the people around them look the other way or if there is no one to care for them, how can they be monitored?  How long should they be kept hospitalized? 

I realize I don't have all the facts of the case, and that Meining herself says that much of the responsibility lies with her, but couldn't we do more to prevent this?  Shouldn't we?

Missing Rhode Island Mother Was Being Treated For PPD

According to an article this past Monday written by Timothy Barmann in the Providence Journal, Katie Corcoran of Lincoln, Rhode Island has been missing since September 5th after leaving a hospital where she was receiving treatment for postpartum depression.  To read the full story, click here.  Below are some highlights:

"Katherine N. 'Katie' Corcoran, 35, of Great Road in Lincoln, was reported missing 19 days ago. On Sept. 5, the married mother of two boys, a 4 year-old and an 8-month-old, left Butler Hospital, where she was receiving treatment for postpartum depression.

The Lincoln police said she took a cab to the Crossroads shelter on Broad Street in Providence, but never went inside. A woman believed to be Katie was sighted in several locations in Newport more than a week ago. But since the last sighting, last Monday, there haven’t been any new leads ...

Asked whether he had any idea why Katie would leave, [Katie's husband] said, 'I don’t think she’s running. She’s suffering from a mental illness. We believe it’s postpartum related.'

He said that she had been seeking treatment for postpartum depression for the past five months. The couple had made plans to go to California to seek additional treatment, he said ...

There are two theories about where Katie might be ... One is that she is still delusional and wandering around somewhere. The other is that she doesn’t want to take her medication and that she’s trying to recover through prayer ...

Corcoran family and friends are offering a $50,000 reward for information that leads to Katie’s return home. Anyone who sees her should not approach her. Rather, they should contact the police. The 24-hour tip line is (401) 439-7988; the Lincoln Police can be contacted at (401) 333-1111."

5 Things Every New Mother Should Know About PPD

I was recently asked to put together a list of things women should know about postpartum depression.  I thought a lot about what I went through in 2001 with postpartum OCD, and the things I wish I had known that I believe would have lessened the severity of my experience.  While the list below certainly doesn't cover everything, I think it's a good start and I hope it will help many women in their journey as new mothers.

PPD can and often does happen.

Many pregnancy books and childbirth educators gloss over postpartum mood disorders.  They minimally describe the symptoms and emphasize how rare it is.  Actually, 10-15% of new moms experience these illnesses, and some studies report it may be as high as 25%.  My childbirth educator told our class that we really needn't spend too much time worrying about it, so I didn't, and thus I was completely unprepared for what hit me.

Postpartum depression is only one in a spectrum of postpartum illnesses.

Postpartum mood disorders include postpartum depression (PPD), postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder (PPOCD), postpartum psychosis (PPP) and postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder.  PPOCD is often characterized by intrusive thoughts, which are disturbing unwanted thoughts.  When I experienced my first intrusive thoughts -- about smothering my infant son with the burpcloth -- I had never heard of such things.  No one ever told me they were possible.  I was convinced I had just gone permanently crazy, and it never occurred to me that I had PPOCD.  If I had been better informed, I would have felt comfort in knowing what was wrong and that immediate treatment was available.  Instead I kept quiet for weeks because I was afraid I'd be locked up forever and lose my family.  (For more information on each illness and its symptoms, visit the Postpartum Support International website at http://www.postpartum.net/brief.html )

Symptoms can appear anytime during the first year after birth.

Many women think that if they start feeling bad when their child is 3 or 4 months old, or even older, that it can't be related to postpartum depression.  Apparently, even the DSM-IV, the manual that psychiatric professionals use to diagnose psychiatric illnesses, states that your illness can only be diagnosed as postpartum if the symptoms show up within the first four weeks after birth.  This isn't necessarily true.  Postpartum mood disorders can occur any time within the first year after the birth of your baby, though it is true that most are diagnosed within 2 to 4 months postpartum.

Ask your friends and family to be prepared.

It's important to talk about the possibility that you might experience some form of postpartum mood disorder with the people closest to you.  Ask them to educate themselves.  Sometimes we can't see that we're acting differently, or we try to convince ourselves we're fine and purposefully ignore our symptoms.  In that case, it often takes someone close to us to point out that we might need help.  Neither my husband nor my mother knew about what to look for or what to do about it, which made it harder on all of us.

The sooner you get treatment the better.

Many recent studies show that children of mothers with postpartum mood disorders who go untreated for long periods can be negatively impacted over the long term with behavioral problems.  A study published in 2006 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/short/295/12/1389), for instance, found that children of mothers who have received treatment via medication for major depression or anxiety are less likely to be diagnosed with anxiety, disruptive and depressive disorders themselves, compared to children of women who remain untreated.  You MUST push past the fear and speak up to lessen the impact of these illnesses on yourself and your children.  You must be willing to say how you are feeling and seek treatment so that not only you, but your whole family can heal.

Searching for Inspirational Items For Suffering Moms

Aside from the Postpartum Depression Links page I've newly started, which you can find on the left of your screen under "Pages", I'm also creating an Inspiration for Moms page that will feature quotes, songs, poems and anything else that might give moms comfort during their suffering.  LADIES, f you have a song, quote, poem, bible passage or any other little item that helped you get through this terrible experience, and would like to share it with other moms across the country and the world, let me know and I'll add it to the page.  Email me at stonecallis@msn.com.  Thanks!

Ladies, Send Me Your Blog & Website Addresses So I Can Link To You

I am going to create a new page in Postpartum Progress that links to women who have blogs or websites that are either specifically about postpartum depression, or have included stories about experiencing postpartum depression.  If you have one of those blogs or sites, please email me at stonecallis@msn.com.  Tell me about your blog or website, and give me your URL web address.  Thanks!  I look forward to linking with you!

Back From BlogHer '07 With Great News

I just got back from BlogHer, the largest blogging conference in the world, attended by approximately 800 women bloggers (and a few men).  Anyway, it was FANTASTIC and it gave me so many ideas about how to improve Postpartum Progress and make it even easier to use and more helpful.  I also hope to work with some of the people I met to help get more information out to women around the world on postpartum mood disorders.  Just a few of the many interesting people I got to talk with about PPMDs include the manager of online strategy and programs for Planned Parenthood, the women who are launching themotherhood.com, the depression writer for Beliefnet.com, the people at Revolution Health, a blogger for Yahoo!, the editor for Urban Baby, and the president of the National Organization for Women.  There is so much great work to be done, so keep tuning in so that I can let you know what progress is made.

To Georgia PPMD Survivors & Practitioners

Calling ALL women in Georgia who have survived a postpartum mood disorder, including postpartum psychosis, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety, postpartum OCD!!!!  (Or if you're a Georgia practitioner who treats a lot of these women.)  Please email me at stonecallis@msn.com.  It's very important.  Will explain later!  Thanks.

-- Katherine

BBC Reports Research on Possible Identification of Gene for Postpartum Psychosis

The BBC reported on July 5 the results of a study at Cardiff University in Wales to locate genes related to postpartum psychosis.  Here's the story:

'Researchers at Cardiff University have helped locate the genes which can make women more vulnerable to severe mental illness just after childbirth.

The discovery could lead to new treatments for the condition, known as postpartum psychosis, scientists said. The condition is one of the most severe forms of mental illness and there is an increased risk of suicide.

Women with bipolar disorder are often affected with one in three deliveries followed by an episode of the illness.

Postpartum psychosis is not the same illness as postnatal depression [called postpartum depression here in the U.S.]. It comes on in some women within a few days of giving birth.   It is also a less common disease than postnatal depression, affecting approximately one woman in 500, but is more severe in its effects.

The study, funded by the Wellcome Trust, and involving a collaboration between Cardiff University, Birmingham University and Trinity College, Dublin, has helped pinpoint the genetic cause of the disease.

The team examined the DNA of families in which at least one woman had suffered with an episode of postpartum psychosis.

The researchers found the location of the genes involved in the illness and are now homing in on the genes themselves.  The research will help pave the way towards improved identification of women at risk and better treatments for women who suffer episodes following childbirth.

It can take some women a long time to recover completely, although many recover within a few weeks.

Co-leader of the research, Dr Ian Jones from Cardiff University School of Medicine, said it was vital that women at high risk of severe postpartum illness were aware of the condition.

'Although a lot of work still needs to be done, this study will lead to significant benefits for women vulnerable to becoming ill following childbirth,' he said. 'Many of the medications used to keep women with bipolar disorder well can be a problem in pregnancy. Finding these genes will allow us to better identify bipolar women at very high risk and will help them and their doctors make the difficult decisions about taking medications through pregnancy.'

The team's findings have been published this week in the American Journal of Psychiatry."

Montana Psychiatrist Receives National Award For Treating Postpartum Psychosis

I'm so sorry for taking so long to post.  My computer system went haywire for a while (DSL, Wireless router, etc.), and I had to figure out how to get back online.  Whew!

Congratulations to Dr. Bruce Whitworth of Billings, Montana, for being one of only 18 psychiatrists from throughout the U.S. to receive the 2007 Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), for his work with postpartum psychosis patient Angie Allard.  Here's a link to the story from the Billings Gazette.

A Roundup of Major Stories & PPMD News

You should see my inbox these days!  I can't keep up!  There is a LOT going on.  First things first, below is a current list of support groups.  Please check it out if you're looking for one in your area.

Download ppd_support_groups_52207.doc

This is a link to a good article that just came out of the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association this week.  No real new news, but it's nice to see the recognition of perinatal mood disorders as a spectrum disorder, and the fact that onset can occur anytime throughout the first year postpartum. 

This is a link to a new book called "Crazy In America: The Hidden Tragedy of Our Criminalized Mentally Ill".  It sounds like it could be good, and similar to Pete Earley's book called "Crazy", which I absolutely loved. 

I've added another beautiful survivor mom to our Surviving & Thriving Mothers' Photo Album.  Thanks Shannon for sending me the picture. 

Here's a link to a great editorial from Newsday by Sandra Wolkoff.   One highlight that reminds us we just don't get over this in a day:

"Frequently, women convince themselves that any slight improvement is a sign that recovery is around the corner. When the black clouds of despair return hours or days later, or another medication seems to prove ineffective, they feel like failures."

Here's a link to a recent story that appeared on the NBC affiliate in San Diego about the Michael Spangler, husband of Annie who committed suicide three years ago after suffering from postpartum depression.  I'm so sorry for his and his little boy's loss, especially when we all know these tragedies are completely unnecessary.

Here's a link to a story from last week in Chicago about Tonya Vasilev, who was found mentally insane for the killing of her two children.  She had suffered depression since childhood, and had been diagnosed with postpartum depression.  The judge said he felt comfortable finding her insane because of the expert medical testimony, thus Tonya will now receive lifelong commitment to a mental health facility rather than prison or the death penalty.  (Trust me, this doesn't mean I'm comfortable with those sweet children being killed.  I can think of nothing more awful and tragic.  But we need to work harder to treat and protect the mentally ill so that things like this don't happen.)

Margaret Trudeau, the ex-wife of the late prime minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau, spoke up about mental health recently and the importance of mental health check-ups to all Canadians.  Trudeau herself suffered from postpartum depression.  Here is a link to the story.

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.