In today's episode of Psych Talk I discuss maternal mental health, from infertility struggles through the postpartum period. I start the episode by defining what "maternal mental health" is and sharing some current statistics. I cover the impact of infertility on mental health, anxiety and depression during pregnancy, taking medication during pregnancy, birth trauma, and hormonal shifts after pregnancy. I discuss a variety of postpartum mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, OCD, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and psychosis, as well as non-clinical concerns that mothers tend to face including mom rage, mom guilt, and the invisible load of motherhood. I discuss how the lack of paid and prolonged parental leave in the United States impacts mental health, racial disparities in maternal mental health, as well as ways mothers can get help with their mental health, both professionally and otherwise.
Resources mentioned in this episode:
ACOG Guidelines for Psychiatric Medication Use
Postpartum Support International
Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance
Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Women’s Mental Health
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-852-6262
Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts by Karen Kleiman
Not Your Mother’s Pospartum Book by Caitlin Slavens and Chelsea Bodie
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Intro/Outro Music
Life of Riley by Kevin MacLeod
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