AUSTIN (KXAN) — “Postpartum is like a slap in the face,” Georgetown mom Juliet Ferguson said.
Ms Ferguson, a mother of three boys, said she was devastated when her first son was born. She was so anxious she couldn’t eat or sleep. That manifested as anger and resentment, and she remembers feeling alone and devastated.
“This should have been a huge red flag for me and my husband. I was standing in the living room, my baby was screaming and I was struggling to calm him down. I was on the phone to my husband, crying and screaming, ‘I can’t do this. I don’t know what to do,'” she said.
One in seven women experience some kind of perinatal mood disorder, and one in five experience anxiety. Reproductive health expert Dr Christine Lasseter said it was important to talk to someone about what you’re experiencing, as untreated mental health issues during pregnancy and beyond could have a negative impact on mother and baby.
Ferguson spoke about her struggle with perinatal mood disorder in an effort to help other mothers, and said she remembers it being a completely isolating period.
Research has shown that untreated anxiety can affect fetal growth and development, putting babies at higher risk for developmental disorders and medical conditions, as well as a higher risk of autism and problems with motor development.
Lasseter said pregnant women can take certain medications safely, but should seek treatment or talk to their doctor if they experience depression or anxiety.
Lasseter said she often sees women experiencing perinatal mood disorders in the later stages of pregnancy. Depression can appear as feeling irritable, sad or having trouble concentrating, she said.
“Anxiety can be a big concern, and sometimes people don’t even realize they’re anxious because they think that perinatal mood disorders are just about depression because they’re not depressed,” Lasseter said, explaining that anxiety is very real and isn’t tested for as often as depression.
For Ferguson, just talking about it could be life-changing.
“I think it’s important to talk about this to eliminate the stigma. It doesn’t mean we don’t love our babies. There are so many women and mothers out there who go through this and feel alone,” Ferguson said.
