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Meet Our New Staff
Mia Edidin, LICSW Program Manager.
Mia has been with PSI of WA for 8 years as a board member. Mia will be overseeing our DEL grant to create a "Web of Support" for underserved families, as well as all direct service programs. Mia has a wide range of experience serving families experiencing PPMDs, and has worked in both public and private mental health settings. Mia has a keen understanding of the barriers families experience in obtaining appropriate and effective treatment for PPMDs. When not working for PSI of WA Mia loves to hike with her dog, listen to her daughter play trombone, and fiddle in the garden.
Annie Macleod, Program Coordinator.
Annie's primary responsibilities will be focused in the DEL grant "Web of Support" with Mia. When not working for PSI of WA, Annie attends Seattle University to become a nurse practitioner and takes care of her little firecracker, 6 month old Georgia. Annie transplanted to Seattle from the San Francisco Bay Area in 2011. Her background includes roles in program administration, behavioral health, and care of patients in the hospital setting. She is a loyal participant in Early Days, a PSI of WA-affiliated support group, and plans to volunteer to co-facilitate when the group expands to a second meeting per week. Annie is an avid salsa dancer, plays guitar and sings.
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There are many ways to support new parents...
With the end of summer and the cooler days of fall upon us, we wanted to take some time to highlight different kinds of providers and services that can help a mom who is at risk of, or already struggling with a perinatal or postpartum mood or anxiety disorder (PMADs), in addition to licensed mental health professionals. In our current world, many of us do not have a supportive community of people to help us through pregnancy and the often rocky transition into parenthood. Family and friends may be busy, provide inaccurate or unhelpful information or advice, or are no longer in our lives. Doctors and midwives provide information and sometimes additional support and education opportunities, but are typically limited to their scope of practice. There are other providers and services that offer specialized support to new mamas, mamas-to be, and their partners that may meet their physical and emotional needs in alternative ways. These include, but are not limited to: Lactation consultation, birth and postpartum doula services, acupuncture and nutrition counseling, and support groups.
These supportive services work well on their own to assist women in having healthy, positive birth and postpartum experiences, and can also be part of a treatment plan to support women with PMADs in conjunction with traditional mental health treatment, like therapy and medication. Severe PMADs should always be co-managed by a licensed mental health clinician who is knowledgeable in treating PMADs.
We spoke with Anita Shelton, an acupuncturist, certified lactation educator and PSI group facilitator; Sarah Tyack, an international board certified lactation consultant, registered nurse, and PSI group facilitator; and Melinda Ferguson, a certified birth and postpartum doula and postpartum doula trainer. Read on to learn more.
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Anita Shelton, Acupuncturist, Certified Lactation Educator and PSI Group Facilitator
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Anita Shelton MAc, EAMP, CLE is a mother, an acupuncturist, and a Certified Lactation Educator with a private practice focusing on women's health, maternity care, and musculoskeletal conditions. She has additional training in holistic Remedies and Chinese massage (tuina) for babies. She facilitates a postpartum support group, The Fourth Trimester, in North Seattle.Anita's practice is predominantly comprised of pregnant women, postpartum women, and newborn babies. She focuses the majority of her practice on acupuncture.
According to Anita, acupuncture and East Asian Medicine are proven to help with boosting milk supply and common postpartum complaints, including painful breasts, engorgement, mastitis, failure to thrive, organ prolapse, fatigue, postpartum mood disorders, healing, prolonged bleeding and pain. She states: "Acupuncture helps all the organs of the body work better. After giving birth, a mother's body is wrung out. Her body has undergone a transformation unlike any other it will experience. Acupuncture helps restore the body to a deep sense of calm and wellbeing. It helps the organs, digestion, and overall wellness." Anita views nutrition as a key component to a woman's self care postpartum. She states, "A lot of women feel that they are eating well by eating fruits and veggies. But moms need to have a high protein diet to feel more grounded." Anita recommends a diet that includes a source of protein with every meal and every snack. She explains that this type of diet supports a healthy mood postpartum and helps women to feel less overwhelmed by the demands of their new roles.
In Anita's private practice, she starts with nutrition and self-care, assisting women with revising their diets and adding supplements to support their moods. Because of the urgent nature of postpartum mood disorders, Anita checks in with her patients by text and email, and offers a flexible schedule that includes evening and weekend appointments, as well as house calls. Additionally, she offers joint appointments for mom and baby, providing bodywork for fussy babies and breastfeeding support. Anita also helps her patients connect to other support services, including support groups, the warm line,
postpartum doulas, counselors or therapists, and other care providers. She finds it particularly useful to connect women to functional resources such as Instacart, a grocery delivery service, or other meal delivery companies. She recommends that women access the Fourth Trimester Facebook Page to access recipes for easy to make protein rich meals and snacks. https://www.facebook.com/the4thtrimester
As a facilitator for the PSI support group, the Fourth Trimester, Anita has seen the benefit of postpartum support for parents. She says, "it is grounding for women to realize that they are not alone. Many new moms experience what they are experiencing." The Fourth Trimester is a weekly drop-in postpartum group where parents with newborns in Seattle come together to share thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Facilitators provide support, education, and referrals. Groups take place on Wednesday mornings, 10:15 - 11:45 am, at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, 6532 Phinney Avenue North, in the Teacher's Lounge. The class costs $10 (sliding scale is available), but no one is turned away for lack of funds.
For more information about Anita's private practice and the services she offers, visit her website at: www.soundhealingacupunture.com. She can be contacted at (206) 782-0079. |
Sarah Tyack, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, Registered Nurse, and PSI of WA Group Leader
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Sarah Tyack, RN, BSW, IBCLC is a nurse and certified lactation consultant with a background in social work who provides gentle, supportive, family-centered lactation consultation through her private practice. Sarah specializes in helping women and new families with a wide range of breastfeeding problems and concerns via in-home consultations and through private breastfeeding classes. Some of her specialty areas include: Twins, infant weight gain, newborn care, returning to work, mom's physical and emotional needs, and postpartum depression.
Sarah spoke with us specifically about her experience working with moms experiencing breastfeeding problems and postpartum depression: "Because most of my clients I see are having breastfeeding problems, I always make assessing for a postpartum mood disorder part of my visit. Moms desperately want to feed their babies and when there's a breastfeeding problem, the most common statements I hear from my clients are: 'I feel like a failure"; "I'm a bad mom, I can't even feed my baby"; "My body is failing me.' I hear these statements over and over again. It's heartbreaking. Part of my private consult includes helping moms to process their feelings and statements; often a result of something they were told at the hospital or the birth being different than they'd imagined. There's such pressure for moms to breastfeed their babies, and often a lack of support and lack of paid maternity leave. In addition to what I hear from my private clients, about a third of the moms who come to my PSI group self-identify as having postpartum depression. I do a lot of follow-up with my clients and if I believe they're suffering from more than the normal effects of sleep deprivation and hormonal shift, I refer them to a counselor on the PSI list or help them to find another counselor who might be a good fit for them. My clients are often in crisis when I see them. Because of my crisis intervention, medical, and lactation consultation background, I spend time helping the families I work with find the right tools to help them enjoy their babies and normalize their postpartum experience." Sarah also runs a support group for moms and babies, sponsored by PSI of WA at the Seattle Holistic Center, called "Mother and Baby Circle." Click here for more information about the group. Sarah has recently started co-facilitating another PSI of WA and Franciscan Health support group for moms, their partners, and babies, at Highline Medical Center called "Balance after Birth." For more information, please visit the PSI of WA webpage: http://ppmdsupport.com/supportgroups.htmlFor more information about Sarah's private practice and the services she offers, visit her website at: www.babenyou.com . She can be contacted at: 206.601.2976 You can also see more on Sarah's Facebook page: facebook.com/babenyou |
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Melinda Ferguson, Certified Birth and Postpartum Doula, Certified Doula Trainer
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Melinda Ferguson, CD (DONA, PALS), PCD (DONA, NAPS), PDT (DONA), is a certified birth and postpartum doula and doula trainer, teaching at Bastyr University in Seattle.
Melinda spoke with us about the kind of support and services a doula provides to a woman and/or her partner, and how working with a doula may help with prevention and treatment of postpartum mood or anxiety disorders. Melinda explained,
Doulas provide emotional, physical, and educational support to the birthing mother and her partner. Generally speaking there are Birth Doulas and Postpartum Doulas (I am both). Typically birth doulas meet with their clients just a couple of times postpartum and have less training in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders than postpartum doulas receive.
How might working with a doula help a mom at risk for postpartum depression/anxiety?
Support, support support! Many women are anxious or fearful as labor approaches and a birth doula can help her know what to expect, prepare and find confidence in her ability to cope with the challenges of labor. Birth doulas provide encouragement and help with the pain of contractions throughout labor. In potentially traumatic situations a doula may be able to frame the perspective of the mother and her partner by being supportive, helping the parents make decisions they feel good about and pointing out the positives of their experience. Doulas also help to process the birth experience and make sense of how it unfolded. Postpartum doulas (and some birth doulas) typically discuss the risk factors, signs of, and home support for prevention of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. Postpartum doulas are also doing ongoing assessment of the parent's adjustment in the postpartum time. They can also provide referrals for support groups, therapists and medication management when needed. The PSI of WA website is a great place to get much of that information.
How might working with a doula help a mom who is struggling with postpartum depression/anxiety?
A doula is able to be in the mother's home much more than a therapist. We often work shifts of 4 hours or more, several times a week, and many doulas provide overnight care as well. In that time we are doing a lot of active listening, providing emotional support and information, as well as providing practical support like making meals and doing dishes. This sounds simple but it can be overwhelming to even think about going grocery shopping when struggling with postpartum mood or anxiety disorder. I'm also often reminding moms of the things they can do at home to feel a bit better - get 3 hours of sleep in a row, get a break from the baby (I can provide that!), get outside every day, get some exercise and eat healthy food (I can help with that!). Sometimes I just say, "Let's take the baby for a walk, I'll come with you and we can talk." For women who are not getting enough sleep or struggling with learning to care for a newborn in the middle of the night, having overnight support can be incredibly useful. Between nursing and baby care it can be quite challenging to get enough sleep for good brain function.
How might you support a woman you are caring for if you believe she may be suffering from postpartum
depression/anxiety and is not yet getting care?
There are a variety of reasons a person may choose not to seek professional support. I think it helps when parents are told how common postpartum mood and anxiety disorders are, and that they can get better with good support. I find that women really want to be feeling better, and I have the referrals to help them get there. I also let them know that there are many medications that can be safe with breastfeeding and not everyone needs medications. Sometimes women are so low functioning that even picking up the phone to make a call or consider getting to an appointment is difficult. I can help facilitate this.
How do you coordinate or provide referrals to other providers if needed?
I have a list of therapists and providers for medication management I refer to, but I also ask the mom who she knows. I often refer to groups first as that requires less coordination, planning and cost on the mother's part. I'm more than happy to collaborate with a therapist regarding my observations in the home if the mother signs a confidentiality release and feels it would be helpful.
For more information on Melinda's private practice doula services, please see her website at:
CalmConfidentDoula.com. She can be contacted at: 425-876-5049
Melinda notes that a great place to find referrals for postpartum doulas is through NAPS: napsdoulas.com or DONA.org
For more information on doula services for women who have low income, and the other great work being done by Open Arms Perinatal Services, please see their website at: http://www.openarmsps.org/ |
Elevated Monoamine Oxidase A in Women with Postpartum Depression
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A new study released by a Canadian-German research team found elevated levels of the enzyme Monoamine oxidase A in women with postpartum depression. This enzyme breaks down neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin, and women experiencing postpartum depression were found to have 21% more of it than their peers who were not depressed. Continuing research will focus on honing drugs to inhibit and reverse Monoamine oxidase A, as well as finding markers that identify the enzyme via a blood or saliva test. It's worth noting, too, that smoking, alcohol consumption, and chronic stress increase levels of this enzyme in the brain. Read the study here |
Antipsychotic Medications and Pregnancy: Preliminary Findings
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The Australian National Register of Antipsychotic Medication in Pregnancy (NRAMP) has issued its first report on a cohort of 147 women who were recruited for the study either during pregnancy or in the first year post partum. The most commonly used medications were quetiapine, olanzapine, aripiprazole, and risperidone, and the impact of these drugs was significant. The reported rate of gestational diabetes was 22%; 18% of babies were premature (higher doses of antipsychotic medication correlated with increased risk of premature delivery); and 43% of babies required special or intensive care after birth. In addition, congenital anomalies were seen in 5.6% of the infants.
NRAMP concluded that they couldn't qualify atypical antipsychotics as safe. Therefore, patients need to be informed and educated about limitations and potential effects, and weigh the risks against the mother's need for medical stabilization.
The study did not include an unexposed control group, and women with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders have higher rates of adverse events even without medication exposure.
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PSI of WA services :
Did you know PSI of WA has many free services for your clients?
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Warm Line - 1-888-404-PPMD (7763)
Calls for support, information and referrals to a specialist or support group, will be returned within 24 hours by trained volunteers. Our volunteers are licensed therapists or mothers who have recovered from a PPMD.
Support Groups
PSI sponsors support groups throughout Washington state. Support groups decrease isolation and provide an inclusive, nonjudgmental space where mothers can share their experiences. Support groups are effective for prevention and treatment of PPMDs. No one is refused for inability to pay.
Treatment Fund
PSI provides funds for therapy, medication management or postpartum doula care. Families with limited finances may contact the warm line to apply.
Provider List
PSI maintains a list of specialists who are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of PPMDs (MDs, ARNPs, therapists, doulas, acupuncturists, etc.). Call the Warm Line or access our website for providers listed by county.
Free Informational Booklet
Parents can call the Warm Line for a free copy of "Beyond the Birth: A Family's Guide to Perinatal Mood Disorders"
For Professionals - PSI offers membership, training and consultation, and resources and referrals
1-888-404-7763 ext3
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We get asked a lot who comes to our groups. Here's the concise answer: 1st time, 2nd &... time parents who are adjusting to life with a new baby.
Here's a better picture:
- Moms & dads dealing with everything from "normal" new parent adjustment to those juggling anxiety & depression.
-Pregnant & postpartum parents.
- Parents that always wanted to have a child and those that thought they never would.
- Parents who had smooth-sailing pregnancies, and those that struggled with infertility, miscarriages, and health issues during pregnancy.
- Single & partnered parents.
- Parents on Medicaid & those with private insurance.
- Parents who feel financially stable and those feeling financially unstable.
- Straight & LGBTQ parents.
- Parents who see a therapist and/or use supplements or medication to help with symptoms of depression & anxiety, and those that don't.
-Parents who feel like (today) they are rocking this new gig to those who feel like they can't make one good decision.
- Parents that have found themselves having to deal with histories of abuse, trauma, and/or addiction while also dealing with a new baby.
- Parents who had a birth similar to what they had hoped for and those whose birth was very far from what they wanted.
- Breastfeeding & formula feeding parents, and everything in between.
---- and so much more!
If you see yourself reflected here, you'd be very welcome at any of our groups. (post written by Meg Gluckman- facilitator for Early Days, a PSI of WA affiliated group in West Seattle)
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