S2, Episode 8: Perinatal Mental Health Disorders

In this episode, Dr. Christine and I discuss:

What are PMADs?

• PMADS are perinatal mood and anxiety disorders; they are often described as lasting from conception to a year postpartum (but it can be two years or longer) 

• PMADs are characterized by Intense period of time where there are changes that cause distress

• Clients might not feel like themselves and might feel

  • Exhaustion 

  • Lethargy 

  • Shorter bandwidth 

  • Nervousness 

  • Fear 

  • Overwhelmed by thoughts 

• It can be intense swings in feelings

Why is it so hard for PMADs to be identified?

• Psychologists struggle with a clear-cut definition for these mood disorders

• It is a sensitive time period for a birthing person; there can be many triggers from pregnancy to birth trauma or struggles with feeding. These triggers can be detrimental to a person’s mental health

What can birthing people / supporting people do to prepare for and deal with PMADs?

• Have adequate support, like a group, a doula, friends, or family 

• Talk to your partner / support person about what this will look like and make a plan 

• If you’ve experienced anxiety or depression before pregnancy, you should have the contact information for a clinician ready to go

What are risk factors for PMADs?

• A history of mood disorders

• A genetic history of mood disorders

• Pregnancy after loss

• Inter-marital challenges

• High-risk pregnancy

• Infertility

How can people give space for struggles when their family / culture don’t respect it?

• People in these communities can work on validating themselves and have self-compassion 

• Self-kindness, understanding for common humanity, and mindfulness are components of self-compassion 

• Starting a self-compassion practice daily can help

How can we create strategies to deal with intrusive thoughts?

• Try journaling, meditating, self-compassion practices

• If those thoughts are causing people to avoid people and their child to avoid the feelings, then seek help

How can parents overcome PMADs or struggling with parenthood to being empowered?

• Start by validating our experiences, such as saying “that was really hard, and I struggled.” 

• Remember that it takes time to master having a baby and feel confident 

• Recognize that you’re learning so much and growing so much 

• Recognize that you have the innate capacity to parent your child and you get to do it your way

How can parents deal with comments that trigger them?

• Talk with your partner and make a plan for how to handle the comments

• Decide where the boundary lies and how you will handle it if it’s crossed

What are your favorite resources?

• Postpartum Support International 

• Therapy and the Postpartum Woman by Karen Kliemen

• Dr. Kat Kaeni’s journal

You can find Dr. Christine on her website or Instagram

Enjoy the episode!

Dr. Christine is a licensed clinical psychologist and speaker with a private practice in La Cañada serving pregnant and postpartum mamas. Her aim is to destigmatize the challenges around Maternal Mental Health and offer parents the services and information they need to thrive and raise happy and healthy families. Dr. Christine has had personal experiences navigating an early miscarriage and subsequent anxious pregnancy; these experiences fuel her understanding and passion for supporting parents through the challenging phases that motherhood brings.