“As a mother of two NICU babies, I lost a sense of my own identity in the years following each pregnancy. Megan, maternal and child health social worker at IU Health Arnett, said: “I feel anxiety, guilt and stress.
According to research from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, perinatal or postpartum mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) affects one in seven mothers. These feelings can be mild, moderate, or even severe. These feelings prevent you from performing activities of daily living, especially taking care of your new baby and yourself.
Megan adds: “Eventually, when I started talking about my feelings and experiences with my family and other parents, my support system developed and my anxiety felt. easier to control.
There is a normal adjustment period after childbirth when women feel physically and mentally overwhelmed. When the sadness lasts for more than three weeks and starts to affect your daily life, you have a safe place to land.
“Mothers shouldn’t suffer in silence,” Megan said. “Mothers deserve a place where they don’t feel alone. A place where they can talk about their experiences without feeling judged. A mother’s mental health is important to the whole family. If mothers get the help they need for their mental health, it can have a positive impact on their entire family.”
Mother to Mother Connection provides space to be heard
Megan currently co-leads a support group with NICU nurse Shari. Mother to Mother Connection is a safe space for moms to come and meet others struggling with similar feelings and experiences — and learn that taking care of yourself is just as important as taking care of yourself. take care of your child.
Shari shared about her own journey: “Being a mother, even in the best of circumstances, is difficult. “For a woman struggling with postpartum depression or anxiety, it can be overwhelming. As a NICU nurse, I see mothers facing even greater challenges when it comes to getting their newborns into the intensive care unit. It’s important to me that these mothers have somewhere to turn for support, to share their personal experiences, to feel a sense of belonging and community, to feel safe. The mother-to-mother support group offers mothers this opportunity as well as links to other resources if they need it. I am proud to be a part of it.”
“Being a part of leading this support group is very important to me because I can help other moms build their support systems and give them a safe space to feel heard. I’ve learned that connecting moms with other moms is crucial to the journey of motherhood,” Megan says.
Connecting mom with mom
When: First and third Friday of each month, 10am – noon
Where: IU Health Arnett Hospital, third floor, room A3010
Free and open to all mothers
Call 765.838.7961 or email MomSupport@iuhealth.org to learn more.
