Postpartum Mental Health Resources

September 17, 2022

Updated February 14, 2024 – Unlike physical emergencies which are often obvious to us, it can be hard to know when to reach out for help for mental issues. A good rule of thumb is that if you or someone you love is having thoughts that scare you, it may be an EMERGENCY, and help should be called. But what if you just feel “off”? Or your loved one doesn’t seem to be getting better? If you’re not sure what kind of support is needed, the Postpartum Mental Health Resources chart below can help.

Postpartum Mental Health Resources – An Overview

Below are postpartum resources in order of emergency need. Share and bookmark this resource.

Emergency Level of Care: The 988 Lifeline – Talking about self-harm, suicide, killing or hurting others is an EMERGENCY. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress. Call or text 988 from any phone or visit 988lifeline.org
Emergency Level of Care: 911 – 911 can always intervene when an emergency is present. The threat of hurting oneself or others is an emergency.
Non emergency – but still very necessary! – support before, during and after pregnancy: The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Free, confidential support 24/7 during all phases of maternal need. Call/text 833-TLC- MAMA (852-6262). The hotline offers access to professional counselors, referrals to local and tele-health providers and support group connection. Interpreter services in 60 languages are available.
Support Level during Postpartum Phase: Postpartum Support International – The organization provides direct peer support to families, trains of professionals, and provides a bridge to connect them. 800-944-4773.
Helping Others – Have you come out on the other side of mental health distress and now want to help others do the same? Or perhaps you’d like to donate to maternal health causes? You can train to become a crisis line volunteer, connect those in need with services or give to these causes by visiting: 988lifeline.org/our-network or postpartum.net/join-us.

Understand Mental Issues Before Baby Arrives

Perinatal or postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, also called PMAD’s, are the most common complication of pregnancy. Educate yourself and your loved ones about potential issues before baby arrives. Becoming familiar with “what’s normal” versus what’s not can make the difference between a bump in the road and a crisis situation. The good news is that education and support is out there!

Here’s how you can get educated about postpartum mental health:

Learn and Talk About It Before Baby Arrives: First, learn the difference between typical “baby blues” and postpartum depression. This can help you to see when typical postpartum behaviors such as weepiness or fatigue cross the line to becoming a mental health concern. This is different for everyone depending their usual demeanor, so it’s helpful to understand you and your partner’s baseline moods and if they change in the weeks after baby arrives.

Questions you can ask yourself if you feel normal baby blues are blurring into a mood disorder are: Do I seem more sad than happy? or Does my partner have anxious thoughts that were never there before?

Assign an Advocate: Partners are usually each other’s advocates and first line of defense in addressing mental health. If you don’t have a partner, ask a trusted loved one to specifically look out for your mental health. Visitors are almost all going to ask about the baby…how is he doing, how is she eating? And when someone asks how you’re doing, the default answer is almost always “Fine!”, and there’s no chance for a more substantive conversation. For this reason, parents should be on alert for changes in each other’s mood and behavior, or have a trusted love one taking on this role. It’s ideal to have as many people as possible tasked with protecting parents’ mental health, and there is no shame in doing this, so looking out for behavioral changes doesn’t have to be a secret!

Dads & Partners – Dads and non-birthing partners are at risk of postpartum depression too. In fact , an NIH study notes depression can affect up to 25% of new fathers. Learn your own risks and bookmark resources like Postpartum Support Int’l that have specific tools for you.

Family, Nannies & Caregivers – Building on the tips above, share these resources with those who can look out for you and your partner. In fact, many times when we’re in distress, others notice that we’re acting differently before we do.

Understand Crisis Situations – It can be hard to know when to call a doctor or when to reach out for emergency help. If you’re unsure, Mara Watts, M.A., M., Ed. of Postpartum Support of Virginia has an excellent rule of thumb: “If you are having thoughts that scare you, this is an emergency.”

For ongoing mental wellness, support groups such as MOMSClub.org, which stands for Mothers Offering Mothers Support may be helpful. These are community based organizations that have groups based on zip code, so the parents in the group are your neighbors too! Parents of twins and higher order multiples might also find their local village at Multiplesof America.org.

Whatever level of support is needed, there is help for you. Please let us know if we can help connect you with these resources or provide overnight support to help you recuperate or get healthy. Mental and physical wellness depend on each other!

Infant Sleep Schedule for a 7-9 Month Old

July 25, 2022

The Infant Sleep Schedule for a 7-9 Month Old is almost the same as the routine for a 6-7 month old. There’s one big difference – in months 7 and 8, babies typically drop that third daytime nap in the 4:00 hour. You can expect some inconsistency while the later nap disappears- sometimes it will happen, sometimes it won’t. Don’t let this inconsistency bother you, it’s really “practice” for baby staying awake longer and consolidating into 2 predictable naps! When baby gets the all clear from the pediatrician you can then move on to our step-by-step instructions of How to Get Baby to Sleep Through the Night!

Infant Sleep Schedule for a 7-9 Month Old

More Sample Schedules:

Our sleep schedules have been written under the direction of Registered Nurses and using the excellent advice from one of the original sleep coaches, The Baby Whisperer, Tracey Hogg. If you’d like to learn more about infant sleep, we also recommend The Good Sleeper, by Dr. Janet Krone Kennedy. This research-based book teaches the basics of sleep science and provides tools to solve sleep problems.

As always, the above is just an example. We don’t advocate any specific sleep methods and will cheer you whatever you choose as long as it’s safe of course! There are lots of experts out there but don’t forget that you are the expert on your baby. These schedules are another tool for parents who are looking for support, so we want to provide those evidence-based tools.

Night Nannies Baby Registry Must-Haves for TWINS!

July 19, 2022

So you’re having twins, congratulations! It can all be overwhelming but don’t worry- we got you! Our team will help you get prepared with all the gear to welcome home your newborns below in Night Nannies Baby Registry Must-Haves for TWINS!

Night Nannies Baby Registry Must-Haves for TWINS!

Yes you need a double stroller, 2 car seats and lots of clothes. you may not have thought of:

Diapers – This one may sound obvious but did you know a single baby goes through about 2,200 diapers in the first year? That’s 4,400 for your household! So yes- stock up on the preemie and newborn sizes because your infants will most likely be smaller than the average 7-8 pound singleton for a while. We also suggest being ready with the next size up diaper too. Future-you will thank today-you for keeping sizes 1, 2 and 3 somewhere in your house. When the babies grow out of the previous size they need the next size up quickly! This is because let’s face it, the babies will have enough blow-outs without having diapers that are too small!

The Double-Playpen – As they grow you will be thankful that the twins have a safe space to explore and play. You’ll also be thankful that all the toys are contained in one place! A play center that keeps babies safely enclosed is something the family will use for years indoors and outdoors.

Twin Sleeper – 2022 safe sleep recommendations include babies sleeping in the same room, but not the same bed as parents for the first 6 months of life. Additionally the only safe sleeping space for a baby up to age 1 is flat on their backs, without any blankets or items in their crib. For twins, their sibling could be considered another “item” in the crib! A twin co-sleeper checks all the boxes for safe sleep while allowing your newborns to be close to you for feeding. They’ll also be close to each other for comfort.

Twins Registry Items for YOU

Don’t forget to think of yourself when the twins arrive. Birth recovery and those first weeks and months home are exhausting and might have you doubting yourself. This is normal, but giving yourself some grace will help the whole family. Here are some ideas:

“One Handed Foods” – If you’re blessed to have friends organizing a meal train don’t forget to put portable foods on your list of likes. Whole dinners are wonderful but protein smoothies, fruit, granola bars…even hot dogs and hamburgers will get you quick energy when you might not be able to sit down. Stock the house with foods you can prepare and eat with one hand. While you’re at it get a whole bunch of straws. Vitamins, protein and nutrients are vital for you during this time where you’re recovering from birth and going on little sleep. If you’re breastfeeding having to-go foods and drinks on hand will help keep milk production up too.

Baby Breeza – The Baby Breeza is known as a kind of a “baby Keurig,” making formula instead of coffee. And this is AMAZING if your twins take formula overnight. Keep it on your nightstand and you won’t even have to get out of bed! If you’re nursing, there’s also a Breeza that will also safely thaw breastmilk, warm milk and make baby food. You can control all this from their app!

Help – We talk a lot about how many new parents have to be their own Village because friends and family aren’t available. There are resources for you though. Night nannies like us, daytime babysitters and your local Parents of Multiples chapter are all here for you. And if you’re experiencing postpartum depression or ever have thoughts that scare you, contact Postpartum Support International.

Postpartum doulas recommend foods for parents of newborn twins

You can see the whole T wins Registry here. Tell us if we missed anything on Facebook or IG! We make a commission from these sales but we actually really love and use all these items.

CDC Health Alert: Parechovirus in Newborns & Infants

July 14, 2022

The CDC has issued a health advisory that a particularly dangerous strain of parechovirus called PeV-A3 is currently circulating in the United States. CDC Health Alert: Parechovirus in Newborns & Infants describes this illness and how parents can keep their infants safe.

CDC Health Alert: Parechovirus in Newborns & Infants

As the CDC alert states: Parechoviruses are “a group of viruses known to cause a spectrum of disease in humans. Clinicians are encouraged to include PeV in the differential diagnoses of infants presenting with fever, sepsis-like syndrome, or neurologic illness (seizures, meningitis) without another known cause.” While these viruses are not new to the US, the PeV-A3 strain appears to effect infants, the elderly and the immune compromised most recently.

Symptoms

There is no vaccine for PeV-A3. Parents can look out for these symptoms and contact their pediatrician:

fever
diarrhea
irritability
respiratory differences than usual, such as seeming to work hard to breathe or breathing very fast.
botchy or discolored skin

In babies age 6 months or older, common symptoms also may include upper respiratory tract infection, fever, and rash.

How Can I Keep My Infant Safe?

Parechovirus is contagious via fecal, oral and respiratory routes. The incubation period is unknown but the CDC reports that a person can remain contagious for up to “3 weeks through the respiratory tract and up to 6 months through the gastrointestinal tract”. This means the best ways to prevent transmission are ones with which we are already very familiar:

hand washing with soap and water for all caregivers, before and after feeding and eating and especially after diaper changes.
sanitizing
mask wearing
social distancing
cleaning and sanitizing surfaces
keep baby out of crowded spaces and limit the amount of well wishers who want to kiss and hold baby.

This alert will be updated as more information becomes available. More tips on staying healthy in general are here. As always parents should consult their child’s primary care physician with questions or concerns.

Sleep Travel Tips for Babies

July 4, 2022

Updated, November 21, 2023 – Your newborn and infant routines might get thrown out the window during travel. And that’s okay because travel is hard on adults too, and you might want to change things up to make sure everyone is happy. Here are five sleep travel tips for babies to help you minimize meltdowns from our night nanny, baby nurse and postpartum team.

Sleep Travel Tips for Babies: What to Know

Practice at home.

Practice at home
Keep the same routine if you can
Don’t rely on strollers or swings for safe sleep
Slow down by stay flexible
Be ready when relatives question your parenting choices!

Many times babies are not used to sleeping in a travel bed or pack-n-play. So, our night nanny team likes to suggest put baby in a travel bed for naps at home in the weeks leading up to the trip. Your child might think this new crib is exciting, so go ahead and get the novelty out of the way at home!

Keep sleep routines as close to home as possible to help baby feel secure.

Dress your baby in the pajamas/sleepsack/swaddle blanket that she’s used to.
If renting a full-sized travel crib from a hotel, bring bedsheets from the crib at home to recreate that familiar sleep environment.
Do the same sleep routine you do at home. Familiarity allows baby to know what comes next is sleep.

New places and not being at home is exciting for little ones. Remember that patience is your best tool to help your child get to sleep. They need time to explore The New Place and maybe get over being a little nervous outside of home

Try to stay on baby’s time.

If possible, try to keep naptimes and bedtimes as close to the same schedule as at home.
When traveling across time zones, gradually adjust baby’s bedtime in the days leading up to the trip so baby is on the time of your destination. You can do this by adjusting bedtime in 10 minute increments.
Some parents like to travel at night so baby can sleep and wake up in destination refreshed. If you’re driving, partners can alternate napping and caring for baby during the first day. If you’re flying, make sure to bring pacifiers to help with ear discomfort.

Remember these Sleep Travel Tips for Babies Once You’ve Arrived…

No swings or strollers for infant safe sleep.

The only safe place for babies to sleep for extended periods is alone, on a firm flat mattress and flat on their backs.
Here are recommendations to create a safe sleep environment.

Slow it down.

Don’t expect to have a jam-packed site seeing schedule. All the new sights, sounds, and experiences are very stimulating and exciting for baby. Baby could get fussy if overstimulated and too exhausted.
Remember that sleep begets sleep. Keeping baby awake longer may work for one night or one nap, but fighting against baby’s natural rhythms leads to meltdown.
While it is nice to have alone time with your partner, caring for a baby can be even more exhausting than usual when traveling. Try no not stay up too late yourself!

Have Surprises Ready!

Part of travel is, well, the traveling. Extended times in the car, train or place can get a little boring so be prepared with toys, books and snacks that your baby hasn’t seen before. It can be something simple from the dollar store; the novelty of a new toy will take up time and keep little one occupied. For a little while anyway! 🙂

Don’t forget about YOU

Be ready in case you hear variations of: “But he doesn’t look tired!” “Oh come on, a little (insert allergen/unsafe food) won’t hurt!” “You slept on the bed and you turned out fine!” Be ready with your come back, deep breathes and extra patience!

Weigh the options of accepting help, especially if you’re in the postpartum phase. If a well meaning relative looks after your newborn, therefore allowing you to sleep, it might be a win/win! You’ll get in a nap to maintain your immune system and energy levels.

Sleep Travel Tips for Babies — vacation Travel Tips for Babies

Keeping Illness Away and Travel with Kids

Research your destination – Respiratory illness is a fact of life. Check to your destination before you go so you can be prepared and comfortable.
Masks and mask mandates, have stopped but it’s not a bad idea to carry masks with you to use in crowded areas.
Sanitizer – Handwashing is best, but if you don’t have the opportunity to properly wash your hands, sanitizer is a good second option.

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