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The MotherWoman Postpartum Stress Support Group is celebrating its One Year Anniversary with a gathering for past participants and any mother interested in finding out more about this group and the emotional rollercoaster of motherhood. The topic for this event will be “Should I Be Feeling This Way? The Normal Range of Emotions in the Postpartum Years?” This event will take place on Tuesday morning, October 30 from 10:15 – 12:15 in the upstairs Resource Room of the Community Action building, 56 Vernon St., Northampton. This event is open to all mothers. Babes in arms can stay with moms, free childcare for children up to age 4 is provided. There will be free snacks for all. The MotherWoman Postpartum Stress Support Group is a free, drop in support group to discuss the normal and sometimes overwhelming adjustment to motherhood. It is held every Tuesday from 10:15 am-12:15 pm in the upstairs Resource Room of the Community Action building, 56 Vernon St., Northampton. This site offers free parking, close access to public transportation, free, onsite childcare for children up to age 4, and free snacks for mothers and their children. This group is facilitated and supervised by a licensed professional social worker and experienced group facilitator. This is a drop in group. Mothers can come to any session they wish. “This group has been a big reason why I have not felt more stressed and overwhelmed in this first year of motherhood. Hearing other women say the same thing I am feeling and struggling with makes me feel like I am not alone. I love to come.” says group member Michelle Dunch, of Amherst, MA. Topics include: Everything is Completely Different Now, This Isn’t What I Expected, The Hormonal Realities of Motherhood, The Myth of the Good Mother, Guilt, Going Back to Work, Staying Home But Not Isolated, The Rollercoaster of Emotions, Is Depression and Anxiety Normal, and Including Self Care in My Life. This group is a welcoming place for mothers experiencing “baby blues”, postpartum stress, depression and anxiety. Women travel to the group from as far away as Springfield, Holyoke, Pittsfield, Hartford CT and Brattleboro VT because this is the only group for women who may be experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety in Western Mass, CT and VT. It is normal to experience emotional difficulties in the postpartum years. Most mothers experience “baby blues” or postpartum stress due to the enormous physical, emotional, personal, relational and financial changes that a baby brings. In the Pioneer Valley alone it is estimated that over 7,000 mothers per year experience baby blues and postpartum stress. Postpartum depression and anxiety are also more common than people realize. Women experiencing postpartum difficulities often feel overwhelmed, sad, and anxious. These emotional reactions to motherhood can be very challenging for mothers and their families. Getting support helps. MotherWoman Inc has founded a tri-county Pregnancy and Postpartum Support Coalition, whose members began meeting in November, 2006 to develop a coordinated plan of service for mothers with postpartum emotional difficulties in the tri-county region. Coalition members include: Baystate Medical Center, Parent Education Dept., The Birthplace at Franklin Medical Center, The Birthing Center at Holyoke Medical Center, The Childbirth Center, Cooley Dickinson Hospital, Child Care Outlook, area family and parent centers, Green River Doula Network, Hampshire County Family Network (HCFN), Parent Child Development Center (PCDC), ServiceNet, and many private therapists, health practitioners, midwives and doctors. MotherWoman Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting and empowering mothers to make positive personal and social change for themselves, their families, their communities and the world. |
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