Postpartum depression treatment

NB Whole Foods asks for dime donations to support Postpartum Depression Alliance

by Alan P. Henry
May 07, 2013

Every time you shop at Whole Foods Market in Northbrook between now and June 30 and use your own bag, you will potentially be helping support the statewide helpline and website of the Postpartum Depression Alliance of Illinois.

Northbrook’s Whole Foods, 840 Willow Road, is supporting the cause through its One Dime At A Time community program. When a shopper uses their own bag, they will be given the opportunity to donate the 10 cents given for reusing bags to the Alliance.

“I was just blown away and very excited that they would do that for us,” said Dr. Sarah Allen, Director of the PPD Alliance of Illinois, which promotes awareness, prevention and treatment of maternal mental health issues. “Although we support women all over the State, we are based in Northbrook and are very integrated with the community here, offering support groups and workshops for new moms.”

PPD IL offers a help line (847- 205-4455) and website (www.PPDil.org) for women and their families so they can learn more about pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders and access local resources such as support groups and trained healthcare providers.

Proceeds from the One Dime at a Time program, which have been earmarked for the Alliance since April 1, will help defray the roughly $4,000 annual cost of operating the website, printing and other costs.

“Whatever help we get, we will be very pleased,” said Dr. Allen, a 16-year Northbrook resident and Whole Foods shopper who approached the store in February with the idea.

Dr. Allen, who specializes in individual, couple and family therapy, is also offering a free workshop entitled Emotional Wellness for Moms on May 15 from 10-11:30 a.m. at 3400 Dundee Road, Suite 245, in Northbrook to discuss the challenges new moms face and offer ways women can look after themselves emotionally when they have a new baby.

The over-arching message at the workshop will be “you don’t have to be alone,” said Allen , who founded the PPD Alliance in 2001.

“It is very hard to parent. People are overwhelmed, and they feel, ‘Oh, I should be able to do this all by myself,'” Allen said. “My message is that it is OK to get some help doing this. It doesn’t need to build up to be this major disaster. You can come in for the workshop, or a couple of sessions, meet some other moms, just talk about what’s going on, and just get a little support.”

Studies indicate that approximately 20 percent of pregnant women and 15 percent of new mothers experience major or minor depression in the first year after giving birth, Allen said.

Gov. Pat Quinn recently declared May Perinatal Mood Disorders Awareness Month. “The Alliance has also embraced the term ‘perinatal mood disorders’ to express the inclusion of all emotional issues that can occur during pregnancy or within a year of delivery,” Allen said.

For more information about pregnancy & postpartum mood disorders and PPMD Awareness month contact: Dr. Sarah Allen, Director IL PPD Alliance at (847) 791-7722 or drsfcallen@gmail.com or visit www.drsarahallen.com

 

Pictured is Dr. Sarah Allen, Directer of the PPD Alliance of Illinois

John Hopkins researchers have uncovered specific chemical alterations in two genes that, when present during pregnancy, reliably predict whether a woman will develop postpartum depression. This is a small study but if it can be replicated on a larger scale that would mean great news for pregnant moms. We already ask that doctors screen pregnant women by asking about risk factors such as prior or family history of mood disorders, current stressful situations or relationships but it is much easier (and therefore more likely that doctors have time to do it) if it is added to the standard battery of blood tests doctors already give pregnant women.

If we can more easily identify women who have a high risk for PPD, then we provide the new mom with support and education about effective treatments while she is still pregnant and hopefully get help started immediately following birth to reduce the depression’s severity or length. This will also help normalize the experience (research has shown that 10 – 20% of new moms experience PPD) and women won’t feel that it something that they are doing wrong or feel guilt about not enjoying new motherhood. We mustn’t start viewing PPD as only due to genetics though. We must also recognize the impact stressors i.e. lack of support, loneliness, financial and environmental stress or trauma have on PPD. This is a very small study but the researchers say they hope to move to the next step to collect blood samples from a larger group of pregnant women and follow them for a longer period of time.