One of the most frequent questions we get asked at Beyond the Baby Blues is what defines the distinction between baby blues and a perinatal mood and anxiety disorder or PMAD. The description that the women we see in our groups provide over and over of how they are feeling is that they don’t feel…
pregnancy
What to Expect When You’re Expecting (In Your Sex Life)
Pregnancy can be an exciting but also an unexpected transition for new parents. On one hand you are looking forward to bringing your newborn into the world, mentally and physically preparing for your growing family, all the while dreaming about what your bundle of joy will look like and how they will feel in your…
Demystifying Depression in New Dads
While the mental health field has made major gains in recognizing and treating depression experienced by moms in the postpartum period, less attention has been given to fathers who are impacted by depression during this critical period. The lack of discussion about postnatal depression means that many struggling dads are not always aware that such…
Why Do I Help Parents Teach Their Children How to Sleep?
In the parenting community, there are a number of, what I think of as, “hot button topics.” Whether or not to vaccinate or circumcise your children, should your child wear a puffy coat in their car seat, should or shouldn’t you breastfeed and for how long, and whether or not to sleep train your child.…
Nutrients and Their Effect on Neurotransmitters in Peripartum
One of the essential factors for well-balanced neurochemistry of the brain is adequate nutrition. Specific foods, elements, and vitamins are necessary for synthesis and transportation of neurotransmitters in the brain, are thus indirectly responsible for the maintenance of mood stability. It appears that the majority of pregnant and nonpregnant women tend to consume suboptimal diets. Pregnancy and postpartum…
Building Community As a New Mother
Over 13 years ago, I was a new mom. Still, to this day, I remember the intense feelings of being overwhelmed and scared. I remember feeling clueless and kind of crazy as I fumbled through the days trying to figure out what my VERY tiny newborn (my daughter was 5 pounds when she was born)…
Anxiety during pregnancy
Chicago Family Doulas is a wonderful organization that cares about the physical and emotional wellbeing of moms and moms to be. We were recently asked by their team to contribute a blog article on dealing with anxiety during pregnancy, as the doulas noticed that their pregnant clients frequently report feelings of worry, irritability and stress (common…
Expectations, Perspectives and Well-being: Cognitive Strategies to Enhance Emotional Health during Pregnancy and Postpartum
Is the crib assembled? Check. Hospital bag packed? Check. Baby’s clothes washed and neatly folded? Check. Pediatrician selected? Check. Car seat purchased? Check. Birthing classes attended? Check. There are so many things moms and dads-to-be do in order to prepare for their baby’s arrival. We are inundated with information about what we need and cannot…
