Mother Crow Connection

Conversations with Writers, Artists, Healers, Thinkers, and Mothers

Re: The Fun House

March 10, 2023

In this episode, I speak with J- a mother of two and a friend I’ve known and loved since early childhood- who shares the harrowing details of the postpartum crisis that followed the birth of her firstborn daughter.

J’s story is unusually painful, and although what she went through is uncommon, Postpartum Psychosis is not unheard of. Her goal in telling this story is to spread awareness of PPP in hopes that one day its symptoms will be included on hospital surveys, that hospitals will allow mothers and babies to navigate postpartum trauma together, and that mothers will be given the best care, support, and forgiveness they need (from loved ones and medical professionals alike) to heal and enjoy life with their children thereafter.

Join us as we explore the topics of Insomnia, Mania, Postpartum Psychosis, and the Importance of Sleep for a mother’s mental health.

***People experiencing postpartum psychosis are at a much higher risk of harming themselves, dying by suicide, or harming their own children. People with PPP can’t recognize or understand their own symptoms, so in order to help them, you must stay calm, don’t judge or argue with them, don’t leave them unsupervised, and get them medical attention ASAP. If someone you know is exhibiting the signs of postpartum psychosis, it is extremely important to immediately seek emergency services. With treatment, postpartum psychosis is reversible, and with treatment, many women have more children in the future without it re-occurring. The ideal form of treatment for a mother with postpartum psychosis is in a specialized psychiatric unit called an MBU, or a Mother and Baby Unit. However, MBUs are not widely available nor commonplace practice, so general psychiatric wards - ones in which the baby will not be permitted- are usually where mothers with PPP end up receiving their treatment, an unfortunate but often necessary route in most urgent circumstances. That is why it is so important for mothers- like J- to tell their stories and shine a spotlight on the need for more specialized support in postpartum psychiatric care.

For more information on Postpartum Psychosis:

—> https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-partum-psychosis/

—> https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24152-postpartum-psychosis

For more information on the need for MBUs, or Mother & Baby Units, in postpartum psychiatric care:

—> https://www.app-network.org/what-is-pp/getting-help/mbus/#:~:text=What%20is%20a%20Mother%20and,care%20and%20treatment%20they%20need.

—> https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9567947/

(Read or Listen to "The Fun House" Here or Here)

Listen & Read Transcript

Re: Birth Stories

December 7, 2022

Re: Birth Stories focuses on the topics of birth, rebirth, and the importance of remembering ourselves in reflection of the “Birth Stories” issue of Mother Crow.

(Read or listen to “Birth Stories” HERE or HERE)

Episode Guests:

Angela DeSalvo, Author of "Soul Warrior: How to Liberate Yourself from Survival Mode and Thrive Through Any Challenge" and the Creator of Transformational Soul Work (Buy the Book, or visit AngelaDeSalvo.net)
Jess Bushnell, Holistic Life Coach (1:1 Personal Coaching)
My husband, Supportive Birth Partner and Birth Trauma Witness

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