May 2021 Newsletter | In Honor of Maternal Mental Health Month
The bliss of motherhood is a state of being that most expectant mothers believe they, too, will reach upon the birth of their children. It is a story that is lauded by those fortunate enough to feel it; it is a standard used to measure excellence in motherhood in popular culture and society, overall. And, while it may be true for some, it is not for others.
Unfortunately, like so many stories spoken of loudly, this one silences others in its telling.
On maternal depression awareness month, let us give voice to: The stories in which women do not feel immediately in love with their infants; the stories of difficult recoveries, fatigue and a slower process of getting to know and adjust to the new person who has entered the world. We at City Center Psychotherapy also turn the focus on experiences of postpartum depression. Stories wherein sadness doesn’t budge, crying is frequent, concentration and memory are poor, mothers are irritable, disinterested and very distressed.
According to the CDC (2019), maternal depression is not a rare condition. Rather, is reported in 14.5% of women who give birth (CDC, 2019). It cannot be overcome by willpower and devotion, as that mainstream narrative in its claiming of what a “normal” reaction is to giving birth and caring for an infant, suggests. Maternal depression benefits from interventions that have proven effectiveness with other depressive disorders such as cognitive behavioral therapy and interpersonal psychotherapy (Alvarez, Meltzer-Brody, Mandel and Beeber, 2015). Considering the potential impact on the wellbeing of mother and child, literature advocates for early intervention with these modalities. Which, of course, depends on the sharing of other, non-joyous stories of the early days of childrearing and normalizing them, too.
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Alvarex, S. Meltzer-Brody, S., Mandel, M., & Beeber, L. (2015). Maternal depression and early intervention: A call for an integration of services. Infants Young Child 28 (1).
CDC (2019). PRAMS study. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/prams/