Welcome to episode thirty-one of the Honest Mamas Podcast! Today, we speak to Jessica Porten about the criminalization of postpartum depression.

Jessica Porten, of Sacramento, wrote about her experience in a Facebook post that has been shared more than 30,000 times. Jessica was escorted to a hospital by police after speaking to a nurse practitioner about postpartum depression has sparked a conversation among women.

After a brief exam, Jessica said she had to meet with police before going to a local emergency room. She said she was not examined by a doctor and was discharged 10 hours later with only handouts on local resources for postpartum depression support.

"It was terrible and it was traumatic," Jessica told ABC News. "I expected to have a conversation about my treatment options and instead the conversation centered around my symptoms and I did not receive any treatment."

What you’ll hear in this episode

• The background and story of what happened to Jessica
• What happened around the discharge
• How the support systems needed for new moms are not in place
• How we take the next step to bring about change
• The impact this experience had on Jessica as a mother
• The way in which American western culture devalues mothers

Resources

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10213174920945414&id=1166947031