Supporting moms & growing families.

Mom holding baby while sitting down.

Prioritize maternal mental health.

Women are amazing at balancing family, relationships, work, caring for children, and managing their households. However, pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting all bring dramatic changes to women’s lives. Adding a baby brings another layer of complexity and can be extremely challenging. This period can be a joyous time but can also unexpectedly bring periods of anxiety, intrusive thoughts, isolation, and mood changes. You are not alone in this time of transition and, with support, you will feel better.

While many women experience some mild mood changes during or after the birth of a child, 15 to 20% of women experience more significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders can occur anytime during pregnancy or the first year postpartum.

Baby holding mom's finger.

Baby Blues

Emotional swings weepiness, feelings of exhaustion, irritation, and sadness, often called the “Baby Blues,” may occur in the first few weeks after delivery. This happens because after delivery your hormones are rapidly changing and you’re getting less sleep than you’re typically used to. These symptoms usually begin one to three days after delivery and may last one to two weeks. This is normal and usually resolves in a few weeks without treatment. If the symptoms do not lessen after two weeks, contact a professional as you may be experiencing something more serious than baby blues.

  • Perinatal depression is a mood disorder that can affect women during pregnancy and after childbirth. The word “perinatal” refers to the time before and after the birth of a child. Perinatal depression includes depression that begins during pregnancy (called prenatal depression) and depression that begins after the baby is born (called postpartum depression).

  • Postpartum anxiety is excessive worrying that occurs after childbirth or adoption. People with postpartum anxiety may feel consumed with worry and feel constantly nervous or panicked.

  • Postpartum Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is not unlike OCD that anyone else may experience; however, its symptoms involve the mother’s thoughts and behaviors specifically towards or about her newborn. It is characterized by intrusive thoughts and behaviors that are in response to a perceived danger toward their baby. These thoughts and behaviors are constant and repetitive, and they can severely disrupt daily life.

  • Unlike postpartum depression, postpartum panic disorder is a triggered condition that results in excessive worry, fear, and anxiety as opposed to depression and sadness.

  • Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition that presents similar symptoms as other forms of PTSD. When women experience real or perceived traumas before, during, or after childbirth, it can result in chronic and terrifying symptoms.

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD)

Types of PMADS:

PMAD symptoms may include:

  • low mood or depressed mood

  • sadness and excessive crying

  • loss of interest or pleasure in doing things

  • agitation and irritability

  • anxiety and constant worry

  • difficulty concentrating

  • disturbances in appetite and/or sleep

  • loss of energy

  • the feeling of guilt, shame, or hopelessness

  • possible thoughts of harming yourself or your baby

These feelings get in the way of performing everyday activities, particularly caring for yourself and your baby. Women are vulnerable to postpartum depression up to one year following delivery. Untreated perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) can impact a mother’s ability to care for herself, relate to others, bond with her infant, and parent her older children.

Dads, partners, adoptive parents, and foster parents can also experience depression or anxiety after the arrival of a new child. All parents need support and extra care during this transition.

The changes that your body and emotions go through during and following pregnancy are very real and so are the risks for a PMAD. It is a serious illness, just like diabetes or heart disease, and it can be treated. At Rooted Counseling Services, we have licensed mental health therapists specializing in perinatal mental health. We can help to ensure women's emotional health during any of the perinatal periods (pregnancy, postpartum, perinatal grief and loss, and mothering during the early years).