Pregnancy and Postpartum Mental Health

 

You aren’t alone in this. You are not to blame. The Journey Center is certified in Perinatal Mental Health and is specially trained to support you in this journey into parenthood.

Remember when you heard that being a parent was going to be the best thing ever? Well, not everyone has that experience. For some, the journey to even get to the parenting award ceremony includes numerous challenges like: infertility, miscarriage, infant loss, relationship changes, and emotional turmoil. These factors increase feelings of inadequacy, self blame, isolation, anxiety, and depression....and this was supposed to be joyful and easy, right?

Or perhaps you thought it would feel different when you first saw that little baby and you would be flooded with so much love!?!? Who knew that it was even a possibility for you to feel a lack of connection, exhaustion that just won’t quit, fear of the baby being harmed, or regret in becoming a parent in the first place. This just doesn’t feel right, does it?

Our society glorifies the new parent experience and sets the bar soooo high that we aren’t just aiming to be a parent, we have to be an AMAZING parent! You know, the parent that has a baby that sleeps all through the night, has a perfectly clean home, is on time for appointments, sings and dances with the new baby, and is happy to bring the baby with on lunch dates. What the $#{%!!! (I nearly spit my coffee out right there!) Really? And here we are just struggling to shower, connect with our child, and are constantly feeling overwhelmed and unbalanced in this new role. You are soooo not alone, though I totally get it that it feels that way. It’s hard to communicate about these things when no one seems to really understand. We also worry about what might happen if they did know the truth. #judegementcity

Things can get better. It can happen. You don’t have to suck it up and do it alone anymore. We are here to be your support in this. We will work together to make a plan to get you feeling more like you want to be. We can connect with primary care providers, lactation specialists, extended family members, chiropractic care, nutritionists, and additional community supports as well to best support your needs. Our community is ready to be there for you.

WHAT YOU MIGHT BE FEELING

  • Exhausted

  • Easily irritated or annoyed

  • Sad and tearful frequently

  • Disconnected from your surroundings

  • Heartbroken about losing a dream

  • Burdened by financial stress

  • Anxious about medical procedures

  • Overwhelmed

  • Hopeless about feeling like yourself again

  • Scared that you might hurt your baby or yourself

  • Angry and resentful at others that just won’t be able to understand

  • Abandoned as a solo parent

  • Struggling to connect and attach to your infant

  • Envious of other parents experiences