Mental Health , Postpartum Support

Pinpoint Where You Are on the Spectrum of Mental Health

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

This is our second and brief interview with Jane Honikman, a founding member of the Postpartum Education for Parents resource (www.sbpep.org) as well as Postpartum Support International (postpartum.net) that includes a telephone support line and partner with Dr Shoshana Bennett in Postpartum Action Institute.
Jane gives us an overview and outline for finding ourselves on the spectrum of mental health. Listen to the episode to find out how to identify different parts of the continuum and better understand where you yourself might fall on that spectrum.
She talks about her time studying with Dr. James Hamilton who was interested in maternal mental health at a time when it might have seemed as if no one cared or understood, much like today in many women’s experience!

Mental Health

Why Women Are Slipping Through The Cracks

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

The number one complication of pregnancy is a form of postpartum depression or anxiety. Despite how common it is for women to experience a degree of anxiety or depression associated during pregnancy or post-natally, there are still cases where women aren’t receiving the care they need.
To help crack the issue wide open, Maureen Fura and her co-producer Jennifer Silliman created a documentary film entitled, The Dark Side Of The Full Moon.

Childcare

Sara Mauskopf CEO and Co-founder of Winnie Talks About Her Fourth Trimester Experience

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

Sara Mauskopf came home from the hospital with a healthy baby. She herself on the other hand, while healthy otherwise, struggled with postpartum depression. With help from her family, friends and professionals, she came out the other side fully recovered. Her experience as a new mom, both because of the depression and in general, helped inspire her to create parenting app Winnie.
Be it Winnie or another app or online resource, we encourage parents of all types to seek the information and support they need. And there’s no need to wait until after baby is born. While you’re expecting is a great time to explore the resources around you for everything from parenting meetups to breastfeeding support to local kid-friendly restaurants and everything else.

Nutrition

Eat Like The Rainbow

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

On Episode 29 we speak with Marjan Esser who works for a company that specializes in creating foods for parents, babies and toddlers. She shares her wisdom with us and we love the way she describes healthy eating: “Eat Like The Rainbow!”. We agree. Don’t salads always look more attractive when they have a variety of colors? But don’t get us wrong … healthy eating isn’t about eating salads. This is particularly true for expecting moms and post-natal moms.
How does eating while pregnant factor into baby’s palate?
What is the relationship between milk supply and foods?
Which foods work well for first solids to try with your 4-6 month old?
What nutritious foods are helpful for a recovering new mom?
Listen to the show to find out the answers to these questions and more.

Recovery

Postpartum Bodies Change And That’s A Good Thing – Love Your Body For The Body It Is

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

Love your body. Love your body for so many reasons. Your body created new life. Your body gave you a baby you love. Your body works hard every day. Your body isn’t a girl’s body, it is a woman’s body. Bodies change after having a baby, and that’s okay. By loving your body, you are setting an example for your child that worth comes from who you are, not what you look like.
As Jennifer Garner puts it, “From now on ladies, I will have a bump. And it will be my baby bump. And let’s just all settle in and get used to it. It’s not going anywhere.”

Recovery

Post-Birth Libido, Birth Injury & How Past Trauma Affects Birth

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

Ever wonder about when you’ll be able to have sex again after having a baby? Or how your body will feel and heal after giving birth? Curious about how having a baby affects intimacy, sensation and your body in general?
Answering these questions for us is Kimberly Johnson. She is a bodyworker, doula, post-partum women’s health specialist, and single mom. Having had a difficult postpartum experience herself, she set out to understand what exactly was going on with her, and to heal herself naturally.

Recovery

Somatic Experiencing Can Build Attachment Between Parent And Child

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

Not all births are “easy births”. When there is a traumatic birth experience, where too much happens too fast, a sense of connection between parent and baby can be weakened.
Chanti Smith is an expert at human connection. She has worked with people of all ages to strengthen their parental attachment relationships. In particular, the work she does through Somatic Experiencing has helped parents develop a strong sense of connection and attachment with their babies. Any person feeling a “lacking” sensation related to their own birth or the birth of a child is a good candidate for developing stronger attachment and connection. Listen to Episode 26 to learn how.

Mental Health , Recovery

Postpartum Recovery Plan

by: Sarah TrottPosted on:

Jane Honikman gave her first baby up for adoption because she felt pressure to “do things in order”. She later finished college, married the father and had additional babies with the same man who is now her husband. Jane described her experience of giving up her first baby as a trauma. Compounding that trauma was the feeling that her second baby, another girl, was severely jaundiced as a kind of karmic punishment for what she’d done with her first baby. The experience triggered tremendous grief and guilt. Jane was not able to recover from her traumas until decades later through therapy. She waited until she was in her fifties to get the help she needed, having felt waves of anxiety and depression throughout her life. Jane encourages women to seek out the help they need as soon as they are able, and not to postpone healing. In our latest episode, we share an outline to help address postpartum anxiety and depression issues. This is relevant for EVERYONE, not just people who are “depressed”.