From OSV News:
Nicole Kristensen still remembers facing difficult births and struggling postpartum as a mom. Today, she draws from her experience to help other women before, during and after giving birth.
“Even though I struggled, having a community was the biggest thing, and that is a huge part of what I’m trying to achieve these days as a doula,” said the Catholic doula and coach, who serves communities in New York and Connecticut.
Kristensen, owner of Holystic Maternity Care, and other postpartum experts and Catholic leaders spoke with OSV News about the Church’s role in postpartum support and walking with new mothers who are struggling.
Their comments come at a time when mothers are speaking out about the difficulty of the postpartum experience amid the high-profile Massachusetts trial of Lindsay Clancy, which ended in a mistrial Sept. 4. The case brought greater awareness to postpartum psychosis, a serious maternal mental health disorder.
These experts agreed that the Church and Catholics have a responsibility to be involved in postpartum support as a pro-life issue. The Church is already present there, they said, but Catholics can do more. Many of them emphasized the importance of parish involvement.
While these experts came from different backgrounds and ministries, they wanted new moms who are struggling to know they are not alone.
“The Church belongs in the area of postpartum support because Jesus commands us to care for the most vulnerable, and postpartum women and their babies fit that description,” said Kat Talalas, assistant director for pro-life communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities.
Today, several national resources exist for women who are struggling postpartum. Women with maternal mental health concerns can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. Other nonprofits that advocate for mothers postpartum include Postpartum Support International and the Policy Center for Maternal Health.
Maternal mental health disorders, also known as perinatal mental health disorders, are common and affect up to 1 in 5 families in the United States each year, according to the policy center. The center calls anxiety and depression the most common childbirth complications. At the same time, these kinds of disorders are not universally screened for or sufficiently treated.
Symptoms of postpartum depression include sadness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty enjoying favorite activities and difficulty in baby bonding, according to the center. Symptoms of maternal anxiety include extreme fear, worry and nervousness.
Experts agreed the Church should accompany new mothers, especially those who are struggling.
“During the months following childbirth all women take months, sometimes even years, to fully heal,” said Caroline Hartley, a family nurse practitioner and founder of Fiat Integrative Health, a practice that provides medical care and mental health services in Franklin, Tennessee. “Hormones collapse, sleep is disrupted and isolation is common. About 1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, and nearly half are never diagnosed.”
