ELLIOT CHILDBIRTH AND FAMILY EDUCATION
Elliot Postpartum Emotional Support Program
Pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting are an exciting time period that can also be accompanied by feelings of ambivalence, stress, and anxiety about these life changes. We understand that just as you need monitoring of your physical health during pregnancy and beyond, your emotional and mental health bear the need for equal attention. The Elliot Postpartum Emotional Support Program supports women experiencing mood, anxiety, and thought disorders during pregnancy and the first year after the birth of their baby.
Inpatient Postpartum Depression Risk Assessment
During your hospital stay, you will be given a “Postpartum Depression Risk Assessment”. An 11-item questionnaire is distributed to every new mother after birth, which screens for risk factors for developing postpartum depression (PPD). Moms “at risk” view a PPD video, receive focused PPD education, follow up phone calls at home, and are offered VNA visits. They are also invited to attend the weekly New Moms Groups and the Postpartum Emotional Support Group. By screening universally, we hope to reduce the stigma of discussing maternal depression, by encouraging parents and healthcare providers to talk about it as a common complication of childbirth.
Postpartum Emotional Support Group
The Postpartum Emotional Support Group is a mother-to-mother support group facilitated by a healthcare provider. We discuss issues and coping strategies related to the adjustment period and challenges of new motherhood, along with how to take care of ourselves and nurture our own relationships in the context of now having very little time to do so! Babies, children, and family responsibilities demand A LOT of our time and energy, and there is usually not much left for mom by the end of the day. But, it is really important to take care of YOU, so we talk about things like how to improve your nutrition, sleep, rest, relaxation, and exercise practices. The Elliot perinatal mental health nurse coordinator can also work with you and your healthcare providers to facilitate referrals to therapists who have clinical expertise in women’s reproductive mental health.
The group meets weekly on Tuesdays 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. in the activity room of the Elliot Childcare Center, located on the Elliot Hospital campus at 450 Massabesic St., Manchester, NH. Parking is available in the circular driveway in front of the daycare center or in the parking lot. Babies are welcome and sessions are free.
Please contact Alison Palmer, RN, MS, WHNP-BC with any questions related to this group: 663-8927 or palmer1@elliot-hs.org
To download a brochure for this support group, please click here.
Disclaimer for Postpartum Depression Resources links:
Please note that inclusion on this website/resource list does not constitute a recommendation of any of the individuals or agencies listed. Neither Elliot Health System nor its members is liable for any actions taken by any of the resources referenced on this site. The credentials and statements found in the resource listings are not continuously monitored by Elliot Hospital. Their accuracy is the responsibility of the individual websites and resources contained therein, and should be confirmed by the consumer of the services sought.
Information for Parents:
- Elliot PPD Support Group Brochure
- “Is it the Baby Blues or Something More?” informational brochure
- Postpartum Community Resource Guide
- Phone resources
- Books, Website resources
- Parenting NH July article on Postpartum Depression and Elliot Hospital
- Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) (English and Spanish)
Information for Healthcare Providers:
- Website resources for healthcare providers
- MedEd PPD Care Pathway: algorithm for referral based on EPDS scores
- Med chart
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