BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — For many expecting and new moms, becoming a parent is a challenging and unknown road to pave and navigate.
“I can’t think of a more profound life transition than becoming a parent,” said Diana Springer, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Williamsville.
It’s a transition from who we were, to who we’re going to become.
“I think being a mom is one of the most important roles we find ourselves in, and there’s a lot of pressure,” said Julie Rosinski, Co Director of the WNY Postpartum Connection.
“There’s radical changes both chemically and physically that contribute to it being a really vulnerable time,” Springer said.
Despite the life-changing and exciting future, many women suffer from prenatal and postpartum depression and anxiety.
Experts estimate between 15-20% of women experience mood, anxiety and depression disorders from conception through the first year of a child’s life.
“It’s higher than we probably realize, it might even be higher than that, that’s just what is reported and what is assessed,” she said of the statistic. “Which I think goes to show how common this is and how much we really want to de-stigmatize this experience.”
Springer says it’s one of the most common pieces to becoming and being a new parent, the stress, worry and anxiety women face is only heightened during pregnancy and after birth.
“We want people to reach out for help. We want people to talk about what they’re experiencing because it isn’t a moral failure, and it isn’t because you made a mistake, it’s because your body is experiencing something because it’s treatable and you can feel better,” Springer said.
Medical professionals say common signs of prenatal and postpartum anxiety include:
Racing thoughts
Sad or empty mood
Irritability
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, hopelessness
Loss of interest in things you once loved
Women are encouraged to seek support. The WNY postpartum connection is there to help.
“We cut out the middle person if someone is seeking mental health counseling, they can reach out to us and we do our best to connect them to a specialist in the area,” Rosinski said. “It’s important not to ignore it. A lot of women say ‘well maybe it’s not that bad, I’ll let it go another week ‘ It never hurts to talk to someone.”
Studies also show 1-10 new dads suffer from postpartum depression and anxiety.
There are resources available if you’re struggling like the WNY postpartum connection.
