Intususseption

Sometimes new mothers need professional support

 
The San Diego Postpartum Health Alliance provides a "Warmline" volunteer phone service and therapeutic referrals to struggling new mothers. PHA provides self-assessment quizzes to help determine whether the exhaustion, sleeplessness, sadness and anxiety are normal or symptoms of such conditions as postpartum depression or panic disorders.

According to Mary Obata, Health Alliance president, "A lot of moms feel shame bringing this up with their health care providers. But they can get support and can get better with professional care. They need to feel heard."

Welcome Home Baby, a first-time-parent support program of Palomar-Pomerado Health Systems, hopes to fill gaps in new parents' knowledge in military and civilian families. Annamarie Martinez coordinates the free program, funded by grants from the San Diego First-Five Commission.

"We receive moms' birth information from the birth hospital," which will soon include Balboa Naval Hospital, Martinez said. "Then in the first week, we make contact with the parents and provide a home visit from a registered nurse."

Nurses assess the health of mothers and babies and answer questions about breastfeeding, health and newborn care. But the program does not end there.

"We make phone contact with the mom three or four times throughout the first year of baby's life," Martinez said. "We can also refer moms to social workers, health educators, registered dietitians and lactation consultants as needed." 

posted by Intussusception Medical Care Amateur - @ Intususseption: Sometimes new mothers need professional support