By Jeana McHugh
Public health nurse and certified lactation counselor at Nevada County Public Health
Pregnancy can be a beautiful time full of hope, excitement, and joy as well as many unexpected struggles. The Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health (MCAH) Department through Nevada County Public Health has a focus on this time of life and preparing and supporting families through the roller coaster of welcoming a new baby into the family and caring for them through their first years of life. We believe it takes a community to raise a child and we are here to be part of each family’s community through support, education, and resources.
Throughout the month of May, MCAH would like to take the opportunity to highlight the importance of maternal mental health. One in five birthing parents will experience symptoms of depression or anxiety during or after pregnancy, as well as one in 10 partners. These are symptoms that go beyond the expected transient ups and downs during pregnancy, or baby blues that can last for the first two weeks post-partum. These are symptoms that can interfere with daily life, they can interfere with bonding with baby, and can have serious consequences if treatment is not made available. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States, and this suffering is very much avoidable with the right support and treatment.
There are many long-term consequences of untreated Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorder (PMAD). Birthing parents suffering with these symptoms are more likely to go into early labor, have a baby born with low birth weight, have complications during labor, and are less likely to breastfeed. Children whose parents were suffering from PMAD were later found to have attention and concentration difficulties, trouble regulating emotions, delays in language, and are more likely to develop depression in adolescence.
The good news is we have many resources in Nevada County to help support these families. MCAH, along with other local organizations, offers home visiting for all our prenatal families and families with young children. Through this in-home support, symptoms can be identified early, techniques can be taught to help with mild symptoms, and timely referrals can be sent to higher levels of care. This could include the obstetrician, primary care doctor, pediatrician, a local therapist, and support groups. MCAH provides a 15-week cognitive-based therapy program, “Moving Beyond Depression,” at no cost to families. This program provides one-on-one in-home therapy, with our therapist, Toni McCormick, a licensed clinical social worker who has spent much of her career focusing on perinatal families. We are also lucky to have many local private practice therapists with this focus.
Before baby is born, parents can enroll in “Becoming Us,” a new program being offered for expectant families. Many programs focus mainly on the birthing parent, while this unique approach focuses on the family as a whole. This four-part class is led by licensed therapist, Toni McCormick, and public health nurse, Jeana McHugh, to compassionately guide parenting couples through strengthening their foundation as they welcome a new baby into the family. The class meets as a small group one night a week for four weeks. The couples are guided through ‘building their nest’ by introducing many topics that are important to discuss before baby arrives, such as practicing communication skills, managing conflict, balancing individual needs, and discussing what their vision of family may look like. The risk of PMAD is discussed and prevention, signs, symptoms, and support resources are identified, to make sure the couple feels prepared. This class is provided by Public Health at no cost to the family and is open to all prenatal families in Nevada County.
As a community, it is crucial that we are supporting our families through this vulnerable time through reducing the stigma, starting conversations, and making treatment options easy to access.
If you or someone you know is struggling with PMAD or looking for more support, you can reach a local public health nurse at 1-888-301-1450. The national Maternal Mental Health Line is available 24/7 to speak to or text with a mental health professional at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262). For immediate crisis in Nevada County you can call the Crisis Response Team at 530-265-5811 or 988 for the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
For more information on any programs please reach out to Jeana McHugh, PHN at 530-847-8293 or jeana.mchugh@nevadacountca.gov
Jeana McHugh is a public health nurse and certified lactation counselor at Nevada County Public Health. She goes on home visits with families and organizes multiple weekly groups and events for MCAH. She has two young children and you can often find her out enjoying all the family events Nevada County has to offer.
