Your body and mind go through many changes during and after pregnancy. A multitude of emotions are experienced, and some pregnant and postpartum mothers may experience depression, anxiety, changes in mood, or notice an increase of worry and concern. As hormones are shifting throughout pregnancy and childbirth, some degree of postpartum “baby blues” is expected. Baby blues typically begin the first few days after giving birth and may last up to two weeks. We explore these emotions in our Mother-Baby Intensive Outpatient Program.

Joy, happiness, fear, and worry are all normal. However, if these emotions begin to interfere with normal activities like eating, sleeping, and caring for the baby, there might be a clinical depression or anxiety. New moms may experience a more intense form of mood and anxiety symptoms during pregnancy or up to one year postpartum, called Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (P-MADs). P-MADs encompass a variety of disorders relating to pregnancy and postpartum including depression, anxiety/panic, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorders, and psychosis. If you believe you have symptoms of psychosis (hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking), please seek help immediately.

Our intensive outpatient program will address the variety of changes that motherhood can bring by providing a supportive and non-judgmental atmosphere where mothers will learn strategies for coping with postpartum depression and anxiety, develop skills to help them bond with their child/children, and learn ways to handle stressful situations. The goal of the program is to learn healthy ways of coping with these changes in addition to discovering more about the birthing process and hormonal fluctuations your body goes through throughout pregnancy and after childbirth.

Babies up to age 1 are welcome to join mom at the group. The group rooms are designed to provide a warm and welcoming environment with reclining chairs for each mom and baby.

Concepts covered in the group:

• Attachment Theory
• Interpersonal Therapy
• Distress Tolerance
• Emotional Regulation
• Interpersonal Effectiveness
• Core Mindfulness Skills
• Reducing Emotional, Cognitive, and Physical Vulnerability to Illness

Mother-Baby Intensive Outpatient Program benefits include:

• Rapid access to care
• Learning skills to help mothers bond with their children
• Improvement of symptoms for depression, mood disorder, and anxiety
• Spending time with other mothers creating a supportive peer-to-peer environment
• Recommendations from Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) psychiatric specialists for treatment options
• Nutrition consultation with a Registered Dietitian