Understanding Peripartum Mood Disorders, presented by Sarah Siders
Presentation slides available here.
For a handout version of this page, click here.
Peripartum Mood Disorder Risk Factors
What makes a mother at risk for developing a peripartum mood disorder? Here are some of their more common risk factors to be aware of:
- History of anxiety or depression
- Recent stressful life events
- Inadequate social supports
- Poor marital relationship
- Low self-esteem
- Childcare stress
- Difficult infant temperament or medical issues
- Type-A personalities with high need for control
- Single marital status
- Unplanned or unwanted pregnancy
- Lower socioeconomic status or financial troubles
- Traumatic childbirth/labor experience
- Conflict or poor relationship with own mother
- Poor self-care
- Dissonance between expectations and reality
- Difficulty with breastfeeding
Flint Hills New Mother Resources
- OB Education groups during pregnancy at IACH
- Delivering Change OB support in Junction City and Manhattan
- New Parent Support Program for military dependents
- Healthy Start Home Visitors through county health departments
- Safe Harbor Postpartum Group on Fort Riley
- New Parent Support Playgroups on Fort Riley
- Becoming a Mom Groups – Riley and Geary County health departments
- La Leche League and other breastfeeding support groups
- Little Apple Mommy meet-ups
- FlintHillsBirthResources.com
- Prenatal, labor and postpartum doulas (support)
- Birth education – Little Apple Doulas
Tips for helping Mothers adjust to motherhood
- Know the risk factors and screen for symptoms regularly – use EPDS tool
- Educate her on PMD symptoms and impact
- Plan ahead for how her prenatal mood disorder may impact her after baby comes
- Identify and correct unrealistic expectation
- Define “normal” for baby and mom
- Help her build her village
- Refer to Home visitor programs
- Invite her to a postpartum group like Safe Harbor or a breastfeeding group
- Recommend local Playgroups
- Help her recognize physical and emotional triggers and plan for them
- Build mantras and positive self-talk
- Focus on what she pays attention to
- Involve supportive friends or family
Holistic Wellness for Mothers
References from conference presentation
- Postpartum Depression prevalence: Wisner KL, Sit DKY, McShea MC, et al. JAMA Psychiatry 2013
- Postpartum Anxiety prevalence: Paul, IM, Downs, DS, Schaefer, EW, et al. American Academy of Pediatrics 2013
- Postpartum OCD prevalence: Miller, ES, Chu, C, Gollan, J, Gossett, D, The Journal of Reproductive Medicine 2013
- Universal Message: Honikman, Jane (2002) I’m Listening. Santa Barbara, CA: Studio E Books.
Additional Online Communities, Training and Resources:
Postpartum Support International (PSI)
For a handout version of this page, click here.
Therapy and Coaching with Sarah Siders 