Name: Erika
Pronouns: She/Her
Snapshot: Erika is a veteran mother and wife. Following the birth of her 4th and 5th children, however, she began to experience intense Postpartum Anxiety. Curiosity and insight from close loved ones encouraged her to seek professional help and she discovered she had postpartum hypothyroidism, which contributed to her fluctuating mood. She now shares lessons learned from this experience and how she prepared for a subsequent pregnancy without fear of having severe PPA again.
How were you connected with POEM Rise?
I was connected to POEM Rise through Postpartum Support International.
Tell us about your pregnancy and postpartum journey. How did your experiences impact your mental health?
Postpartum Anxiety was a very troubling experience for me after the birth of my 4th and 5th children. I was waking up in the middle of the night in a hot sweat and panic, my body was trembling, and I constantly felt the need to call 911. During these episodes of fear and anxiety, my pulse would race beyond what I thought was even possible, causing me to fear if I would survive these experiences. It was through devoted prayer, communication, patience, and understanding from my husband, alongside a group of postpartum mom friends, that helped me come to the conclusion that I needed daily support and encouragement to overcome this. After some additional testing, I discovered I had developed postpartum hypothyroidism, which was also affecting my mood and emotions. Shortly after I weaned my daughter from breastfeeding, I became pregnant with my 6th child and took a low dosage of thyroid medication until I no longer needed it later in the pregnancy. After the birth of my 6th child, my anxiety symptoms were not nearly as severe because I was more prepared and took necessary precautions to avoid the severe fear I had prior. What I learned about perinatal mental health through this experience is that if you don’t have a supportive community around you, then you can feel defeated and hopeless. By God’s love and grace, I have overcome the worst of my PPA, and look forward to helping other women do the same.
Were there any forms of support you found beneficial to you in your journey?
The patient love and support of my husband was most impactful during that time.
Are there any words of wisdom or encouragement that you’d like to offer other birthing persons?
Birth does not have to be troublesome. It can be beautiful and one of the best times in your life. Just because you experienced postpartum or perinatal mood and anxiety disorders during pregnancy or postpartum does not mean you will during the next pregnancy. Do not let fear of mental health difficulties keep you from being the mother you’ve always hoped to be.
