Women’s Issues

Click here to read more about accessing help via online or telephone support.

Researchers at the University of Exeter, England have shown that postpartum depression (called postnatal depression in the UK) can be treated effectively using online therapy.

Rates of postpartum depression are high — between 10 to 30 percent of mothers are affected — but many women don’t seek help partly due to  practical reasons. The study found that the women who received the internet based treatment reported better results for depression, work and social impairment, and anxiety scores immediately after they had received the treatment. They also reported better results for depression six months after treatment.

The study lead researcher, Dr. Heather O’Mahen, said that the results, published in the journal Psychological Medicine, “indicate that such an internet-based facility for treatment could have a positive effect on postnatal depression as a whole, providing new mums with support at times which are convenient to them and allowing them to complete a course of therapy”.

She added: “Our hope is that this will allow more women to access and benefit from support, with all the knock-on positives that come from that: happier families, improved quality of life for mums”.

Many new mothers prefer therapy over drug-based solutions, especially if they are breastfeeding, but many women find it hard to access traditional clinic or office-based therapy due to issues such as transportation, childcare, variable feeding and nap times, which all conspire to make it hard to keep appointments. It is critical to provide new mothers with treatments that work for them.

Dr. Allen offers online or telephone sessions to make it more convenient for pregnant and new moms to get specialist help.

Click here to read more about accessing help via online or telephone support.

If you would like to know more about symptoms and treatment click below to read my blog post click this link The Facts About Pregnancy & Postpartum Anxiety.

If you want to read more about maternal mental health download the FREE Guide To Pregnancy & Postpartum Stress, Anxiety & Depression. It is full of information about symptoms, different types of maternal mood disorders and advice about what to do to start feeling like yourself again.

Dr. Sarah Allen has 20+ years experience as a psychologist helping women transition to being the mom they want to be. She is also the Director of the Postpartum Depression Alliance of IL, a non-profit offering info and support to pregnant and postpartum moms and their families.

In her Northbrook office, in the North Suburbs of Chicago, or via telephone or online counseling she offers the most convenient way for you to access support and help.

If you have questions after reading this article or the Guide To Pregnancy & Postpartum Stress, Anxiety & Depression or have any questions about how counseling can be useful to your particular circumstances please contact me at 847 791-7722 or on the form below.

 

I don’t mean to blame our hormones here but really, they can be a bit of a pain and issues relating to our reproductive cycles can add an extra layer of stress, usually just when we don’t need it.

When Women Typically Benefit From Some Extra Support:

• When your monthly cycle brings mood swings that make you feel out of control
• When getting pregnant or staying pregnant isn’t as easy as you thought it would be.
• If you are pregnant or postpartum and have anxiety or depression symptoms that makes motherhood not the journey you expected.
  
• If your labor experience was traumatic. This is more common than you think and can leave women feeling guilty, anxious and/or angry.
• During perimenopause or menopause which can span quite a long period of time and can bring mood swings, insomnia as well as physical and emotional issues.

I really want to encourage you to reach out for support and not feel you have to go through difficult periods of your life alone. The research I did on traumatic childbirth showed women who reached out to more than one source of support recovered more quickly than those who didn’t and my clinical experience leads me to believe that is true for many situations we find ourselves in.

Where To Find Support?

There are many organizations that have wonderful websites that are both a source of information and support. It is good to know you aren’t the only one going through this and I have listed some good resources below. Reach out to your friends and family. They love you and want to help but you have to let them know what you need. Sometimes we also need some professional support. When you make your initial phone call to a psychologist make sure they have experience with what you are going through and most important, you feel a connection and that they are someone you can talk to easily.

Here Are Some Useful Links:

Pregnancy & Postpartum:

www.drsarahallen.com/perinatal moods – information & free screening tool & book
www.ppdil.org – Lists pregnancy & PPD resources in IL
www.postpartumprogress.com – Great blog and information about perinatal mood disorders
www.postpartumdads.org – Information & resources for Dads

www.postpartum.net – Information and help for pregnancy & postpartum
www.mayoclinic.com – Antidepressants During Pregnancy

Birth Trauma:

Click to read PTSD Following Traumatic Birth Experiences  article by Dr. Allen first published in the Expectant Mother’s Guide

Birth Trauma: More Common Than You Think – blog post about PTSD childbirth

www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk – Information about traumatic labor experiences
www.tabs.org.nz – Information about traumatic labor experiences

Menopause & Perimenopause:

www.menopause.org – Information & resources for menopause
www.healthywomen.org – Information on how to look after yourself midlife and beyond.

Infertility:

www.resolve.org – Information & resources for infertility.
www.theafa.org – The American Fertility Association – Information & resources for infertility.

Perinatal Loss

www.marchofdimes.com/loss – Comprehensive list of resources for pregnancy and newborn loss.
www.honoredbabies.org – lists many resources for grieving parents.

No matter at what point we are in our reproductive lifespan, support can help when we experience something that is emotionally and physically difficult. We often think that we should be able to figure things out our self but other people have been there before and their experience can help you.