Today, American's mothers, infants and families have reason to be encouraged and to reach out to their state senators to again request their support of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act in its final push to passage.YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD and this morning, Majority Leader Reid introduced a package of bills called Advance America's Priorities Act which now includes The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act. Senators Robert Menendez (NJ) and Richard Durbin (IL) have been working very hard with Majority Leader Harry Reid and Chairman Edward Kennedy to pass this legislation.

A mental health provider was kind enough to leave the below comment on my blog. I found it so unsettling that I want to put it front and center as a post. I personally feel that this mental health provider is an absolute hero for standing up for her patient the way she did. If only every woman with depression or PPD had a patient advocate like her!!! Please read and let me know what you think. (I just wish I knew what insurance company this was.....)

Anonymous said:

This mom is in the throes of postpartum depression and could use a big hug from our community. Let's all visit her blog, read her story and leave her a comment to show support.

http://hopefeelsgood.blogspot.com/2008/0...

Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW, President of Postpartum Support International joined us on EmpowHer and to talk about a CBS News story that explained how men are experiencing PPD / Postpartum Depression.

Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW, President of Postpartum Support International joined EmpowHer to explain the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act that's working it's way through the United States Congress. After hearing this interview, please click on the link below and sign the petition.

Fathers with postpartum depression (PPD) have symptoms that are often different from the fluctuating moods and emotions that moms with PPD exhibit. As a rule, fathers have more tension and short-temperedness along with fear, anger, frustration, and helplessness. Dads with PPD are
concerned about their partners, their disrupted family life, and financial problems. They have increased expectations for themselves, decreased sleep, confusion over their new role, and increased responsibilities (especially if the mom has PPD).

Male postpartum depression may have more negative effects on some aspects of a child's development than its female counterpart, says James F. Paulson, PhD, of the Center for Pediatric Research at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk, Va.

Paulson and colleagues reviewed data on more than 5,000 two-parent families with children aged 9 months.

The research, presented here at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association (APA), also showed that the 14% of new moms have postpartum depression. That compares to 7% to 10% of women in the general population.

Print out a copy of this list and carry it around with you until these statements come naturally to you (then you know you don’t need the list anymore!). Feel free to replace the underlined part of each sentence with your own words. If you have difficulty truly believing any of these statements, review them and add your own spin on them with the help of a therapist.

- I’m a good mom because I’m trying to get well, and I care about my family.

- I’m a good mom because I’m getting help for myself and my child(ren) will benefit.

Yesterday I heard from Atlanta Mom who also blogs about her PPD experience and tries to reach out to help new moms. She asked me how I overcame PPD with my subsequent pregnancy. Even though I've written about how I prevented experiencing PPD a second time, it's been a while, so I want to share what I wrote back to her.

Here's an excerpt from my e-mail to her:

I was determined not to go through PPD again at all costs, and began researching ways to avoid it. I came upwith a list of options/resources and spent much of the pregnancy planning on what I wanted my postpartum to be like.

I just read the EmpowHer news story about Gwyneth Paltrow's recent interview where she says that her postpartum depression was staved off when she started eating healthy, doing acupuncture, and getting in touch with her spirituality.

I send many kudos Gwyneth's way for recognizing that she had PPD and was able to find techniques that helped.

At the same time, I want to offer a word of caution that sometimes PPD is so severe that no amount of vegies, prayers or needles will make an impact.