Postpartum Health: What I’ve Learned Covering Maternal Care
Huff PostMay is Maternal Mental Health Month, so HuffPost Parenting and Wellness are shining a light on postpartum well-being. I felt OK admitting I found new motherhood very, very hard in a way that I’m not sure I would have had I not spent years talking to perinatal mental health professionals for stories and hearing firsthand that I was one of millions who found new motherhood far from total bliss. Since HuffPost’s parenting section launched a decade ago, the mental and emotional well-being of women in the lead-up to motherhood, during pregnancy, and throughout the first year has been a cornerstone topic, as we’ve delved into everything from how the guilt heaped on women who struggle to breastfeed can contribute to feelings of depression, to legislative efforts to help women with PPD — and everything in between. We’ve covered the many ways in which women’s mental health is shaped by motherhood, from postpartum OCD to the unmet mental health needs of NICU parents. This month, HuffPost Parents is diving deep into postpartum mental health with a series of articles that explore postpartum well-being in its many forms.