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May 16, 2011 | Print

Maternal Depression Awareness Month

May is the month of Mother’s Day and to raise awareness about supporting moms Postpartum Support International (PSI) has declared May National Maternal Depression Awareness Month.

Encouraging women to “Speak Up When You’re Down”, PSI works with health care providers and states to create and support education and treatment programs. The PSI site is a great resource for women too, offering free live chats with an expert every week. We also find thoughtful insights and helpful links at the blog Postpartum Progress.

Part of the challenge with maternal depression is women may feel uncertain about asking for help, and friends and family may not realize when a mom needs support. Living in LA after the birth of one of my kids, I remember feeling particularly overwhelmed one day as I sat nursing the baby on the couch. I looked out the window to see Brooke Shields pushing a stroller past, smiling and laughing with a friend. In that moment I wanted to be her, outside on a sunny day, happy. Months later when Shields shared her experience with postpartum depression, which was happening right around the time she walked past my living room window, I thought about the unyielding emotional range of motherhood. And how much we can help each other by sharing our stories.

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