Mom and Mind | Pregnancy and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

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Episode Interlude: Life Happens! Feb 04, 2019

Show notes

Things don't always go as planned and sometimes life gets in the way of the best laid plans. So, what do we do? We go with it and jump right back in where we left off!

Find out how life has been happening to me and what I'm doing about it!

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136: Doulas and Birth Trauma Recovery Jan 28, 2019

Show notes

Many people still may not be clear about the role of a doula in prenatal, birth, and postpartum support. On today’s show, we’re focusing specifically on how a doula can help with trauma for the mother and reduce overall risks during the entire pregnancy and birth process.

Courtney Butts is a Licensed Master Social Worker and Certified BEST Doula in Dallas, TX. After the birth of her son, Courtney knew she wanted to serve in support to families as a doula and childbirth educator. This work has allowed her to merge two passions: working with trauma survivors and her love of all things pregnancy and postpartum. She also provides therapy focused on maternal mental health.

Alexis Edwards is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified BEST Doula, and owner of Birth 360, a private practice in Austin, TX, that provides prenatal and postnatal therapy and doula support. She is a survivor of sexual assault and an advocate for healing through birth. Her own traumatic births and journey to motherhood inspired her to become a doula with a holistic, trauma-informed practice that incorporates not only birth and postpartum support, but also recognizes the link between birth and maternal mental health.

These two women came together in January 2018 to co-create a trauma-informed support training for birth and postpartum professionals that they teach across the US. As mental health professionals and birth workers with a background of serving survivors, they bring a unique perspective on how to better support women carrying trauma through the childbearing years.

Show Highlights:

The role of a doula in birth and postpartum: a non-medical professional who provides non-judgmental support and information to improve physical, emotional, and mental health
How they want to provide information for their clients to be able to speak up with control and empowerment in the birthing process
Most doulas are passionate about advocating and educating outside of birthing spaces, all to help moms have better outcomes
How doulas help in trauma that may show up in the birthing process
How some women navigate past trauma AND new traumas in the birthing space
How they look for triggers and teach grounding techniques
Balancing the boundary between the doula and therapist roles and how they hold safe space for clients in both roles
Having conversations about potential triggers, like certain types of touch
The information that Alexis and Courtney want medical professionals to have to bring better outcomes for moms
The need for education, like in understanding the maternal mortality rates for black women in the US
Supporting moms to be heard and seen, even before the birthing process
How doulas support trauma recovery
As a doula, being in tune with the client’s needs and understanding their birth plan wishes
The Polyvagal Theory---referring to the vagus nerve, the longest in the human body
How we interpret and respond to threats: fight, flight, or freeze
How the work of medical professionals should come from a trauma-informed lens
How Alexis and Courtney deal with clients with trauma and offer support
The focus on grounding and finding a safe space
How Alexis and Courtney’s training gives tools and techniques that doulas can use
How their training helps in specific ways
How doulas can improve outcomes: decreases in C-sections, pitocin, and pain relief meds, and an overall increase in vaginal births

Resources:

Courtney: @courtneybuttsdoula (Instagram and Facebook)

www.courtneybutts.com

Alexis: @birth360atx (Instagram and Facebook)

www.birth360.net

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135: Recovering from 4th Degree Tears Jan 21, 2019

Show notes

Laura Fry is a wife and mother to 3 amazing kids. She is a former health care professional, turned stay at home mom after the birth of her first son. During that birth she suffered a 4th degree perineal tear and in January 2015 created a Facebook support group for others who have also sustained 4th degree tearing in childbirth. The group has grown to 1,200 members from all over the world, representing 6 continents and 33 countries. Laura is now using the knowledge she has gained from that support group to raise awareness of severe tearing and advocate for better care by using social media and speaking at conferences.

Please share your story

- How do you think this impacted your mental wellness

- Looking back, what do you think you needed at the time. What could have supported you better?

- How can health and mental health care providers do better?

- Hopeful messages for moms and families out there

- Share a bit about your work now.

Facebook support group - https://facebook.com/groups/1538075199800995

Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Mothers-with-4th-Degree-Tears-1548538518602609/

Instagram - @motherswith4thdegreetears

Twitter - @MothersWith4DTs

Blog - https://motherswith4thdegreetears.wordpress.com/

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134: Chiropractic Care for Babies: Colic, reflux, breastfeeding and more Jan 14, 2019

Show notes

Pediatric chiropractic care is a healthcare field that most people know nothing about. Most of us don’t fully understand how amazing this level of support can be, even for newborn babies, and how it brings relief and confidence to weary and frazzled parents.

Dr. Sheena Lee is a family chiropractor serving babies, kids, pregnant moms, and growing families. She has extensive pediatric and prenatal training through the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, and additional training to serve kids with neurodevelopmental challenges. In addition, she’s also a trained birth doula. Dr. Sheena is on a mission to elevate the consciousness of her community about what it means to be truly healthy from the inside out, what it means to make empowered choices, and what it means to feel deeply connected. Why? Because, as a teen, she struggled tremendously and felt disconnected from everyone, including herself, and even felt trapped in her own body. A visit to a chiropractor drastically changed things for Sheena, and she knows she was ultimately reconnected to her body and set free. Things have come full circle for her, as she’s now a chiropractor who is passionately concerned about caring for babies and children so they can thrive from the very beginning of their life, and not experience the same struggles that she did. Dr. Sheena practices at Vibrant Health Family Chiropractic in San Dimas, CA, a space dedicated to serving families so they can shine vibrantly from the inside out.

Show Highlights:

How chiropractic care for babies and kids differs greatly from adult chiropractic, and covers immune suppression, growth/development, behavior, and symptoms such as reflux and colic
Why these issues come down to stress and how the nervous system reacts
For adjustments on babies and kids, only fingertip pressure is used, as the chiropractor still adjusts the spine, but doesn’t “crack” the bones
Why special attention should be paid to the upper neck and lower back, because of how the baby was positioned in utero and how they came through the birth canal
How Dr. Sheena also uses the Insight Nervous System scan to detect stress in a baby’s body
Why Dr. Sheen emphasizes the gentle pressure of the adjustment, with no twisting or pressing
Most parents will see a lactation consultant and a pediatric dentist--when a pediatric chiropractor may have the answer
How to find a pediatric chiropractor
The specialized training that not all chiropractors have
How chiropractic can help with sensory processing disorders, evidenced by colic and sleep issues, reflux and constipation, ear infections and respiratory infections, allergies and eczema, and motor and speech delays
How things stack up with worsening symptoms until chiropractic care brings them back into balance
Why chiropractic isn’t a one-time fix, but much relief can be found when it’s used to maintain wellness

Resources:

www.getvibranthealth.com Check out Dr. Sheena’s website and her free webinars

Find her on Instagram and Facebook: @DrSheenaLee and San Dimas Chiropractor

www.icpa4kids.org Find a pediatric chiropractor near you

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133: An Egg Donor's Journey Through Perinatal PTSD, Depression and Anxiety Jan 07, 2019

Show notes

Sometimes traumas occur that aren’t discussed or supported in the ways they should be. It takes some brave soul to forge the path in changing the narrative for those who follow. Today’s show is an important conversation of a personal story of egg donation, what can go wrong, and the emotional trauma that might follow.

Meghan Coltrane is a Licensed Professional Counselor in perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. Her private practice is in Asheville, NC. She’s here to share her personal experience of being an egg donor, which led her into the field of perinatal emotional health. I’m putting a sensitivity notice on this episode for anyone who has experienced obstetrical complications or trauma related to a procedure. This kind of complication is very rare, but it CAN happen, so we want to bring awareness to it and learn, understand, and support people through all aspects of their reproductive and mental health.

Show Highlights:

Meghan’s rare complications are an uncommon experience in egg donation
When she was 25, she applied to be an egg donor and went through the required testing
Within days of being approved, two different couples had chosen her as their egg donor and she prepared for her next cycle with the necessary medications and many ultrasounds
Who needs an egg donor? Any couple seeking to do IVF without their own viable eggs
20 eggs were retrieved during the procedure and her mother drove her home to rest, with her plan being to return to work the next day
She tried to sleep, then woke up, and fainted on her way to the bathroom
The on-call nurse told her to drink more water
She went back to sleep, but kept waking up with increasing abdominal pain; it became sharp, like nothing she’d ever felt before
The on-call nurse prescribed Tylenol with codeine
Later, her roommate took her to the ER, where she was given IV fluids and was admitted for 3 days
The diagnosis was ovarian torsion, in which the ovaries were twisting on themselves and severe bleeding was occurring
Throughout her hospital stay, her caregivers were always on guard for the need for emergency surgery, which would have meant the removal of her ovaries
After her discharge, she visited 6 different doctors and began having anxiety, terrors, and emotional issues
Her physical recovery took 1-2 weeks, but the emotional healing took much longer
Meghan was anxious, terrified, scared, and filled with irrational fears and repeated nightmares
Her body responded as though she had been through a sexual assault, with her even being terrified of every man she came into contact with
Why she hunkered down and shut everyone out of her life
She had no energy, was exhausted, and lost a lot of weight
She saw her therapist and went to Yoga for Trauma classes
She saw a psychiatrist for medication to help her eat and sleep
During the first year, she threw herself into self-healing and did TRE (trauma releasing exercises) and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) with her primary therapist
The fertility clinic kept calling, asking her to donate again, even though she had told them she was done
Why she felt treated “like a machine that gave them their product”
There was no discussion about the hormonal effects or the possible mental effects of the process or the risks
Meghan’s desire is not to discourage egg donation, but to encourage trauma-informed care
How Meghan has started doing trauma-informed care training
How she wouldn’t do it again, but gained a lot of insight in how to care for herself and set boundaries
The financial benefits of egg donation, taxes, and why it’s not worth it
Her official diagnosis: anxiety, depression, and PTSD
What Meghan wants others to know about this process and the impact on perinatal mental health
Meghan’s advice: “Be open to healing and surround yourself with those who respect your boundaries.”

Resources:

www.meghancoltrane.com

www.weareeggdonors.com

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132: Path to Wellness Through Pregnancy and Postpartum Dec 31, 2018

Show notes

What are the key factors to wellness? Wellness is important for everyone, but is vitally important during pregnancy and the postpartum period, both for new moms AND dads. Let’s talk about the key factors on the path to wellness.

Adrienne Griffen is the founder and Executive Director of Postpartum Support Virginia. She started PSVA to fill a gap in services in her area. When she experienced postpartum depression and anxiety in 2002, it took almost six months to find the help she needed. Since then, she’s been providing information, outreach, and support to new mothers and the healthcare providers who serve them. For her efforts, Adrienne was selected as the Peer Specialist of the Year by the National Council for Behavioral Health in January 2016, and a Woman of Vision by Arlington County’s Commission on the Status of Women in June 2018. Adrienne graduated from the US Naval Academy and has a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Her early career included military and government service at the White House, Pentagon, and IRS. Adrienne lives in Arlington, VA, with her husband and three children.

Show Highlights:

Adrienne’s The Path to Wellness, a one-page summary to help moms; it starts with the basics and moves into self-care, social support, therapy, and medications
The scaffolding approach of The Path to Wellness
Self-care and its four key components: eat, sleep, exercise, and time off
How Adrienne helps moms realize the necessity of self-care
Tips to get good sleep (4-5 uninterrupted hours) for new moms
Nutrition for new moms: eat when the baby eats, and focus on nutrient-dense, high protein snacks with lots of water
Tip: stock a feeding station wherever you feed the baby
To get good exercise, go for a walk outside, which can benefit both mom and baby
To get “time off,” figure out what can make you better for the day, whether it’s showering, yoga, meditation, journaling, etc.
For social support, get connected to other women who are going through the same thing
Support will give you validation, normalization, and hope
Social support can take varied forms, so find the one that works best for you
In-person support groups can offer positive reinforcement
Talk therapy or counseling can help moms gain control over emotions and learn coping strategies
One goal is to “soften up” women who are in a brittle state so they can be more stable
Medications are not a first step, but some are safe for pregnant and breastfeeding moms
Why there are many misconceptions and much misinformation about medications
Why mental health meds are perceived as optional, but not other meds
How these valuable interventions help new moms
Why we do new moms a disservice by not talking about postpartum issues
How single moms can find the help and support they need
The value in short-term help, especially for getting good sleep
The warning signs of too much sleep, not falling asleep well, or not staying asleep
Words of Hope from Adrienne: “You are not alone. You are not to blame, and with help, you WILL be well.”

Resources:

www.postpartumsupportinternational.org

Find PostpartumVA on Facebook

Contact Adrienne: adrienne.griffen@gmail.com

Find the printable Path to Wellness sheet:

http://www.postpartumva.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Path-to-Wellness-February-2015.pdf

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131: 7.7 Billion Ways to Heal Dec 24, 2018

Show notes

Are you feeling it? You know holiday stress comes in different ways for each of us. It can make us feel frantic, overloaded, and completely overwhelmed. But deeper than that, how do you cope and heal in general? What’s your unique way? What have you found out about your strength and resilience?

In this episode, I’m having a personal chat with you about the chaos and stress that we all tend to feel. About the depths that we go to ‘get through’. It’s a good time to call it out and come to you with a different energy, one that’s geared toward healing, health, and wellness. One that is uniquely you.

Show Highlights:

The inherent strength and resilience in mothers and fathers
A new baby brings massive change, which can be even more difficult during the holidays
Self-care can be healing and can come in different ways
Using similar tools can still mean different healing processes; there’s not just ONE right way to heal
With a new year, don’t focus on what you need to do better, but focus on your internal strengths
How do you get through those quiet moments when you feel alone and misunderstood?
Internal resources vs. external resources
Why vulnerability is a strength---not a weakness
YOUR way of healing is worthy, valuable, and unique
My personal path to healing, which came in unconventional ways
Ask: What do I need? What are my strengths? What does resilience look like for me?
Look into yourself and listen deeply
You CAN get through whatever you’re going through!

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130: Managing In Law Relationships in Pregnancy and Postpartum Dec 17, 2018

Show notes

What if YOUR idea of your birth plan and first few postpartum days differs wildly from what your in-laws imagine? How do you stay true to your values and set boundaries without causing an irreparable rift in the family? We’re tackling these topics and more on today’s show!

Felicia Hurst is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice, serving the needs of the Ardmore, Oklahoma community. She graduated with a Master’s of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from East Central University and has post-Master’s advanced training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Her passion is working with women prior to conception, pregnancy, postpartum, and throughout motherhood, and spreading awareness about perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. In today’s show, she shares her background and professional experience, along with her personal experiences in setting boundaries with her in-laws and family. Don’t miss Felicia’s great tips that anyone can use in navigating these difficult conversations.

Show Highlights:

How the desire to have children affected decisions for her and her husband, as they waited for the right time
How this anticipation played into perinatal mood and anxiety for Felicia
Why they decided to set boundaries for her birth and postpartum time
The expectations her in-laws had for the birth and postpartum, which wasn’t at all what Felicia wanted for her new family
Having the difficult discussions about expectations that clearly weren’t in alignment with each other
How people-pleasing can lead to regrets, a desire to withdraw, and even aggression
How Felicia held boundaries with the nursing staff about limiting and prohibiting family visits in the hospital
Coping with others’ hurt feelings while affirming your values and holding to your boundaries
Using a different approach with different family members
How Felicia and her husband had discussions about the boundaries
Why setting boundaries is important to have the kind of experience you want, without shame and regrets later on
How you can get through it and come out on the other side
Why it’s never too late to start setting boundaries, but setting them early on sets the stage for how things will go later and eliminates conflict ahead of time
Felicia’s tips:
Pick the right time and place to have the difficult conversations
Be clear and direct in telling others your preferences about boundaries
Communicate with family how they can support you best in helping out with cleaning, babysitting, cooking, running errands, etc.
Felicia’s advice: Be true to yourself, recognize what your values are, get clear on what’s important to you, and communicate to your partner and go from there
Felicia’s work, which focuses on maternal mental health, and her position as Chair for Postpartum Support International’s Oklahoma chapter
Felicia’s passion for educating people on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders and reducing the stigma around them
How people in rural areas get the care they need, through Ob-gyns, nurses, midwives, and doulas

Resources:

www.feliciahursttherapy.com

Find Felicia on Facebook: Felicia Hurst, MS, LPC

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129: Miscarriages and a Rainbow Baby Dec 10, 2018

Show notes

Chances are that you or someone you know very well, has experienced pregnancy loss. One of the ongoing difficulties surrounding loss, is that it is an uncomfortable subject to discuss, both for the parents and other people in their lives. So, these mothers and parents often suffer in solitary silence. When you couple that with the lack of education, information, and support for Perinatal loss and grief, you have a recipe for mental, emotional and physical devastation. My guest today is on a mission for change. Thank you Nicole for sharing your story through miscarriages and then having your rainbow baby!

Nicole Curran Sanchez was born and raised in Orange County, CA, and has lived in Sacramento since 2008. She works at the state capitol as a Senior Legislative Assistant and scheduler to the Chair of the Assembly Health Committee. Nicole is very active in her community and loves to help people navigate state resources. She is especially gifted in helping people understand paid family medical leave, Medi-Cal, and other state programs to help the most vulnerable populations, such as the homeless, seniors, and children. Nicole and her husband, Rick, are thankful for their rainbow baby, their five-year-old son, Cruz.

Show Highlights:

Nicole’s story of two miscarriages, beginning in 2011, and the depression and heartache that came from never being given the opportunity to talk about her feelings
How she “kept on grieving” without even knowing why she was grieving
Even as a health advocate, she couldn’t even focus on what was really happening to her
In 2012-- a second miscarriage at 14-½ weeks, and the doctor treated her like a statistic
As the doctor searched for a heartbeat, she told Nicole that 1 in 4 women experience miscarriage
How Nicole felt, with no sympathy, no care, and no hand-holding
The domino effect that occurred when Nicole posted a little about her story on social media and then a group of women shared and connected over their losses
Why she found a new Ob-gyn AND got a rescue dog who ended up rescuing her
When she was pregnant again, she was excited, scared, anxious, and very paranoid
After 38 hours of labor and an allergic reaction to the epidural, she experienced the birth of her rainbow baby, Cruz
How she felt: “a void of empathy, lack of care, and feeling alone”
The ways of support that worked and helped her push herself to not get depressed
Nicole’s advice to other moms: Name the losses, make a keepsake box, and honor the losses
How her husband was her biggest support and constant source of comfort
The emotional rollercoaster that dads go through with losses
How Nicole wants to help and support others who go through loss
How Facebook allows Nicole to reach out and share to help others
How Nicole advocates for other moms in her meetings with healthcare professionals
Hopeful messages from Nicole: “Families come in all shapes and sizes and they are all different. Your family is YOUR story and you aren’t just a statistic. Let others be there for you to help and support you.”

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128: Supporting Plus Size Pregnancy Dec 03, 2018

Show notes

We all know about the unfair stereotypes and stigma that exist in our society, but have you ever thought about---or experienced---what a plus-size woman goes through in pregnancy? The body shaming and unfair assumptions are particularly tough to take. Today’s guest is passionate about changing the stereotypes and offering help to these often unsupported moms.

Jen McLellan is a published author, speaker, and founder of Plus Size Birth, and she now hosts the Plus Mommy podcast. Plus Size Birth is a premier resource for all things plus-size pregnancy, with over four million page views. Jen is passionate about plus-size pregnancy, sharing tips on embracing your body and navigating the bumps along the road of motherhood. Through the Plus Size Mommy podcast and other social media outlets, she seeks to create an environment of acceptance and to end the stigma surrounding plus-size pregnancy with education, support, and a sense of humor. She is a certified childbirth educator, wife, and mother to a charismatic 8 year old. We’re discussing many great topics related to being a plus-size mom, education, and statistics on things we should consider in supporting plus-size moms to have the happy, healthy pregnancies that they deserve.

Show Highlights:

In 2010, Jen became pregnant, went online for support, and was horrified at the messages there for plus-size moms
Why she decided to break the cycle by telling her story and starting a blog
How she found a community of followers who were hungry for resources that weren’t there
Why she became a childbirth educator
The stories of mistreatment for plus-size women, even by their healthcare providers
How a woman’s mental health is affected by this treatment
The importance of connecting with a size-friendly care provider
Ways to handle weight issues with doctor appointments
Stigma about pregnancy and birth for plus-size moms
The assumptions: that a plus-size pregnancy won’t have a positive outcome, will definitely have gestational diabetes, cannot have a vaginal birth, and will probably smother her baby while breastfeeding
Jen’s work: sharing images of plus-size pregnant women, so they see “someone who looks like me”
The care that’s available to help plus-size moms with breastfeeding
Why plus-size women should wear clothes that celebrate pregnancy
Why plus-size moms don’t take pregnancy photos
Ways to normalize the pregnancy experience for larger bodies
The importance of connecting with a therapist during the postpartum period
Be mindful of language that might be triggering, like “obese”
What you can’t tell about a plus-size woman: what she eats, how much she eats, or how she struggles
Why we need to come from a place of compassion and not a place of shame
How Jen was changed forever by a midwife who had compassion and believed in her
The “health at any size” approach, and why it’s important
The need to work through your own personal bias
The podcast: the topics that are covered with transparency and the hopeful messages that make an impact
How the Plus Mommy community as grown as people learn that people don’t deserve to be mistreated just because of their size