Welcome to Healing Pineapple Therapy, PLLC
Perinatal Mental Health Support
You can love your baby and still struggle with this season.
Pregnancy and the first year after having a baby can bring incredible change. Your body, hormones, relationships, routines, identity, and emotions may all be shifting at once—and sometimes the experience looks and feels very different from what you expected.
The perinatal period, from pregnancy through the first year postpartum, is a time when your mental health deserves just as much attention as your physical health. While emotional ups and downs are common, persistent anxiety, sadness, irritability, intrusive thoughts, feeling overwhelmed, or simply not feeling like yourself may be signs that additional support could help.
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) are among the most common complications of pregnancy and postpartum, affecting approximately 1 in 5 mothers and 1 in 10 fathers. They can occur during pregnancy or after birth—and they are treatable.
How Do I Know If I Need Support?
You don’t need to have a diagnosis or wait until things feel unbearable to reach out.
Maybe you’re wondering:
“Is this just hormones?”
“Shouldn’t I be happier?”
“Why am I so anxious all the time?”
“Why don’t I feel like myself?”
“Are these thoughts normal?”
“Why does everyone else seem to be handling this better than I am?”
These are questions many new and expecting parents have—and asking them is a good place to start.
Learn more about PMADs and screening below, or schedule a consultation if you’d like support navigating this season.
What are the Baby Blues?
Baby Blues occur within 2 days up to 2 weeks after birth. Usually these symptoms will peak around days 3-5 after delivery. Baby Blues affects 60-80% new moms
Symptoms of Baby Blues
Tearfulness, irritability, reactivity, exhaustion, predominantly happy, and self esteem remains unchanged.
Symptoms are unrelated to stress or prior psych history.
After the first 2 weeks post birth, if you are still feeling “blue” or having any of symptoms listed in the PMAD section below, consult with your OB or mental health professional
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder Overview
PMADs are mood disorders that can occur at any time from trying to conceive, all the way through the first year post birth. If you have a history of Depression, Anxiety, OCD, PTSD, or Mood Disorders, you are more likely to experience an increase in symptoms during the perinatal stage. Even without a history, about 20% of maternal parents will develop a PMAD. Being educated about PMADs offers numerous benefits, including improved identification of symptoms, early intervention, and access to appropriate support and treatment. Which ultimately will improve maternal and infant well-being Below are a list of common PMAD with their symptoms. If you feel like you have any of these please reach out for further screening and treatment.
Depression
If you have 5 or more of the following symptoms, daily, for 2 weeks or more, you may be experiencing depression: daily feelings of sadness, loss of interest, lack of motivation, low self worth, helpless/hopeless, irritable, appetite changes, guilty, sleep problems, poor focus/attention, thoughts of harm/dying.
Anxiety
If you have 5 or more of the following symptoms daily, for 2 week or more, you may be experiencing anxiety: Daily fears, worries, agitation, irritability, restlessness, poor focus, agitation, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed, persistent/racing thoughts, having physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, shaky/tremors, muscle tension, poor sleep, stomach problems
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD during the perinatal stage is when you experience unwanted and uncontrollable intrusive/persistent/irrational thoughts and excessive urges to do certain actions or rituals. Often these thoughts and behaviors are centered around the baby or the pregnancy.
Reproductive/Birth Trauma
A perinatal trauma is any experience during the perinatal stage that caused harm or disappointment. Examples of trauma could be miscarriage, fertility issues, high risk pregnancy, c-section, NICU needed for baby, powerless/lack of support or reassurance during delivery, or severe injury/harm during delivery to you or baby. Symptoms of Perinatal PTSD: Experiencing grief/depression, anxiety post trauma, experiencing flashback, sleep disturbances, avoidance of reminder of the trauma, feeling detached.
Bipolar Disorder
20% of women will be diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder for the first time after their first birth. Bipolar often goes undiagnosed or misdiagnosed as Depression. Those with a Bipolar diagnosis prior to pregnancy are at risk of having an increase in symptoms during pregnancy. Bipolar is a combination of manic and depressive episodes. Manic/hypomanic symptoms: elevated mood, lack of sleep, impulsive, racing thoughts, increased energy. Depressive symptoms: See list above
Postpatrum Psychosis
You Are Not Alone
Perinatal Psychosis will impact 1-2 women out of a 1,000 births. This is a serious mental health disorder that typically occurs within the first 2 weeks postpartum (but can happen up to a year PP). Symptoms of psychosis are: Delusional beliefs about baby or harming the baby, hallucinations, paranoia, rapid mood swings. When in this state you may not recognize actions/ thoughts are unhealthy. Psychosis is considered an emergency and should be addressed and treated immediately. If you feel this is you, or a loved one, please go the nearest emergency room or Call /text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline 833-852–6262.
Screening/Treating PMAD
Healing Pineapple Therapy, PLLC is specifically trained and certified by Postpartum Support International to diagnose and treat PMAD. Mental Health and Mood changes that occur during the perinatal stage are treatable and should be prioritized as much as any other health concern.
Screening for PMAD should occur at each trimester of pregnancy, 6 weeks postpartum, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postpartum. PMAD can develop at any time during the perinatal stage. If you've gone through pregnancy/infant loss and infertility you are more at risk of developing depression/anxiety during pregnancy and postpartum. It's important to screen and report your emotional health to your RE, OB or contact us at Healing Pineapple. for further consultation/diagnosis.
At Health Pineapple Therapy, PLLC, treatment will be tailored to your specific diagnosis and needs. Below are several evidenced based interventions that can help alleviate and treat the symptoms of PMAD. These treatments could be used in individual, couples or group settings.
Get in Touch
Virtual Appointments available in NC and SC
Walk/talk (in person) available in Belmont NC
980-304-7939
