Bringing home a new baby brings big changes to everyday life. As families adjust to new routines (and less sleep), they often experience very normal feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression.
COVID-19 has created additional challenges for families with new babies. With social distancing and quarantine requirements, friends and neighbors are less likely to check in, and parents are less likely to visit, putting these families at greater risk of isolation and loneliness.
We recently held a live Q&A on Facebook with experts from CVMC Women’s Health Team and Good Beginnings of Central Vermont to talk about these issues. Check out the highlights from our discussion below.
Panelists from Good Beginnings:
- Program Director and Certified Postpartum Doula Ana Capone
- Executive Director Gretchen Elias
Panelists from CVMC Women's Health:
- Gynecologist and Obstetrician Colleen Horan MD,
- Behavioral Health Clinician Angela Shea, LICSW, LADC
- Certified Nurse Midwife Elisa Vandervort, FNP, CNM
Five things to know about perinatal mental health
- It’s very normal to have feelings of stress, anxiety, or depression when adjusting to all the changes that come with taking care of a new baby. A certain level of anxiety is part of the natural impulse to protect your newborn.
- These feelings can become overwhelming to the point where they negatively affect your ability to function, such as being too scared to go places, or constantly worrying you will drop your baby.
- Some people start having these feelings while pregnant, and they can last up to a year after giving birth.
- The stress of COVID-19 can exacerbate these feelings, especially with the all of the safety precautions to stay home, maintain social distancing, and wear masks in public.
- We all need social support and connections with other humans for our emotional health. Social support helps newborn parents stay strong.
Five resources for newborn parents
Baby CIRCLE Time, a free online group for pregnant or postpartum parents and caregivers.
To register, call CVMC Women’s Health at 802-371-5961 or email Angela.Shea@cvmc.org.
Good Beginnings of Central Vermont
Call 802-595-7953 or visit goodbeginningscentralvt.org.
Washington County Mental Health Services
Call 802-229-1399 or visit wcmhs.org.
Postpartum Support International (PSI) Warmline
For encouragement, information, tips, and referrals, call 802-276-0383.
Help Me Grow Vermont
To speak with child developmental specialist, call 2-1-1 ext. 6 or text HMGVT to 898211.