PPD Moms Aren't Alone
Following the birth of her second child, Adrienne Griffen felt like she was losing her mind.
"I was irritable and overwhelmed and angry," she said. "I wanted my old life back. I thought I had made a horrible mistake in having a second baby."
It took six months, she said, to find help. Doctors gave her lengthy waiting times or offered prescriptions without conversation. The hospital where she delivered had no resources for women with postpartum depression and support groups were on hiatus.
"I kept thinking that it shouldn't be this hard to find help," she said. "So I did something about it."
In 2005, Adrienne began a PPD support group. Four years later, she launched Postpartum Support Va. Today, PSVa has 16 support groups. The organization provides references to medical professionals and offers a Moms on Call program, a group of volunteers who offer support and "virtual hugs."
A former client, now a member of the board of directors, said after her first call with PSVa, "I climbed into my husband's lap and cried tears of joy."
The founder of our featured org, Postpartum Support Virginia, knows that new moms can have a lot of hard days, even if they don't suffer from PPD. But for some, the problem is much more serious than "baby blues." May is Maternal Health Awareness Month, a time to shine a light on resources and organizations dedicated to looking out for Mom.