Preparing For The Postpartum Period
Two things are true: the months following bringing home a new baby can be the most magical AND the most challenging time of a person’s life. The physical, mental, and emotion strain that is put on the birthing parent and their potential partner is likely to feel overwhelming and hard to manage at some point during this transition. It is important for all people going through this to know what is typical and what is not, and most importantly, to know that they are not alone. At East Side Therapy, we can help new parents both prepare for and better manage the postpartum (birth + one year) period with specialized perinatal mental health treatment.
IS THIS NORMAL?
You may have heard of the “Baby Blues” which are feelings of sadness, anxiety, crying spells, and mood swings that can affect up to 80% of people who have given birth. These feelings are caused by the hormonal at the time of birth and acute sleep deprivation. The “Baby Blues” last between 2 days and 2 weeks, and usually peak 3-5 days after delivery. If these mental health symptoms persist after two weeks postpartum, you might be dealing with a Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD).
WHAT ARE PMADS?
A PMAD occurs when depression and/or anxiety symptoms persist longer than 2 weeks postpartum and are interfering with your daily functioning. PMADs affect 1 in 7 new parents and can affect not only the birthing parent, but fathers, non-birthing partners, adoptive parents, and parents through surrogacy. PMADs include perinatal depression, perinatal anxiety, perinatal obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), perinatal post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and perinatal psychosis.
WAYS TO MINIMIZE RISK FOR PMADS
1. Create a delivery coping plan.
Many people are familiar with creating a birth plan which indicates parent preferences for things like pain medication, who should be present in the delivery room, or fetal monitoring. Also consider creating a plan for coping with the emotions that may arise during the process. This can help name expectations you may have about how you will feel before, during, and after birth. Creating this type of plan allows you to identify how you can cope if and when unexpected feelings arise.
2. Create a postpartum support plan.
Whether on your own or with a partner or support person, clearly lay out a plan for what the time immediately following birth with look like. This will include things like protecting your sleep and rest, identifying resources for emotional support, household concerns like cleaning and meal prep, and identifying a policy for visitors.
3. Consider a postpartum doula.
If finances allow, consider hiring a postpartum doula. A postpartum doula is trained professional who provides support and guidance through the postpartum period in areas like emotional and physical recovery from childbirth and infant feeding and soothing. They might also assist with nourishment for the whole family, household tasks, and assisting with older children in the home.
SEEKING SUPPORT
If you find that your feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, sadness, or dejection have extended past two weeks post-birth and are interfering with your ability to adequately care for yourself and/or your baby, one of the most important things to do is speak with your healthcare provider or a therapist trained in perinatal mental health. Some of the evidence-based therapeutic models used to treat PMADs include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Parent Infant Attachment, and Couples Therapy. We at East Side Therapy can help. Reach out to schedule a free consultation with a trained therapist here.
Another critical component for treatment and recovery is social support. Many people struggling through this transition to parenthood feel isolated and alone. Group therapy is an invaluable resource for supporting parents and creating an environment where they learn they are not alone, not to blame, and that things can and will get better with informed help. East Side Therapy is currently enrolling for Life After Birth, a postpartum support group that will begin meeting in-person in September in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. To learn more information about how to join the group, book a free consult here.
more services at east side therapy
East Side Therapy offers a wide variety of mental health services for individual adolescents and adults, couples (poly and kink inclusive), and families. We provide virtual therapy throughout California, as well as in-person sessions at our Echo Park office in Los Angeles, CA. Our strong team of therapists specialize in issues such as depression, anxiety, trauma therapy, EMDR, LGBTQ+ issues, therapy for women and perinatal mental health, highly sensitive people, eating disorders, teen therapy, neurodivergence (ADHD, Autism, AuDHD), and more. Please visit our services page to read more about the types of therapy we offer and a full list of specialties. You can also read more about each of our therapists on our team page. For additional information, check out our FAQ, About Us, Groups, and Blog.
