the best help & hope for moms
Here's a photo from the press conference yesterday on Capitol Hill:
From left to right: Me, Sylvia Lasalandra, Senator Menendez, Dr. Gwendolyn Kaita (APA), Dr. Albert Strunk(ACOG), Carol Blocker (holding a picture of her daughter Melanie when pregnant) andSusanStone
Here's a great piece about yesterday from Susan Stone. And here's a video of the entire press conference:
It's 3pm. I'm sitting at Reagan National Airport. And suddenly I'm really, really hot. Like burning up. I think now that I can finally sit down it is hitting me what an important day this was. I can't believe I got to stand up at the front of that press conference and speak alongside Carol Blocker, who experienced the ultimate sacrifice of losing her precious daughter to postpartum psychosis.
I have yet to eat anything other than a piece of delish cake provided by the gracious team at Senator Menendez' office in celebration of today's event and the passage of the MOTHERS Act, and I only have 30 minutes before my plane boards to head home, so I'm going to have to write more tomorrow so I can go grab a bite.
Suffice it to say today was a very important step. It provided official validation. We exist. These illnesses exist, in great numbers actually.This nation's officials are recognizing that. That means more than I even realized until I was standing there in full view of the U.S. Capitol with the trees swaying in theblustery wind and a photo of Melanie Blocker Stokes in my hands.
We have more to do, but today was a great step forward for all of those people who have labored so long to get to this point and for the mothers who have yet to experience perinatal mood or anxiety disorders.
Maybe Melanie was making the breeze blow to say thank you for remembering me.
OK. I realize this is last minute but I didn't have any of the details until just now. If you are anywhere near DC and want to show up to support the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act passage:
Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) will be hosting a press conference tomorrow (Thursday). Carol Blocker will be there, whose daughter the bill was named after. So will I (cool!), and Susan Stone (representing PSI) and people representing the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (yes, they changed their name from College to Congress for some unknown reason) and the American Psychological Association.
It's Thursday, May 6th. 11:30am at the Senate Swamp, Upper Senate Park (next to the Russell Senate Office Building). The rain location is S-120 in the U.S. Capitol.
Senate Swamp. Sounds lovely, doesn't it?
Below is anews release from Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), sent out today to inform the media about passage of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act. I think you'll be pleased toread the comments made about this from such organizations as the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association and the American Congress of Obstetricians& Gynecologists.
And can I just say how cool it is to be quoted in a news release from a Senator's office?!! And I'm not even a Democrat …
Leaders in the fight against postpartum depression are celebrating today as the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act — legislation sponsored by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to combat postpartum depression — will become law as part of landmark health insurance reform that passed Congress last night. The legislation will establish a comprehensive federal commitment to combating postpartum depression through new research, education initiatives and voluntary support service programs.
"Millions of mothers nationwide who are suffering or will suffer from postpartum depression are among the winners as a result of the new health insurance reform law," said Senator Menendez. "These women understand that postpartum depression is serious and disabling, and that the support structure to help prepare for and overcome it has been woefully insufficient. We will attack postpartum depression on multiple fronts — with education, support, and research — so that new moms can feel supported and safe rather than scared and alone. I applaud the incredible group of advocates and inspirational women who helped this become a reality, I applaud Rep. Bobby Rush and Sen. Richard Durbin for helping to champion this cause, and I am absolutely thrilled that this will be the new law of the land."
"Finally, women all over the country are going to have access to the kinds of support services and information that women in New Jersey have had for a number of years," said Mary Jo Codey, former First Lady of New Jersey and leading advocate in the fight against postpartum depression. "And we're going to get more research into these insidious illnesses. This is what I'd worked and hoped for over a long period of time. I almost can't believe it finally happened!"
"We are so indebted to Senator Menendez and everyone on Capitol Hill who recognized that we needed to do so much more to educate women about postpartum depression, to ensure that healthcare providers are able to identify those who suffer and to provide sufficient resources and services for recovery in every corner of our country," said Katherine Stone, author of Postpartum Progress, the author of the most widely-read blog on postpartum depression and other mental illnesses related to childbirth, and a board member of Postpartum Support International. "We needed their help to raise awareness at the federal level and make this a healthcare priority, and they've done just that. There is no doubt that this new legislation will help save the lives of many new mothers and ensure that their families have a healthier start."
"The American Psychological Association applauds the passage of the MOTHERS Act, which will improve the health and well-being of approximately 800,000 women suffering from postpartum depression, as included in health care reform legislation. The MOTHERS Act will expand research, outreach and education to mothers, families, and health care professionals on this critical issue," states Gwendolyn Puryear Keita, PhD, executive director, Public Interest Directorate, American Psychological Association.
Susan Dowd Stone, chair of the President's Advisory Council of Postpartum Support International said, "Senator Robert Menendez, you are an unwavering champion of the women and infants you represent. Against all odds, you never once set aside this initiative. You are not just the Senator from New Jersey, you are the Senator of America's mothers."
Dr. Gerald F. Joseph, president of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, applauds Senator Menendez' leadership in ensuring inclusion of the MOTHERS Act in health care reform, saying "This will ensure that women and their health care providers have the best tools available to identify and treat all women that suffer from the very real and often severe results of postpartum depression."
"Adoption of the MOTHERS Act is a positive development for women and their families," said American Psychiatric Association president Dr. Alan F. Schatzberg. "Now the many women who are suffering from postpartum depression will have the support needed to get the help for this treatable condition."
"As a nurse dedicated to caring for expectant mothers and their newborns, I applaud the passage of the MOTHERS Act. This legislation will provide much needed support services and education to women suffering from postpartum depression," said Karen Peddicord, CEO of the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.
"Midwives are particularly sensitive to the need for support for mothers in the postpartum period and have long advocated for more intensive follow-up for all new mothers. We are so pleased by the passage of the MOTHERS Act which Senator Menendez has championed," stated Melissa Avery, CNM, PhD, FACNM, president of the American College of Nurse-Midwives.
"The March of Dimes deeply appreciates the Senator's leadership on this important issue," said Marina L. Weiss, PhD, senior vice president of public policy and government affairs for the March of Dimes. "Postpartum depression is a serious problem that takes a toll on women and infants as well as on their families. The Senator's proposal, approved by Congress last night, will ensure that necessary resources are made available to promote early diagnosis and treatment of postpartum depression. The provision holds great promise for improving birth outcomes for women and children in every state across the nation."
While most of us were focused on family and celebration during the holidays, the US Senate was sneaking by a Christmas Eve-morning-before-the-cock-crows vote on the Healthcare Reformbill. It passed.
As it turns out, the Melanie Blocker Stokes Mothers Act wasindeed among the provisionsin the bill that was passed. So, since the MBSMAhas now beenincluded in both the House and Senate healthcare bills, it looks like the act will pass if healthcare reform passes. No matter how you feel about healthcare reform, it would be a blessing to women aroundthe country if the MBSMAbecomes law. Thanks so much to Susan Stone for writing about this in detail at Perinatal Pro, forkeeping such close track of this important legislation and for being such a vocal proponent. Also thanks to Senator Menendez for never giving up on getting the MBSMA passed by the Senate, Representative Bobby Rush for getting it passed in the House and Carol Blocker for getting this all started in the first place.
Susan, and Helen Crawford, have been busting their assess getting as many signatures as possible in front of the Congress so that they can see how many people support increased research into the causes of postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis, and support increased services for women who suffer. If you haven't signed the petition yet, please do! Here's how to do it.
Here are some moreviewpoints on the Time magazine article on postpartum depression and the MOTHERS Act from some interesting women's websites and authors around the web:
Jezebel — where many of the commenters seem to be pretty informed, which is nice. One comment follows:
"I think you're jumping the gun by wondering if women will be given meds if they don't need them. It's better to make options available, and to destigmatize a relatively common problem, than to fear that a few false positives will ruin the whole program."
Sarah Mirk at Bitch Magazine, who points out:
"Time's story ignited the ire of many who argue that the article intentionally left out pro-Mothers Act voices to push an editorial agenda."
"Doubting and shaming women who do struggle or have struggled with PPD serves no-one. Time should know better. Better than Tom Cruise, anyway."
Empowher with Susan Stone's piece
"The recent Time article which appeared, 'The Melancholy of Motherhood,' presents a thinly-veiled bias against life-saving legislation, the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, which continues its steady march toward adoption …
Like the hapless person who comes between a dog and its bone, the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act has become the pawn of frustrated antimental health and antipharma factions. Having lost too many ill-fought battles (thankfully, science, medicine, clinical practice and research still trump hysteria), they have seized upon this benign and life-saving legislation to vindicate their rage. But the argument fails to stick because the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act doesn’t mandate screening or subsidize the medication that appears to be the primary issue of protest."
And Dr. Shoshanna Bennett responds as well here, including this tidbit:
"The MOTHERS Act is about education and research, not medication — contrary to the fear mongers' rhetoric. The portrayal of the issue in the Time article was not only misleading to the public, it was inaccurate on many points."
If I've missed you, let me know!
Since we lost our daughter Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling to PPD in 2001, our family founded a program at Northshore University Health Systems in Evanston, Ill., that screens pregnant mothers for postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Central to the program is a 24-hour help line (866-364-6667) new moms can call when they or their families need help. Answering the phones are trained professionals who can help with both big and little problems.
It remains essential regardless of how one feels about the type of treatment a doctor might give that this illness have a name and be recognized as such by the medical community, mothers and their families.
Quite simply, this potentially lethal illness flourishes in a climate of apathy, ignorance and silence. The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act will go a long way to remove the ignorance.
Joan Mudd
Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling Foundation
Dear Time Editors:
I would like to offer some clarifications to Catherine Elton's article, initially titled "The Melancholy of Motherhood", in the June 20, 2009 issue.
1. Melanie Stokes suffered postpartum psychosis, an illness far more rare and serious than postpartum depression.
2. The author did ot include the perspective of mothers who successfully used medication to treat their illness.
2. Ms. Elton fails to recognize that the education and awareness programs proposed in the MOTHERS Act are aimed not just at new parents but also at caregivers.
Like Amy Philo, my OB/GYN's response when I told her I was feeling anxious after childbirth was to immediately suggest medication. I resisted for six months while trying many other techniques — sleep, exercise, talk therapy, yoga — until finally accepting medication was justified. New mothers would never deny themselves insulin or thyroid medication if needed; why resist antidepressant medication if it can relieve the anxiety and depression that up to 20% of new mothers experience?
New parents and healthcare providers — including doctors, nurses, childbirth educators, lactation consultants and pediatricians — must be educated about the causes, symptoms and treatment of postpartum depression and anxiety. Specifically, maternal health care providers need to understand that medication is just one option and that treatment plans include self-care, social support, talk therapy and medication only when necessary. The MOTHERS Act does not call for either mandatory screening or use of medication. However, the education and public awareness components of the MOTHERS Act will help shed light on the dark days many new mothers unnecessarily suffer.
Sincerely,
Adrienne Griffen
Founder, Postpartum Support Virginia
www.postpartumva.org
For every Amy Philo, there are 100 women who support and understand the importance of the MOTHERS Act. I was very disappointed to not even see one of them represented.
As a postpartum depression survivor, I know too well how the disease can blindside someone who is not properly educated on the illness. And as far as this quote:
"Women who have been healthy all their lives, who haven't suffered lots of anxiety and depressive symptoms, are unlikely to have problems in the postpartum period — not even close to likely," says Michael O'Hara, a University of Iowa professor of psychology …
I have never suffered from anxiety or depression, I have a Masters Degree, a supportive husband and family, and am financially stable … like many women who have battled PPD. The idea that it is unlikely for a woman to have PPD if she hasn't had a history of depression is foreign to anyone who has truly studied the illness. It is not a respecter of persons.
Your article was un-balanced and under-researched, and an unfortunate misuse of Time Magazine's influence on society. You could have helped so many women if you would have stuck to the facts.
Respectfully,
Kim Rogers
Postpartum Progress™ by Katherine Stone is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License Log in
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