One Small Thing for Moms
Plus, reasons to be hopeful about maternity care
Before we start, a quick update: Last month, I promised to report back on what I learned at the Maternal Mental Health Forum. But I have been on deadline for my two paying jobs—one assignment to write about midwives, the other to write about child care. I’m so grateful for those jobs, which allow me to pay the bills with meaningful work. But that means I have less time to write here, where the vast majority of you are reading for free. If you’d like to change that calculation, please upgrade to a $5/month subscription. Thank you!
The Forum was incredible—so energizing to be in a roomful of people all trying to improve the lives of mothers. Here are three of my takeaways:
There’s hope for early treatment of postpartum depression. Dr. Jennifer Payne, director of the Reproductive Psychiatry Research Program at the University of Virginia, has identified biomarkers for postpartum depression and developed a blood test that can help screen for the disorder. Although the test does not yet have FDA approval, it could be used in the third trimester of pregnancy to identify women at risk for the disorder and provide help for them immediately. Read more about it here.
Free in-home postpartum care. Mamatoto Village, a midwife-run clinic in Washington, D.C., provides comprehensive home-visiting services to families covered by Medicaid. This includes breastfeeding support, daytime and overnight visits, doulas, counseling, cooking and fitness classes, all designed to support families during and after pregnancy. The program is aimed at women of color and those with limited economic resources, and it’s 100% covered by several Medicaid plans in D.C.
One Small Thing. California Surgeon General Dr. Diana Ramos has launched a campaign to combat the loneliness and isolation that contribute to postpartum depression. She’s urging people to do one small thing for a new mom: drop off a nutritious meal, run an errand, babysit for an hour, do some laundry, or just check in so they feel less alone. Ramos points out that “60% of maternal deaths happen after a mom leaves the hospital, when isolation is the highest and support is the lowest.” This is not news to loyal readers of this newsletter. I even compiled a list of gifts you can give new parents to help them through the most difficult times. California made a coupon book. So pick one, and let’s do this.