Most moms wouldn’t ask their pediatricians to check them out if they thought something was wrong. After all, they specialize in children, not women. But what about postpartum depression?
In the early months of motherhood, moms spend more time at the pediatrician’s office than they do with their own doctors, so wouldn’t it make sense for pediatricians to know the signs and symptoms of a suffering mama?
People are starting to think so.
Thanks to social media, an article by Dr. Linda Chaudron describing how pediatricians can be an important line of defense against PPD is making the rounds. Even though it was published in 2003, people are beginning to pay attention to it now. You can find it here.
My pediatrician was the one that got me the help I needed after my own doctor insisted I was fine. By the time my son’s six-month appointment came around, she had seen us enough times to know that I wasn’t myself. She asked ME how I was feeling in a way that I felt like she just knew, and that’s when I asked her if she knew of someone who would actually listen to me and help me get better.
She took literally two minutes of her time and it changed our lives. She used the knowledge she already had, mixed it with compassion, and sent me on my way with the names and phone numbers of two doctors-a therapist and a general practitioner-who could take the reins. That’s it. No diagnosis, no prescriptions, just information on how I could get help.
That’s exactly what Dr. Chaudron’s paper suggests pediatricians do: take a very small amount of time, utilize knowledge and resources they already have, and pass the information on in a small way that can make a major difference.
So if you’re a mama that’s struggling or know of one, don’t overlook a pediatrician as a line of defense against the darkness. They help your babies, and they just might be able to help you. All you have to do is ask—but hopefully, they’ll ask first.
I love this. Our first pedi office had a little sheet I had to fill out. Questionnaire. And a nurse followed up at each following appointment. I only went there three times. I didn’t like them for my baby. I do love that they did that. It helped me realize I needed help and to ask my OB for help. At my new pedi office I have left pamphlets for the nurses to hand out to moms from the near by resource group: Pregnancy and Post Pardum Resource Group in Kansas. I hope do/did. It has a warm line and help for moms of where to find resources.
After my daughter was born and I was falling apart and my OB was blowing it off as “baby blues,” I left a message at the pediatricians asking if they had any referrals or resources for moms with PPD. I never got a call back. I know that pediatricians treat the babies, but if mom is suffering from PPD it affects the child’s health too. Just makes sense to me that they would have, at the least, a small list of local resources they can give to mom.
I support this 100%. I’m not sure if I had baby blues or the beginning of PPD for the first 6 weeks after birth, but I do know I felt very depressed, was in tears at my baby’s checkup appointments, and even filled out the questionnaire (it was only required in the first few weeks). I didn’t get any follow ups and I think it’s because I told them I was “fine” and was careful how I filled out the questionnaire. I was not fine. As a new mother I was embarrassed that I felt the way I did while I was supposed to be responsible for this new life. My husband saw signs but I kept telling him “it’s baby blues it’ll pass”. The spouse/father can report things too, but it’s tough for them because they want to stay loyal to their wife/girlfriend. Pediatricians need to know the signs and talk to mothers (and fathers) one-on-one. Fortunately I had family support to get me through. Again, not sure if BB or PPD but I know more attention from the pediatrician would have helped us.
To be clear – I regret trying to hide how I felt. I don’t suggest “waiting it out” and I urge any new mother to be honest with her doctor/ped. and seek help as soon as she feels something isn’t right and not like her normal self. The sooner you get help the sooner you can enjoy motherhood and your baby.