Mom Pleads: Don’t Wait to Get Treated for Postpartum Depression

By May 13, 2010

How many of you waited to get help for postpartum depression or anxiety? How many of you are waiting it out right now? Are you avoiding treatment for PPD?

There was aGREAT piece yesterday by Allison at O My Family where she wrote about waiting it out, and why she would tell everyone never to do that.

"Please hear me in this: nothing, no pride, no fear, no stigma toward depression or medication is worth the pain of those months.

I will never have them back, those months in which I wasn’t able to be myself to my husband, my brand new son.

If you don’t know where to grasp, what to reach for, who to tell, might I suggest you start with your healthcare provider? I know, I did not start there (in fact, it took both the woman from my church and DanO practically holding my hand to get me to make and arrive at my appointment) but in the end none of the things I feared from a doctor’s visit became reality. None of them."

Listen to her. Learn from her experience.

May 13, 2010 9:39 am Filed Under: Postpartum Depression

Mothers Call for More Specialized Postnatal Depression Units in United Kingdom

By March 21, 2010

Two women are calling on the United Kingdom to increase the number of specialist mother-baby units treating mothers with postnatal (aka postpartum)depression or related illnesses. In a story reported in the Guardian,Claire Keys and Natasha Ellisargue that only 11 such units exist in England and Wales and that women in the UK deserve better access to specialized treatment for postnatal depression.

Eleven unitsis WAY more, I might point out, than in the whole of the United States.

March 21, 2010 10:08 pm Filed Under: Postpartum Depression

Research Roundup: On Postpartum Depression, Screening, Infertility & Treatment Options

By March 2, 2010

Lots of research coming out on or related toperinatal mood & anxiety disorders, including studies on the effectiveness of screening for postpartum depression twice during pregnancy, how your personality may impact whether you get PPD, how trained healthcare providers can reduce risk and how web-based support can help women going through the psychological stress of infertility:

From the British Journal of Psychiatry: "Cognitive style, personality and vulnerability to postnatal depression"

From Advances in Psychiatric Treatment: "Risks & case registers in perinatal psychiatry"(no abstract available)

From the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology: "The utility of maternal depression screening in the third trimester"

From BMJ'sEvidence-Based Mental Health: "Health visitor training reduces risk of postnatal depression 6 months after birth"

From Depression & Anxiety: "Effectiveness of therapeutic massage for generalized anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial"

From the Archives of Women's Mental Health: "Web-based treatment for infertility-related psychological distress"

Note: Many of these require subscriptions to the publications, which I don't have and you probably don't either. But you can at least read the abstract and get an idea of what the research was about and what the conclusion of the studies were.

March 2, 2010 7:50 am Filed Under: Infertility, Risk Factors

Two Stories of Postpartum Anxiety and A Commentary on Medication for Depression

By March 1, 2010

I read a lot of stuff. Thanks to the explosion of the blogosphere, it's getting harder and harder to keep up with all the great writing and sharing going on about postpartum depression. So I've missed a few things lately. What's more frustrating, they were things written by virtual friends of mine, people who have always been supportive of women with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, and people who have contributed to Postpartum Progress.

The first thing I missed was a great piece by Rita Arens of Surrender, Dorothy. Rita was a contributor to last year's Mother's Day Rally for Moms' Mental Health. Her post on BlogHer, entitled "Extreme Anxiety & New Motherhood: The Perfect Storm", is a great decription of what it is like to be a new mom when you suffer from anxiety. You think you've got worries?! Try being someone with PPA! They never end, not the normal "my baby isn't having enough bowel movements" worries and not the over-the-top "my baby is going tobe abducted by aliens" worries. Rita writes:

"In the height of my anxiety, I didn't trust my own instincts at all. I felt crazy most of the time, so how could I possibly know how to solve my parenting problems? I constantly sought the advice of others, read more parenting books — especially sleep books — watched the great new show Supernanny, read parenting magazines and parenting Web sites. I read advice that said if I just let my daughter cry for ten minutes, she'd sleep well for the rest of her life. I read articles that said too much baby fat would lead to a lifetime of obesity. (My girl was an off-the-charts large baby and is a 50th percentile five-year-old.) I read about the mercury in the tuna fish and the lead in the toys and worried about gas leaks and refined sugar and screen time all while letting my daughter eat packaged toddler snacks and watch more Baby Einstein while I sat on the couch trying to calm myself down and not go through once more in my head how quickly I could install the fire rescue ladder in my daughter's window when our house inevitably burned down."

How did Rita read my mind like that?

I also missed a piece by Catherine Connors of Her Bad Mother, who was also a contributor to the 2009 Mother's Day Rally for Moms' Mental Health. Also on BlogHer, and entitled "Depression: There's Still A Pill for That" is a commentary on all the press out lately about how antidepressants don't work. Catherine writes:

"In the parenting community, mothers sometimes resist discussing their use of antidepressants, because they fear stigma and judgment, and the characterization of antidepressants as either a) unnecessary, or b) the fallback of the truly crazy might be just enough to discourage open discussion about post-partum depression and, by extension, perhaps discourage some women from looking into it. If one is afraid of being stigmatized as crazy or sick, then the impulse to self-diagnose one's depression as 'mild blues' and avoid the pills could be strong. It already is. Making light of studies like these doesn't help".

She and I feel the same way about the mischaracterization of research in the media. I wrote about the same exact study and how it was inaccurately reported in my post "Headlines Report Antidpressants No More Effective Than Placebo. Were They Right?". (They weren't, by the way.) Catherine has an enormous reach and influence with her blog, so I'm glad she's taking the media to task. Given the back and forth over antidepressants in the post I wrote last week for BlogHer, this is a timely topic.

Then there's Heather Spohr, at The Spohr's Are Multiplying, who wrote this week about her current experience with postpartum anxiety. I don't know Heather yet, but maybe someday. Heather's daughter Maddie,passed away tragically last year. The combination of her previous experience with postpartum anxiety after having Maddie and her daughter's loss has led to a second bout of PPA after the birth of her new littlebaby Annabel.

"I want to be mentally healthy, mentally present for my Annabel, and I’m working really hard at it. I had massive postpartum anxiety with Madeline so I knew I would be at an increased risk to get it again. I didn’t want that. I didn’t want to suffer through it again. But this time around, with everything that’s happened, it has been inevitable."

Go giveHeather a virtual Warrior Mom hug.

March 1, 2010 10:59 am Filed Under: Warrior Moms

Study Shows Acupuncture Works to Relieve Depression During Pregnancy

By February 24, 2010

New York Times Motherlode blogger Lisa Belkin reports on a studynewly published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecologyfinding that acupuncture has the potential to treat depression during pregnancy, alsoknown asantenatal depression or antepartum depression.

“Researchers at Stanford University tested alternative treatments and antidepressants for pregnant women, and found that acupuncture designed specifically to treat depression is a potential substitute. Sixty-three percent of women who received that treatment responded well, compared with only 44 percent who received massage therapy or acupuncture that was not specifically targeted for depression. The study did not compare any of these treatments with either antidepressants or psychotherapy.”

Anews release from Stanford University, where the study was conducted, points out:

“Depression, if left untreated, can pose risks to both mother and baby. The mom-to-be could stop taking care of herself or her fetus, and might even engage in self-destructive behavior. Studies have also linked depression during pregnancy to poor birth outcomes and postpartum depression. ‘Treatment of depression during pregnancy is critically important so that a woman can maintain her sense of well-being and take good care of herself, her fetus and, someday, her child,’ said [study co-author Deirdre] Lyell.”

Very true. I’m excited to see this alternative treatment has potential.

I wonder how a mom-to-be would find an acupuncturist who is well-trained in working with pregnant women and in doing acupuncture targeted for depression?

Lisa Belkin also makes the point that, given that low-income women are at a higher risk of experiencing postpartum depression, “What are the odds that a pregnant woman who does not see a doctor is going to get diagnosed and treated for depression, and with acupuncture no less?”

Maybe someday.

Here’s a direct link to the study abstract. And here is the MGH Center for Women’s Mental Health weighing in on the study.

Update: And for an opposing view of this study’s results, read “Is Acupunture Valuable in Treating Depression?” from Better Health:

“Therefore we have a small and improperly blinded and randomized study showing a modest clinical effect. This does not significantly alter the low prior probability of a treatment effect from needle placement.

This study should also be considered in the context of other trials looking at acupuncture and depression. This very recent Cochrane review concluded:

We found insufficient evidence to recommend the use of acupuncture for people with depression. The results are limited by the high risk of bias in the majority of trials meeting inclusion criteria.”

Photo credit: © Max Tactic – Fotolia

February 24, 2010 10:44 am Filed Under: Depression and Pregnancy

Time Magazine's Balanced Piece on Depression During Pregnancy

By February 12, 2010

This week Time published what I think is a very balanced piece on depression during pregnancy, also called antepartum depression or antenatal depression, and how it should be treated.

We gaveTime a pretty hard time last year about their coverage of postpartum depression screening, so I wanted to give kudos as well wherethey aredeserved.

In the new story, they cover the fact that women with previous episodes of depression or anxiety who go off their medication during pregnancy have a higher likelihood of experiencing postpartum depression.

They cover the effects of untreated pregnancy depression on children, including such things as pre-term birth, and violence and aggression (see the newly published study from Child Development on this).

They also cover the fact that there is not enough research on the impact of antidepressants on babies in the womb, making it a very difficult decision for women to make because there are risks that are known and potentially risks that are unknown.

They interviewed a real expert on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders – Dr. Shari Lusskin.

And they talk about various methods of treatment, including therapy, yoga and massage. I would have like to see them mention the guidelines put out last year by ACOG and the APA for the treatment of depression during pregnancy. They did mention, though, ACOG’s recent announcement urging obstetricians to screen their patients.

Well-researched. Well-done, Time.

Perhaps, just perhaps, they listened to us last year. Way to go, Warrior Moms!

For more on the topic of depression during pregnancy, click here and scroll through the news and stories.

February 12, 2010 7:02 am Filed Under: Depression and Pregnancy, PPD in the Media

USA Today: The Role Pediatricians Can Play When It Comes to Postpartum Depression

By February 11, 2010

Liz Szabo did a nice piece in USA Today on Wednesday about the role pediatricans can play in paying attention to the health of mothers. She uses the example of new mom Tracy Hart, whose pediatrician recognized she had postpartum depression and convinced her to get help.

"Although pediatricians are trained to treat children, there are times when they also need to take care of parents, says Everett's pediatrician, Kerith Rudnicki of Atlanta. 'As a pediatrician, I can't treat the child in isolation,' says Rudnicki, who notes that new mothers make far more visits to the pediatrician than to their own doctors, especially in the first weeks after delivery. And fathers may not see a doctor at all. 'The pediatrician is the one who needs to be on the lookout for personal problems.'"

Way to go, Dr. Rudnicki! This is how it should be.

February 11, 2010 10:32 am Filed Under: PPD in the Media

On Postpartum Depression, Pediatricians & A Not-So-Trivial Pursuit

By February 11, 2010

Warrior Moms are talking. Shhhh. Let's listen …

Pretty Swell Mama on how her pediatrician discovered her PPD. Great story about the importance of follow up. Way to go nurses!

The Trivial Pursuit of Happiness on knowing the signs of postpartum depression and not wasting another year (like she feels she did the first time) avoiding asking for help.(I love this piece.)

"I keep reminding myself that I lived through all of this, and that I do not have to do it again. I know too much now to ignore the signs, to think that it is okay to feel so numb and angry and scared all at the same time. There is a good chance that I won’t have to face it down again – I was fine after Ella’s birth, which was one of the reasons I was so unprepared to fight it after Alice’s – but if I do have to face PPD again, I refuse to waste my time wondering and waiting. I refuse to waste another year of our lives."

And for a super, special bonus, this blog post from Steam Me Up, Kid has nothing whatsoever to do with postpartum depression but is LAUGH OUT LOUD funny.Could you hear theloud guffawing coming from Atlanta? Sometimes a little humor helps when you have depression or anxiety. (Just wait until you get to the part with the dog pics.)

February 11, 2010 7:47 am Filed Under: Warrior Moms

Can Untreated Mild Depression Lead to Chronic Depression?

By February 10, 2010

Why treat postpartum depression?

For one thing, untreated depression can lead to long-term, chronic major depression. As reported on the US News & World Report website, the February issue of Psychiatric Services published a study found that four years after being seen for mild depression symptoms by their physicians and screening positive for depression, 62% of those who did not go on to receive treatment ended up with major depression.

"These findings come in the wake of intensive focus by the media on a study reported in January which showed that depressed patients with mild symptoms did not do any better with medication than with placebo, suggesting that patients with mild depression don't need treatment," the study's lead author, Myrna M. Weissman, a Columbia University profession, said in a new release from the American Psychiatric Association. "Of course, patients in a clinical trial are receiving a considerable amount of attention and are not untreated."

"Our findings suggest that mildly depressed, untreated patients do not have a benign course of illness," she said."

When they refer to treatment in this case, it's my understanding they mean either medication or therapy.

Does this mean every single person who feels bad or has a rough time needs medication or therapy? Of course not. But perhaps physicians need to consider more carefully whether someone does need treatment for PPD, and patients need to know they shouldn't ignore their symptoms.

For more on this and how it relates to postpartum depression, click here: Don't Let the Terms "Baby Blues" or "Mild Postpartum Depression" Fool You

February 10, 2010 7:50 am Filed Under: Postpartum Depression

Share Your Story & Win a Postpartum Progress Coffee Mug

By February 1, 2010

Last week I asked you to tell us what finally brought those of you who have recovered, or are in the process of doing so, to reach out for professional help.

There were some really great responses in the comments section, but I heard from a healthcare professional who was disappointed that there weren't even more. She is really interested in hearing from moms what the tipping point was, what made them call a doctor or other provider.

So in the interest of getting more responses, I'm offering a little prize: a Postpartum Progress coffee mug.

Postpartum Progress Mug

Ooooooooooh. Aaaaaaaah.

Comment below (click the word "comment" at the bottom of this post) and let us know what made you seek treatment, and I will enter you into a drawing for the mug. What changed your mind if you were avoiding asking for help? What or who convinced you that you needed help and made you feel it was ok to call a doctor? Or made you call a doctor even if you felt it wasn't ok? Whatever it was, dramatic or mundane, we want to hear it.

There will be one lucky winner! (Oh, and don't worry, those of you who commented last week are automatically entered into the drawing.)

February 1, 2010 9:38 am Filed Under: Warrior Moms
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