Mental Health – Prenatal & Postpartum

I have recently discovered that while there is a big push for mental health resources from both the public and politicians – there are still very few. Its incredibly disappointing and adds to the feeling of “no options” to those who are struggling with their mental health, especially pregnant women & postpartum moms.

Mental health is such a huge part of any person. If your mental health isn’t where it should be, it affects every single other area of your life. From sleep, to how you react, to simply being able to get out of bed in the morning and start your day. Your mental health is you.

Now, as someone who has experienced mental health struggles in the past, I can’t even tell you the endless feeling of hopelessness when you reach out for help and you find none. Or, you do find some…but it will cost you close to $200/hr. Now, I don’t know about you…but my salary in no way equals $200. Not even close! Benefits? Yes, we have benefits. A whopping $300/year. Thats right. 1.5 sessions with a psychologist a year! Typically it takes months of work with a psychologist/psychiatrist to make progress…not a single session. If your benefits cover more, great! Use them! Somehow though, I highly doubt that your benefits cover $4700 worth of therapy sessions. Thats based on going once every 2 weeks for a year at a rate of $180/hr for your psychologits/psychiatrist.

The costs are outrageous (but I understand why those psychs charge those amounts), but the average person being able to afford that doesn’t typically happen. It puts a wonderful resource far out of reach of those who need it.

I recently learned that a local hospital that had an absolutely amazing prenatal/postpartum mental health clinic available has now closed down their services to anyone not birthing at their hospital. There are a bunch of problems with that! It removes choice from a lot of women – where they can birth and not only that, but now it forces women to choose between having a birth they need (think homebirth after a traumatic birth to help heal their mental health trama surrounding that) to getting help with their current mental health status. It makes no sense and yet again, closes more doors to those trying desperately to reach out for help.

I want to encourage anyone needing support to reach out. To anyone & everyone! Friends, family, your doctor, a nurse, heck – a facebook group that can provide you a boost to get through a night if thats what you need! But reach out. Don’t do the trek alone.

There are resources online now as well – online counselling and depression support groups. Do what you need to do! But please, please please…don’t be ashamed. Don’t continue the stigma of mental health.

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