Empowering Parents for the First Months and Beyond
Part of what’s difficult about becoming a parent is deciding the parent we want to be.
And once we’ve decided, sometimes the parent we are and the parent we imagined we would be are different.
Dr Stephanie Stewart is a psychologist and therapist who has developed her own brand of travel therapy, mostly by taking patients on epic surf retreats around the world. She tells us how being present and putting ourselves in new situations can help uncover new insights into our own personal development journey.
Shortly after the birth of my daughter, I spent 10 days locked in the psych ward of the hospital after my postpartum depression and psychosis made me suicidal. In my altered psychotic state, I thought my house was bugged and the police were coming to arrest me for a crime for which I was wrongly accused. I thought the only way out of my crisis was to kill myself, so I told my mom and husband that I was going to go jump off the Golden Gate Bridge.
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!
Our latest episode’s guest is Dr Shoshana Bennett. She helps us bust up some “myths of motherhood.”
Often, when we acknowledge that all those myths are indeed false ideas, the pressure to be perfect is alleviated and some of the feelings of depression dissipate.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
