Ways To Check On a ‘Mama’ In Your Life

By Priya Kaur Tahim, LPC

Did you know that May is Maternal Mental Health month? This month is dedicated to spreading awareness and bringing light to mother’s who suffer from post-partum mood and anxiety disorders or Perinatal mood disorders (PMD).

Around the world, an average of one in five mothers experience some form of PMD, that are not just “baby blues” as some may assume. Often, these disorders go unnoticed, due to the lack of understanding of what PMD actually is. The dangers of PMD going unnoticed can result in a lack of bonding between mother/child/family units, depression, suicidal ideations, isolation, etc. It’s important to note that various support systems and resources can help mothers navigate these challenges, including potential resources offered by the Motherhood Community.

Below are a few ways you can check on a new “Mama” in your life:

Offering to help watch the baby, so mama can get some rest while the baby sleeps, is a way to help support a new mom. However, if a mama is having difficulty sleeping when the baby is sleeping, or unwinding in a way that instills relaxation-this could be a sign of a PMD.
Encourage a new mama to check in with other moms. While, it’s important to be emotionally supportive of your partner, connecting with other moms can allow shared experiences to develop. This allows a new mom to feel understood, supported and that she isn’t in this journey alone.
If you start to observe a new mama isolating herself from the family, or newborn, ask if there is anything she needs. Sometimes it could be preparing a meal, or taking care of household chores-so she doesn’t have to. Creating space for her to heal physically, can help her also heal emotionally. Being a physical support to help on tasks that anyone can do (cooking, cleaning, being present, offering to babysit, etc…) can help create space for her to rest.
Ask her the simple question of “how are you” can help assess how someone is doing, and if more help is needed. Observe for signs of anxiety, depression or suicidal ideations/intent. Women can go through man changes, especially hormonally, which can increase symptoms of anxiety and depression. Checking in with a new mom, can help determine when to reach out for more help.

*These are not limited to the only ways you can check on someone who may suffer from PMD, these are a few variations to help notice signs.

It’s completely normal to have some ups and downs in those first 6-8 weeks of bringing a newborn home. However, if the downs seem to linger longer, this could be a sign to reach out for more help. Below are a few resources to obtain support:

Post-Partum Support International provides resources, support groups, and a therapist directory on it’s website: www.postpartum.net/resources
Hand to Hold: handtohold.org/nicu-family-support/mymentalhealthmatters
Suicide and Crisis lifeline: 988lifeline.org