Baby Blues, the Holidays, and You
by Rachel Benak, Bridgetown Baby Doula and Baby Blues Connection Volunteer
Image courtesy of Baby Blues Connection
The days are getting shorter, winding down toward winter and the end of the year; the winter holidays are generally a time filled with emotional ups and downs. Especially this year, as we head into another pandemic holiday season, it’s normal to feel bouts of sadness and grief. We have experienced so much collective and personal loss over the last 20 months, and have had to make sacrifices to keep our families and communities safe. Many have been lost during the pandemic. Some of us may be turning down invites to travel, or attend big gatherings, because it isn’t feeling quite safe yet. Some may take up these invites, and still feel the stress that these decisions bring in trying to keep everyone safe.
One thing is certain, the pandemic continues to complicate things, and takes up a lot of space in our internal processing. Adding in big life transitions; even a beautiful one, like having a baby, can send anyone on an emotional roller coaster ride. As hormones plunge and surge, sleepless nights start to stack up, and the nearly constant needs of an eight pound human take priority, it can become very difficult to make time to care for yourself. Often, what self care really looks like is getting some support.
You don’t have to wait until you are in crisis to seek help. If you’re experiencing changes in your mental health, you don’t have to be alone with your feelings - Baby Blues Connection is here to connect you with resources and peer support in our community.
We are a Portland metro area nonprofit that offers free and confidential support for all caregivers experiencing depression, anxiety, or stress related to becoming a parent. The mission of Baby Blues Connection is to support parents and their families coping with pregnancy and postpartum mood disorders, with information, resources, and community; and connect and support the volunteers, staff and professionals who serve them.
Run by our Executive Director, and 75+ volunteers, many of whom have had some experience with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADS), we all have a vested interest in perinatal mental health. We want parents to know they are not alone, and that there is hope. You can access support quickly by filling out this get help form or calling our warmline at 800-557-8375. Someone will return your call within 24 hours. Learn more about us on our website here.
In 2020, we adopted a team-model of daily support for parents. When someone reaches out to Baby Blues Connection, a team of volunteers assesses the parent’s need, connects them to resources and creates a plan for continued support.
We are also committed to increasing access to mental health resources through our new Therapy Fund Program. Fifteen cents of every dollar we raise goes towards providing therapy to an uninsured parent at no cost to them. We fund this, and our other programs, through fundraising efforts and events like Willamette Week’s Give!Guide.
The Give!Guide is open for donations now through 12/31. Please donate if you can. Your support means the world to so many people.
As the only organization in the Portland Metro area offering this type of tailored support to parents with perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, we hope to reach as many as we can. We can reach even more with your help. As many as 1 in 5 parents suffer from perinatal mood disorder, making PMADS the most common complication of pregnancy. We would love your help to spread the word about Baby Blues Connection, distribute brochures, donate, and/or join our group of amazing volunteers here.
Remember that you don't have to wait for a mental health crisis to get support. We are here for you; we want you to know there is hope, and that you will feel like yourself again. We want you to know, no matter where you are at in your parenthood journey, or how you got here, we see the love, hopes, and dreams you carry in your heart for your kiddos. We see how hard you work to be the best parent you can be, and we are behind you, 100%.
Baby Blues Connection is a PDX Metro area nonprofit supporting parents who are coping with perinatal mood disorders. Our resources offered to the community include a warm line, and contact form on our website, where trained volunteers reach out directly within 24 hours of contact. We offer support groups, and help parents find the resources they need to be well.