Repeat: I Think She Has Postpartum Depression
October 11, 2006 by kate baggott
Filed under Mental Health
Yesterday, I ranted on the need for partners and others connected to new mothers to stay close, active and involved when postpartum or post natal depression is suspected. The problem is, in the UK, Canada and other countries with socialized medicine, the systems are so stretched that it is hard to get anyone to take notice to get professional help. In the US, insurance and drug company practises lead to the same problem of women’s mental health being ignored by professionals. That doesn’t mean their example should be followed on a personal level.
That means in this climate of medical care, if you want to get help for the new mother with ppd, you have to be persistent, clear and insist on being taken seriously.
If you think your words haven’t been heard you repeat them, rephrase them and follow up in writing.
If you get brushed off, you take a personal interest and try harder, speak up louder. It isn’t just a matter of reminding a new mother to continue her prenatal vitamins. You accompany your wife, daughter or friend to her follow up appointment with the OB, you stay in for the health visit at home or for the midwife checkup. You repeat stories of episodes you found problematic and you don’t pretend that you have everything under control.
You get up in the night to try to settle the baby from Friday to Sunday so that she can rest.
And, it means that you stay the course and demand attention from an indifferent system. You follow through out of love and protect a vulnerable mother and a helpless child.
Interestingly, in the UK, the health visitor comes to the new mother in her home. Part of the purpose of the visit is to make sure that the house looks “normal” (ie newborn normal) to be see if there are signs of PPD, and to be sure that the mother is being taken care of. I never heard of that in the States and I thought it was such a great way to check on the mom.
I think it’s a great method too.
The main thing, though, is that health visitors need real time to spend in conversation with the mother, not just a simple mandate to fulfill an obligation while short on time and resources.