One of the essential factors for well-balanced neurochemistry of the brain is adequate nutrition. Specific foods, elements, and vitamins are necessary for synthesis and transportation of neurotransmitters in the brain, are thus indirectly responsible for the maintenance of mood stability. It appears that the majority of pregnant and nonpregnant women tend to consume suboptimal diets. Pregnancy and postpartum…
postpartum
Building Community As a New Mother
Over 13 years ago, I was a new mom. Still, to this day, I remember the intense feelings of being overwhelmed and scared. I remember feeling clueless and kind of crazy as I fumbled through the days trying to figure out what my VERY tiny newborn (my daughter was 5 pounds when she was born)…
Five Things Every Postpartum Mother NEEDS
Babies are amazing and such a gift, but they are also exhausting and the transition to motherhood is not always an easy one. Every person and family adjust at their own pace and in their own way, but there are some basic things that all postpartum mothers need. One: Emotional Support All postpartum moms need…
A Process Group for Postpartum Mental Health Professionals Starting May 2019
We are excited to launch On Being a Postpartum Therapist: A Process Group for Mental Health Professionals Who Are New Mothers. This ongoing group is starting May 6, 2019 and will be held on Mondays from 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm. For more information, please contact the facilitator Aga Grabowski, LCSW. You can also access…
Why is it still so hard for mothers to speak up about postpartum depression?
In the late 19th century, American writer and new mother, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, spoke of her experience of severe postpartum depression in her now famous short story “The Yellow Wall-Paper.” “The Yellow Wall-Paper” goes on to depict the well-meaning but ultimately harmful and oppressive efforts by her physician husband to alleviate the illness by mandating…
The ABCs of Postpartum Self-Care
All life transitions, even the joyful ones which mark the beginning of a new, wished-for chapter, are tough. The transition to motherhood is even more challenging than a move to a foreign country, getting married, or setting on a different career path. Why is that? The arrival of a baby forces changes that are abrupt,…
Your baby has left the NICU. Has your brain?
Whenever I find myself having a conversation with one client that strikingly resembles one I’ve had with another client, I realize that the topic we’re discussing has significance beyond my office. This time, the issue was how profoundly painful and challenging it is for a parent whose child was in the NICU to possess those…
It’s Complicated: Understanding Postpartum Emotions
I will never forget the feeling that accompanied me when I was finally discharged from the hospital following my first son’s birth. It was a glorious summer day. The blue of the cloudless sky almost hurt my eyes after being inside for what felt like a long time. I sat in the rear seat of…
New Mom, please be kind to yourself
Dear New Mom, Not long ago, you gave birth to another human being: a precious, but demanding bundle of needs that has turned your world upside down, and in the process, unsettled every idea you had about yourself, your purpose, and your path. You likely feel raw and maybe a little bit lost. Maybe there…
Expectations, Perspectives and Well-being: Cognitive Strategies to Enhance Emotional Health during Pregnancy and Postpartum
Is the crib assembled? Check. Hospital bag packed? Check. Baby’s clothes washed and neatly folded? Check. Pediatrician selected? Check. Car seat purchased? Check. Birthing classes attended? Check. There are so many things moms and dads-to-be do in order to prepare for their baby’s arrival. We are inundated with information about what we need and cannot…
