Emotional and Mental Health

Emotional and mental health refers to how a person feels, thinks and copes emotionally during pregnancy and in the first year after having a baby. This is a vulnerable time of major changes. Mental health is an essential part of the pregnancy and postpartum journey. It is about caring for you as a whole person — not just your body’s recovery.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can bring big changes — changes in your body, hormones, sleep and relationships. With so much shifting at once, it’s normal to experience a wide range of emotions. You may find yourself feeling down, tearful, numb or unusually anxious. While challenging, these feelings are often manageable and fade over time. For others, though, emotions and thoughts can be intense and overwhelming. Most people are familiar with postpartum depression, but there are other mental health concerns during this time, too. These include anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, having intrusive or “scary” thoughts and psychosis. Mental health disorders can impact parents of every culture, age, income and race.

If you are not feeling like yourself, please know that you are not alone and that help is available. Sharing this information with your health care team, or with trusted family and friends, can feel difficult, but it is a vital step toward healing. If you’re unsure of how to discuss your feelings with them, or are in need of immediate assistance and guidance, the resources listed below can offer you the compassionate support you need.

National Crisis Text Line:
Text HOME (or HOLA for Spanish) to 741741 from anywhere in the USA, anytime, about any type of crisis

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline:
Call or text 988 for help in English and Spanish (for Spanish text AYUDA to 988)

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline:
Call or text 1-833-852-6262 for help in English and Spanish

Postpartum Support International Helpline:
Call 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD) #1 En Español or #2 English
Text “Help” to 800-944-4773 (English)
Text en Español 971-203-7773