Perinatal Health and Post-Partum Support
Perinatal and Post-Partum Support refers to providing health and support for women (and their partners) before, during and after birth. These are periods that involve a number of physical and emotionally intense experiences and changes, and can be connected for some to experiences of anxiety, depression, grief, trauma or relationship changes. These are some of the reasons individuals and couples seek out perinatal support at The Growth & Wellness Therapy Centre.
What is Perinatal Health?
Perinatal Health refers to the health of women and babies before, during and after birth. It can include attending to issues related to physical health, nutritional health, mental health, maternal medical issues, the birthing process, premature birth challenges, support for multiple births, breastfeeding, challenges related to pregnancy and infant loss, and a host of other areas of well-being for the mother and babies.
What is Post-Partum?
The Post-Partum period for women begins soon after they have given birth, and usually lasts for six to eight weeks. There are a number of areas of focus that health professionals support new mothers and parents with during this time, including things like nutrition, breastfeeding, any physical trauma from the birth, sexual health, sense of self and identity, relationship changes, child attachment, and support for those who may have experienced pregnancy loss.
Some also experience post-partum depression in the weeks after birth, or even earlier during the pregnancy. While what’s referred to as the ‘baby blues’ can be common during the first week after delivery, this typically resolves within two weeks. If a new parent is feeling down, anxious, irritable or if mood swings continue after that, especially if combined with difficulty taking care of themselves or the baby, they should speak with their health care provider about the possibility of post-partum depression so they can get appropriate support.
Rarely, some also experience post-partum psychosis which might include life-threatening thoughts or behaviours, feeling lost or confused, hallucinating, feeling paranoid, or having obsessive thoughts about their baby. In this case the individual should speak with their health care provider immediately, or going to their local Emergency Room if they don’t think they can stay safe. There is help for post-partum psychosis, and it’s not something individuals need to feel ashamed about seeking support for.
Is This Only Applicable for Women?
Though typically discussed as only concerning women or the birthing parent, new fathers or other parents can also experience changes or post-partum depression after a birth as well. They may feel those same feelings of depression - overwhelmed, sad, tired, anxious, and have difficulties with eating and sleeping. Post-partum depression in fathers (sometimes called paternal post-partum depression) can impact relationships, child attachment, sense of self, identity, and more. Pregnancy and what comes after can be difficult in different ways for different individuals and partners, and all deserve support and care for what they are going through.
Types of Therapy and Support
Therapy for perinatal mental health and post-partum challenges will depend on what exactly you’re looking for support around. Each practitioner will have their own approach to supporting issues of perinatal health and post-partum experiences, but some of the supports you might experience at The Growth & Wellness Therapy Centre include:
Couples Therapy
Family Therapy
Parent-Child Attachment Work
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
Somatic Experiencing or Somatic Integration
Narrative Therapy
Working with a Practitioner
Our office has a number of professionals who work with perinatal and post-partum wellness, who you can view below. Once your practitioner has met with you and completed their assessment they will make a plan with you to address the symptoms or causes that may be impacting your life, or support you in processing any experiences. Support is most effective when there is a strong connection between the practitioner and client, and because of that we encourage you to meet for consults with as many practitioners as you need to ensure the best fit.
