New moms shouldn’t have to suffer in silence.
When my son was about 2 months old, I figured I just had an extended case of the postpartum “baby blues.” It’s a right of passage of sorts for many new moms that comes with mood swings, crying, anxiety and difficulty sleeping — which seems like a particularly cruel joke.
FDA Approves First Oral Treatment for Postpartum Depression
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Zurzuvae (zuranolone), the first oral medication indicated to treat postpartum depression (PPD) in adults. PPD is a major depressive episode that typically occurs after childbirth but can also begin during the later stages of pregnancy.
Most states received a D or F grade on maternal mental health. It could get worse.
Nearly every state in the United States is neglecting access to maternal mental health care, according to a recent report, and experts fear the situation could get worse as more states severely restrict or ban abortion.
The Tragedy of Being a New Mom in America.
Jaclyn Ohmer couldn’t wait to have a baby. Before she was pregnant, she bought onesies and beagle-shaped booties. She and her husband, her high-school sweetheart, found out they were having a son and prepared a Star Wars-themed baby room. The 26-year-old from Parma, Ohio, was ready for his arrival.
All About Postpartum Psychosis: A Severe, but Highly Treatable, Maternal Mental Health Condition
At this point, it’s a given that birthing a child is painful. That the physical recovery is tough. That, sure, babies are soft and cuddly, but the parent’s body just needs a break, preferably a long one. What’s not a given: that their mind may also need some time and, crucially, some help.