The Perinatal Period, (Conception through one year postpartum), can be a time of wonder and delight.  It can also be a time of doubt, fear, vulnerability and exhaustion. There are a lot of unknowns and even more conflicting advice. Sometimes you can feel overwhelmed, grateful, joyous and despairing all at the same time. How can that be?

Well-meaning friends may say, “Isn’t this the best time of your life?”, “Aren’t you just so happy?” You may feel like saying, “Yes, but…….. I’m crying a lot, I feel sad and I can’t get control of my emotions.” Or, “I’m worrying all the time, I’m having difficulty concentrating and I’m having scary thoughts about things happening to my baby.” Or, I hear most often, “This isn’t what I expected.”

Trust your instincts. Do you feel like something isn’t right? If you feel that way, most likely it’s not. These feelings may be symptoms of perinatal depression or anxiety and likely won’t go away on their own.

– Perinatal depression is the MOST frequent medical complication of childbirth. So please know, you are not alone.

– 1 in 7 birthing people experience Perinatal Depression.