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Content Warning: Miscarriage, loss, abortion, stillbirth, Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders, birth trauma, infertility.
This month, CCCN highlights Mental Health and Wellness. Join us in reflecting on our recent coffee connection.
CCCN Coffee Connection co-host and CtP Program Director Zabrina Cox spoke with local birth and wellness professionals and organizations about ✨mental health and wellness✨
We were joined by this month's Coffee Connection with guest speakers Jeannie Rife, RN Perinatal/Womens Health Coordinator (Childbirth Educator) at Dignity Health Marian Regional Medical Center, along with Jennifer Rogez, LCSW & PMH-C, F.A.E. Wellness, and Cami Statler, Executive Director, Pregnancy & Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County.
A B I G thank you to the CCCN Team, including #cccninterns, our co-host, guest speakers, and attendees for coming together and making this a highly informative and attended event!
Here are a few highlights from this month's Coffee Connection:
The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a screening tool for risk factors for PMADs, not a diagnosis, conducted by medical/healthcare professionals prenatally throughout postpartum and occurs in the OB offices, in the hospital, and by Pediatricians.
Calandra Park, RN is the PMAD Navigator for the Central Coast between Marian Regional Medical Center and French Hospital. Listen to Calandra Park in CCCN Podcast episode last year talk about local PMAD resources and support.
New support groups available at Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria to support PMADS and parents in English and Spanish. See flyers below for more information. These support groups are open to anyone regardless of birth setting and location.
Jennifer Rogez LCSW, PMH-C, recently started her own private practice F.A.E Wellness to include support and services specific to perinatal and postpartum mental health, including infertility, miscarriages, abortion. She discussess risk factors and symptoms of birth trauma and ways to seek help. Jennifer states, "when it comes to trauma, it is based on that individual client's perspective and their own experience. "
Common birth traumas can include "an injury to the baby during delivery, NICU admission, an emergency cesarean, high levels of medical intervention, unanticipated experience that you were hoping wouldn't happen but happened, induction, not having privacy during the birth, feeling like your dignity was taken from you during birth, lack of postnatal care, perineal trauma, poor communication with partner, prolonged labor, postpartum hemorrhage, preeclampsia, stillbirth, forceps, and vacuum delivery, home birth to hospital transfers."
Several ways she suggests seeking support include, 1) If you or a client are experiencing PMADS's reach out to your partner, friend, Obstetrician, Midwife, Primary Care provider, doula or therapist preferably someone who has PMH-C credential. PMH-C therapist focuses on embodiment work helping clients work through trauma by focusing on deep breathing, meditation, mind and body scans, yoga, and mindfulness. Additional therapies that may be used are CBT, which is cognitive behavioral therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. 2) Discuss the use of medication with your provider, if necessary. 3) Visit Postpartum Support International website for support groups.
According to Postpartum Support International 9% of mothers experience birth trauma or PTSD. Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders can happen anywhere from pregnancy up to two years. Partners and birth workers can also experience trauma as witnesses.
Jennifer Rogez recommends birth workers read The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, MD.
Pregnancy and Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County serves pregnant women and families with young children up to age five and focus on emotional support, practical assistance, and referrals to resources.
Pregnancy and Parenting Support has offered a bi-lingual Postpartum Depression Hotline for 10 years that is affordable, accessible, and therapy is free through local funding. Also, available through a warplane referral is a Friday virtual support group hosted by Cami Statler of Pregnancy and Parenting Support.
Pregnancy and Parenting Support also distributes all things mother and baby including maternity/children's clothing, diapers, wipes, formula, baby equipment, and car seats. Certified car seat technicians are available for installation. They also provide referrals to local community resources such as lactation consultants, parenting coaches, food and housing.
Resources made available by our guest Speakers:
local and National Hotlines and Support: Free and confidential
Source: Jen Rogez,LCSW & PMH-C, F.A.E. Wellness
SLO County Pregnancy & Postpartum Depression Support Line 805-541-3367
Central Coast Hotline- 24/7 (800) 783- 0607
County of San Luis Obispo Crisis Services (800) 838-1381
Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD)
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours a day in English and in Spanish at: 800-273-8255 or text HELLO to 741-741
For more information, we invite you to visit our CCCN Member Directory to view local mental health & wellness professionals and to read more information about them! If you have questions or need additional help, feel free to comment or reach out to us via email. Click here to listen to this month's podcast.
Did you have mental health support? Or are you interested in finding a professional that is right for you? Please share in the comments and tag us @centralcoastchildbirthnetwork to share!
Coffee Connection Highlight authored in collaboration with:
Zabrina Cox, CtP Program Director
Emily Cracknell, CCCN Ambassador
Sources:
F.A.E. Wellness
Dignity Health
Pregnancy & Parenting Support of San Luis Obispo County
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