LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — Preparing for a baby often comes with excitement about the nursery, names and doctor visits, but it can also bring an emotional weight that many women do not expect.
Psychiatrist Dr. Hannah Williams with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences said maternal mental health is critical not only for the mother, but for the entire family.
“Maternal mental health is truly the epitome of the entire, the baseline of the entire family unit,” Williams said. She said when a mother is struggling, it can affect the baby’s development, the mother-baby bond and “really the stability of the entire household.”
Williams said maternal mental health conditions are common and can have a profound ripple effect. She also said stigma and cultural expectations can keep women from seeking help.
“I think there’s a lot of cultural and also some stigma associated with mental health disparities amongst people, especially in the South,” Williams said. “I think women are they try to be able to do it all. So, moms are trying to do everything and be the epitome of perfection, and it’s hard for us to realize that we need help and ask for help.”
Williams encouraged families to watch for warning signs and to help loved ones recognize when they may need support. She said warning signs can include no longer enjoying things someone used to like, not being able to sleep when the baby is sleeping, and experiencing “dark, intrusive, scary thoughts,” including thoughts of harming oneself, the baby or others.
Other warning signs, she said, can include thoughts of wanting to escape, feeling like a family would be better off without the mother, or feeling like someone is “trying to white knuckle through every moment of every day.”
For those who are pregnant, postpartum, trying to conceive or thinking about having a baby, Williams said they can contact the Women’s Mental Health Program at UAMS by calling 501-526-8201. She also said reaching out to an OB-GYN for help is another important first step.
