Atlanta mom turns postpartum anxiety into mission to help other mothers
July is Postpartum Changes Awareness month. It's a time to raise awareness of the physical and emotional changes many women experience after giving birth.
According to Emory University School of Medicine, postpartum depression affects about one in seven women after childbirth.
For many new mothers, adjusting to life with a newborn can bring a range of emotional and physical challenges. But experts say support and treatment are available.
Melissa Fernandez, a mother of three, knows those challenges firsthand. She said she experienced postpartum anxiety after becoming a mother.
"The biggest challenge I had was the identity shift," Fernandez said. "Before I became pregnant, I was a high-performing Cirque du Soleil acrobat. Becoming pregnant, delivering, having challenges with breastfeeding, not getting any sleep, the loss of my job, the loss of my identity, the loss of my community."
Her experience inspired her to launch Atlanta Postpartum Doula, an agency that helps women navigate the transition into motherhood.
"What we often see is that when friends and family come over after the baby has arrived, they're there to see the baby," Fernandez said. "But who is taking care of the mother?"
The agency's most requested services are overnight and daytime postpartum doula care, during which trained doulas support mothers while also helping care for their newborns. The organization also offers meal delivery services to help ease the demands of early parenthood.
Another resource for families is Peace for Moms, a program based at Emory University School of Medicine. The initiative connects Georgia health care providers with psychiatrists who specialize in perinatal mental health, helping ensure mothers receive timely access to mental health support.
The Emory University School of Medicine says postpartum depression affects one in seven women after giving birth.
New mothers often struggle as they adjust to caring for their babies, including a wide range of emotional and physical changes. There is hope and help for moms experiencing postpartum changes.
Melissa Fernandez, a mother of three children, says she experienced postpartum anxiety.
She says the journey wasn't easy.
"The biggest challenge I had was the identity shift. Before I became pregnant, I was a high-performing Cirque du Soleil acrobat. Becoming pregnant, delivering, having challenges with breastfeeding, not getting any sleep in, the loss of my job, the loss of my identity, the loss of my community," Fernandez said.
Her experience led her to start the Atlanta Postpartum Doula, an agency that helps women transition into motherhood.
"What we often see is that when friends and family come over after baby has arrived, they are there to see the baby. But who is seeing after the mother? Our most popular services are overnight postpartum services as well as daytime postpartum dual services. This is when the doula comes into your home and she is supporting the mother. She is also caring for the newborn."
In addition to the overnight and daytime services, the Atlanta Postpartum Doula offers meal deliveries to help new mothers.
Peace for Moms is another resource. They connect Georgia healthcare professionals with psychiatrists who specialize in perinatal mental health. They are located on Emory University's School of Medicine campus.
