Motherhood is “supposed” to be intuitive, easy, and a joyful period in life but the truth is that becoming a mother is an intensely personal and challenging journey; it can be heart-wrenching, painful, and just plain gross. Whether you identify as depressed, anxious, or just having a hard time, Lesli can provide support.
The number one complication from childbirth is experiencing a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder – research has shown that there are critical points in the first year after bringing baby home, particularly at 1 month, 3-4 months, and 8-9 months postpartum. If your symptoms are interfering with how you take care of yourself and your family, or you just don’t feel like you and want to talk to someone, please call to schedule an initial consultation or a first appointment.
Providers in this speciality used to talk about “postpartum mood and anxiety disorders” despite the fact that symptoms can and do occur prior to pregnancy and in pregnancy, as well as the postpartum period. Around 2015, the language shifted to perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD), to try and reflect a more holistic approach but our knowledge and experience continues to deepen. It is not just the gestational parent that struggles or that needs support – it is about supporting non-gestational parents and partners; it’s about supporting birth, foster, and adoptive parents; it’s about supporting those who have navigated loss and made the decision to live child-free or childless. It’s about the countless ways that we navigate the reproductive period and reproductive decisions in life, however that looks for a particular client or family.
Together we focus first on decreasing symptoms before addressing the underlying stressors that may have contributed to the pressures surrounding parenting including role transitions, past traumas or losses, and recognition of expectations vs reality.
I have additional training and experience with:
- Evaluation and treatment of PMAD, including but not limited to postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, panic, and PTSD
- Reproductive trauma or loss, including infertility, gender disappointment, miscarriage, stillbirth, TFMR, birth trauma, and NICU/Preemie experience
- Transition to Parenthood – first time around or subsequent
- Alternative pathways to parenting such as solo parenting, adoption and foster care, donor egg/sperm/embryo, LGBTQ, and later-in-life parenting
Risk Factors for PMAD Include (But Are Not Limited To):
- History of depression or anxiety prior to pregnancy or in pregnancy
- Type A personality traits, focus on perfectionism
- Family history of postpartum depression or anxiety
- History of postpartum depression or anxiety following previous pregnancies, including miscarriage and stillbirth
- Difficulty getting pregnant, including the use of infertility treatments and alternative methods of family building (IUI, IVF, Donor, Surrogacy, and Adoption)
- Major life changes around the period of pregnancy and birth: moving, new job or leaving your job, loss of friends or family
- Traumatic birth or difficulty with breastfeeding (challenges with supply, baby’s latch, pain)
If you have multiple risk factors on this list, you may benefit from scheduling Preventative Care Appointments. This includes two appointments prior to your estimated due date, and one appointment approximately three weeks postpartum. While this cannot and will not eliminate your risk for symptoms, we can work together to set up a postpartum care plan tailored to your unique wants and needs.
For further questions and scheduling, contact Lesli at 206-486-6167 or lesli@seattle-therapy.com