Walk to Wellness - Support Perinatal Mental Health
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Walk to Wellness | Raising Awareness of Perinatal Mental Health & Creating Community Connection
The Pentucket Perinatal Mental Health Coalition is excited to invite you to our first, annual fundraising Walk to Wellness on Sunday, May 21 at 10 am. We walk to shine a light on the emotional struggles so many of us experience as part of our journeys into parenthood. We hope to bring survivors, providers, friends and family together in community. If you can't make it to the Walk, please consider supporting our work with a donation. Continue reading below for the ways we have and will continue to utilize the generous donations raised.
The Walk will start at the Riverwalk Brewery along the stroller-friendly Newburyport Rail Trail. We will walk along the trail for approximately .5 miles and then return to Riverwalk to share information, resources, and support. Light snacks and water will be provided. Feel free to stay, play, connect and enjoy the food at the Brewery after the Walk.
Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal Mood Disorders (PMDs) are the most common complication of childbearing. While many parents experience some mild mood changes during or after the birth of a child, 15 to 20% of women experience more significant symptoms of depression or anxiety. Please know that with informed care you can prevent a worsening of these symptoms and can fully recover. There is no reason to continue to suffer.
Parents of every culture, age, income level and race can develop perinatal mental health disorders. Symptoms can appear any time during pregnancy and the first 12 months after childbirth. There are effective and well-researched treatment options to help you recover. Although the term “postpartum depression” is most often used, there are actually several forms of illness that parents may experience, including: Perinatal Depression, Bipolar, Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, Post-traumatic Stress and Postpartum Psychosis.
A few quick PMDs stats:
- 1 in 5 birthing people experience PMDs
- 1 in 3 birthing people of color experience PMDs
- Birthing people who experienced PMDs have a 50% chance of recurrence with future pregnancies
- 20% of postpartum deaths are the result of suicide and it's the leading cause of maternal death in the 1st year postpartum
- 18% of new dads and partners experience postpartum depression
- NICU Parents experience PMDs at a higher rate in the months after birth
- 54% of people diagnosed with PMDs have a history of depression
- Parents in the LGBTQ community are at a higher risk of developing PMDs due to discrimination, stigma, conception, denial of rights and many more factors
- Up to 75% of people experiencing PMDs go untreated
About Us
The Pentucket Perinatal Mental Health Coalition (PPMHC) was formed in August 2015. We are a grassroots volunteer community organization with over 17 community partners, including Anna Jaques Hospital, Early Intervention, Head Start, Healthy Families, WIC, doulas, lactation counselors, various mental health clinicians and prescribers.
Our mission is to improve maternal emotional health and wellness in
the Pentucket area through education, collaboration, support and advocacy.
We have created a social media presence to increase awareness about perinatal mood disorders (PMDs) so that those who are suffering understand what is happening to them and are not ashamed to seek help.
Since 2015, we have supported the community in the following ways:
- Provided trauma-informed care and perinatal mental health trainings to various member organizations
- Created/distributed a referral list of local PMH-C certified therapists/medication providers
- Created resource cards to leave at local doctor's offices and various community locations
- Awarded multiple educational scholarships to local therapists to become trained in perinatal mental health
- Provided a screening of Dark Side of the Full Moon
- PMD and Trauma Informed Care input to nursing training at AJH
- AJH Tower Grant recipient to work with new mothers struggling with substance use
- Trained providers in MotherWoman Support Group Facilitator model
- Provided mental health guest speakers at AJH new parent support groups
- Hosted the annual Climb Out of Darkness Walk through Postpartum Support International
- Created and awarded grants to help support local community agencies support local families during COVID
- Funded new parent care packages at AJH (www.newparentcp.org)
- Created networking and referral support throughout our catchment area
Your funds will allow us to continue our efforts in supporting the community and allow us to expand our impact.
Our community includes the Pentucket area of Massachusetts: Amesbury, Boxford, Haverhill, Georgetown, Groveland, Merrimac, Newbury, Newburyport, Salisbury, and West Newbury. We meet monthly to review the needs of the community, brainstorm ways to support families, and support local providers.
Learn more at our website https://www.pentucketmoms.com/
Instagram @pentucketmoms
Facebook Pentucket Moms Support
Co-organizers (2)
Ashley Mahoney
Organizer
Newburyport, MA
Beth Brown
Team member