Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders
Depression and Anxiety and OCD (oh, my).
You’re a long way from the excitement and joy that you felt when you discovered you were pregnant – there is a huge reality gap between the idea of motherhood that you imagined and the reality that you are living. In a world that expects mothers to be superwomen, it’s hard to admit that you can’t do everything, and, sometimes, even managing the basics seems impossible.
You may feel alone and questioning why you are not feeling "bonded" with your baby.
You may be grieving a birth or breastfeeding experience that did not go the way you hoped and left wounds that need to be healed.
You might also be feeling disconnected from your partner due to the upheaval that new parenthood can bring.
You would love to spend time with your child feeling joy and connection, instead of anxiety, regret, or resentment. I can help you regain your trust in your own instincts and provide you with concrete strategies to manage the challenges that often accompany motherhood so that you can begin to enjoy this precious (and challenging!) time.
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are the most common complication of pregnancy and birth, with 15-20% of women and birthing parents reporting symptoms (and we can only imagine what the true number is, when there is still stigma and fear about discussing mental health issues). While an adjustment period to such a huge life change is "normal," we would discuss the frequency, intensity, and duration of your experience to determine if it's more than the "baby blues," or adjustment anxiety.
In addition to being Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C) by Postpartum Support International, I trained in Infant Mental Health at SickKids Hospital, and my work as an IBCLC allows me to integrate mental health care with a breast/chestfeeding friendly approach according to your therapy goals.
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