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Free Guide To Pregnancy & Postpartum Mood Issues

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Are you an expectant mother struggling with feelings of depression and anxiety or perhaps you a new mother feeling that motherhood is everything but what you expected it to be like?

We’ve all seen the pictures of the glowing new mother holding her newborn baby, who is nursing without difficulty as he drifts off into a peaceful sleep. Although that idyllic representation of motherhood is lovely, it is hardly the norm.

To begin, manypostpartum mood disorders expectant mothers experience significant emotional problems during pregnancy. Many women fear that these feelings may continue or worsen after the birth of their baby. Some women experience very difficult labors and the experience can have a huge effect on how she feels emotionally in the weeks or months afterwards.

Most new moms are sleep deprived, frustrated and overwhelmed by juggling the challenges of a new baby with their other obligations. Some experience irritation toward their partner for not offering more support and most find themselves wishing for more hours in the day.

First, take a deep breath, give yourself some credit for all you do, and recognize that you are not alone. Between 10 – 20 percent of women suffer from pregnancy anxiety and/or depression and one in five mothers report experiencing some level of postpartum depression (PPD). It is not only PPD that is common, many women experience anxiety, racing thoughts and even intrusive thoughts that harm is going to come to the baby.

Having a baby – whether it’s your first or forth – requires a significant amount of energy and is a major life transition. Although it may not feel like it, you are likely doing many more things right than wrong.

If you are a new mother and recognize any of these symptoms, you should know that, with help, postpartum depression and the other, similar disorders, are very treatable. Women can, and do respond well to treatment. You do not need to continue to feel this way.

What Can I Do Right Now That Will Help

When you are feeling overwhelmed it is hard to spend time looking all over the internet for answers so I have written a guide and screening tool that can point you in the right direction.

Section 1 – discusses the types and symptoms of pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders.
Section 2 – discusses professional treatment options
Section 3 – highlights self-help strategies and things you can do to start to feel better.

If you feel that you may be experiencing pregnancy or postpartum mood disorder, or worry that you may be at risk of developing it, I invite you to download my free reports below.

THE GUIDE TO PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM STRESS, ANXIETY & DEPRESSION ebook  PREGNANCY / POSTPARTUM MOOD SCREENING TEST ebook

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You've just been sent an email that contains a confirmation link. Check your SPAM/JUNK folder if you don't see it within a couple of minutes. In order to activate to receive your free booklet, click on the CONFIRM link and you will be sent a second email with the booklet. It may also be in your SPAM folder.

I think the booklet can provide a great starting point but if you are experiencing a lot of symptoms, they just don’t seem to be going away or if the self-help strategies are just not enough, you may want to think about how counseling can help.

In addition to 20+ years of working with mothers and families, I have also served 15 years as the director of the Postpartum Alliance of Illinois, a statewide nonprofit organization that provides support to pregnant and postpartum women and their families.

My extensive experience will help you create strategies to cope with feelings of guilt, sadness and anxiety, adjust to the life transitions that baby brings, and balance the needs of your family, relationships, career and self.

I go into more details on the Pregnancy & Postpartum Treatment page and there are also many posts about pregnancy and postpartum issues on my blog.

If you have any questions about how counseling can be useful to your particular circumstances. Please call me on 847 791-7722 or email me below. No two moms experience is the same but everyone can benefit from support.

    Dr. Allen's professional license only allows her to work with clients who live in IL & FL and unfortunately does not allow her to give personalized advice via email to people who are not her clients.

     

    Pregnancy & Postpartum Disorder

  • Download These Free Reports

    PREGNANCY / POSTPARTUM MOOD SCREENING TEST EBOOK

    THE GUIDE TO PREGNANCY & POSTPARTUM STRESS, ANXIETY & DEPRESSION EBOOK

  • Please Enter Your Email To Download This Booklet

    You've just been sent an email that contains a confirmation link. Check your SPAM/JUNK folder if you don't see it within a couple of minutes. In order to activate to receive your free booklet, click on the CONFIRM link and you will be sent a second email with the booklet. It may also be in your SPAM folder.

  • WXRP Radio - The Healing Place


    Dr. Sarah Allen is interviewed about Pregnancy & Postpartum Mood Disorders


      Listen to the show here

  • Testimonials

    When I had my first baby I had what I now know was postpartum depression but I didn’t get any help. It did go away after about 18mths but it was a miserable way to begin motherhood.  When I was pregnant with my second child I started to become depressed again and this time told my OB/GYN how I was feeling and she referred me to Sarah. By starting to deal with how I felt and change the way I was handling the stresses in my life, I was in a much better place when my baby was born. The second time round my PPD was much less severe and didn’t last as long. Sarah was also really helpful in teaching me ways to make the transition of becoming a big sister easier for my oldest one too.   My husband came with me for some sessions and that really helped our relationship and we started working on parenting issues together.  Sarah’s counsel and support really helped our family transition to the good place we are all in today.
    Sara D.
    I began seeing Dr. Allen when my first child was around a year old. I had experienced a very traumatic birth, after a difficult pregnancy where I was on bed rest for a good portion of the time. The first year of my son’s life was spent worrying constantly. I also experienced flashbacks to the birth, which was an emergency C-section under general anesthesia. My son was in the NICU for several days following his birth, and I was not given very much information as to why. I remember thinking that he would die, or that something awful was going to happen. I experienced a great deal of anxiety that first year, and I thought that it was due to being a new mom. I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t eating as normal, and I remember being worried about leaving the house or taking my baby with me anywhere. I worried constantly about illness, germs, etc. The first day that I saw Dr. Allen, she gave me some questionnaires to fill out before we started talking. Then we sat down and talked about my experiences with my son’s birth and the early days of his life, and the year or so since then. I remember to this day the relief that I felt when she looked at me and said that I had PPD and PTSD, which was a result of the trauma I experienced during and immediately after the birth of my son. She explained how my brain had reacted to the stress of these events, and related it to why I was feeling the way that I felt. It made so much sense. Then, she described ways that I could get over the trauma, work through the feelings, and recover from PTSD and PPD. I felt so empowered, and so happy that the way I felt had a name, and that it was treatable. It also made me feel so validated in the ways that I had felt and reacted following my son’s birth. I wasn’t going crazy. My reaction was normal and natural. And with the help of Dr. Allen, and the type of therapy that she uses, I knew I could recover. It is over five years since that first visit with Dr. Allen, and I still use the tools that she taught me today to deal with stress. I credit her with helping me to become a more empowered, happier person.
    Elizabeth
    I refer as many patients as I can to Dr. Allen. She is an expert in treating perinatal mood disorders, and a well-trained and experienced therapist who is committed to working with her clients to develop a treatment plan designed for each individual. She exhibits genuine warmth, kindness and compassion for each of her clients. Dr. Allen has been a colleague of mine for more than 20 years, and I have great confidence when I refer patients to her.
    Leslie Lowell StoutenburgRNC, MS, FACCE Director, Pregnancy & Postpartum Mood & Anxiety Disorder Program and President of Postpartum Support International
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