Perinatal Mental Health

No one told her how lonely this would be.

Rachel* is breathing slowly through the middle of the night, gripping the armrests of her chair hard. Her eyes are closed, but there are streams of tears rolling down her cheeks with an almost comedic steadiness.

Her fingers, digging into the upholstery, are white at the knuckle and nail bed, and she breathes deep again – in, out, in, out.

The breast pump vices its force against the tender flesh meant to produce milk for her baby. Each violent tug is both impersonal and intrinsically intimate, and this, she thinks, is the definition of violation.

These nights feel endless.

Something about the cold air on her bare torso in contrast to the warm blanket she remembered to drag over her legs before hooking up the pump…

Something about knowing that the alarm will ring to do this again in two hours…

It is too violent, too lonely, too alien. And though she understands intellectually that it won’t be this way forever, the notion of time has collapsed into only these dark moments.

The baby is sleeping in the next room with no idea that she is awake right now. The baby has no compunction about waking her mother at any given moment when she might be the one sleeping.

“Well,” Rachel thinks bleakly.

Finally, the cycle ends, and she depresses the power button on the pump. It releases her body the way a dog might drop a still-warm rabbit after killing it for sport.

She stands up to stretch before beginning the never-ending rinsing, cleaning, and storing of parts. She moves to the kitchen counter with her handfuls of valves, bottles, and tubes. The ritual repeats for the third time that night. She’s nearly done sterilizing the collection when she knocks a wrist against the milk bottle.

It might have wobbled back to an upright position on its own had she left it, but in a moment of adrenaline, panic, and evolutionary compulsion, her hand darts out to steady it.

The milk splashes pathetically against the walls of the sink. She feels her potential reactions fork deep within her: Path A – rage and destruction, or Path – dissociation and defeat.

It is just then that the baby wails into wakefulness. She leans against the sink for a moment, abject in her exhaustion.

“I’ve heard of ‘postpartum depression.’
Is ‘perinatal mental health’ talking about the same thing?”

While postpartum (after the birth) care is widely recognized as crucial, the mental health impacts of pregnancy begin long before labor, including as early as the process of getting pregnant!

We now recognize a whole range of disorders when discussing how this transformative life event can impact the person giving birth, including Postpartum PTSD, Postpartum Anxiety, Postpartum Psychosis, and Postpartum OCD. Then, there is the non-disorder of “Baby Blues,” estimated to accompany 60-80% of births.

Perinatal Mental Health extends before and after birth.

It is both my personal and professional honor to offer compassionate perinatal mental health support to parents in New Jersey and Virginia, extending beyond the traditional postpartum period.

Whether you’re preparing for pregnancy, experiencing pregnancy-related mental health concerns, or adjusting to the demands of early parenthood, I offer warm understanding, ideas to cope with surprises and struggles, and a listening ear to help you thrive during this transformative time.

Every individual deserves the space to process the wild, wonderful, weirdness of child-getting, -bearing, and -rearing. Regardless of where you are in the process, I am here to provide the tailored care you deserve.

I can help you feel grounded during this season of so much change.

The perinatal period can be filled with intense emotions, uncertainty, and significant life adjustments.

Just like any of my clients, I will provide you with a safe, nonjudgmental space where you can openly express your thoughts and feelings.

But as a client in your birthing year, I will be intentional about making our sessions a place where you are pampered, nurtured, and allowed to be the complete center of attention.

Your baby is an absolute miracle, but also not the only thing that defines you. I commit not to lose sight of your personhood before, during, or after the birth.

I will reinforce you as a complete and distinct individual during a season when your identity is being fundamentally and forever changed.

Don’t agonize day and night.

You don’t have to navigate the complexities of perinatal mental health alone.

Contact me today to schedule a confidential appointment and take the first step toward nurturing yourself as much as you are preparing to nurture your baby.

*Name and story are composite narratives and do not reflect an actual client.