Make History. Take Action.

Did you know that there are no unique diagnostic criteria for perinatal and postpartum mental illness? The American Psychiatric Association, who authors the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (DSM), states that this exclusion is due to there not being sufficient evidence that “perinatal mood and anxiety disorders” are unique. The anecdotal evidence is overwhelming - these are unique illnesses.

We are setting out to change that. Let’s not just share our stories - let’s tell them in ways that the medical community will understand. Let’s give them research.

Want to take action and tell your story? Click here to take our survey.

Want to support this cause but have not experienced a perinatal or postpartum mental illness? Sign up for our newsletter below to learn more about how you can help support our petition and lobbying efforts.

We hope to see you later over on @this_postpartum_life to learn a bit about what those numbers mean.
Technically, as clinical diagnoses go, none of these things exist. . . . Of course, we know they do. We have lived their horrors. We have felt their pain. We have known their despair. . . . The medical systems at large, the financial machinery of healthcare, have no regard for our anecdotal experience. They want billable codes. They want billable diagnoses. . . . This is one of the ugly truths. But history makers have not yielded to such obstacles before - they took action. . . . Organizations like @postpartumhelp have worked hard to lobby for diagnostic criteria to match our lived experience. . . . Join us tomorrow Saturday July 6th at 7:30 pm EST/4:30pm PST over on @this_postpartum_life
There's usually a lot more to a picture or an infographic than meets the eye... do you believe everything you see on the internet? . . . Let us help you learn some of the hidden details in some popular numbers and infographics making the rounds because knowledge is power, and you deserve to know. . . . Join us over on @this_postpartum_life THIS Saturday July 6th 7:30pm EST/ 4:30pm PST to hear more.
So many images on Instagram. . But what are they really saying? . Even the infographics are taken at face value and accepted as Truth. . Example? "1 in 9 women have postpartum depression." This is true right? The picture told you it was, right? . We all say "a picture says a thousand words," but what happens when we are hiding behind our pictures, because stigma has become the new Instagram filter? . What happens when the snippets of info you're seeing AREN'T ACTUALLY TRUE? Join @this_postpartum_life and @findamomlikeme on Saturday, July 6th as we rage on, giving our perspective on the 1000 words of postpartum depression.
So many images on Instagram. But what are they really saying? Even the infographics are taken at face value and accepted as Truth. Example? "1 in 9 women have postpartum depression." This is true right? The picture told you it was, right? We all say "a picture says a thousand words," but what happens when we are hiding behind our pictures, because stigma has become the new Instagram filter? What happens when the snippets of info you're seeing AREN'T ACTUALLY TRUE? . Join @this_postpartum_life and @findamomlikeme on Saturday, July 6th as we rage on, giving our perspective on the 1000 words of postpartum depression. #makehistorytakeaction
So many images on Instagram. But what are they really saying? Even the infographics are taken at face value and accepted as Truth. Example? "1 in 9 women have postpartum depression." This is true right? The picture told you it was, right? We all say "a picture says a thousand words," but what happens when we are hiding behind our pictures, because stigma has become the new Instagram filter? What happens when the snippets of info you're seeing AREN'T ACTUALLY TRUE? Join @this_postpartum_life and @findamomlikeme on Saturday, July 6th as we rage on, giving our perspective on the 1000 words of postpartum depression. #makehistorytakeaction
Is it ethical to ma(rket)ke drugs for something that doesn't even have diagnostic criteria??? We deserve a diagnosis. #makehistorytakeaction #mywishformoms @ahntoday @chrissyteigen #ppa #ppd #pmad #postpartumdepression #postpartumanxiety #postpartumocd #postpartumptsd #maternalmentalhealth
...while we take ACTION behind the scenes. We're working on some BIG things and we can't wait to reveal them to you as soon as they are ready. ☎️ 🎶🎵🎶Please continue to hold 🎵🎶🎵☎️
It's been a while! But don't worry--we're still taking action so we can change the course of history! We're working behind the scenes on something BIG. What are you doing to take action for maternal mental health? 👇👇👇 Take the survey to inform our campaign for diagnostic criteria! The link's in our bio.
"Designating $1,000 or more for postpartum help feels out of reach for many of the families I talk with. And yet the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is nearly $30,000. Health insurance reimbursement for the cost of a doula is theoretically possible, but still rare. American families across the economic spectrum live miles or even oceans away from extended family, who would have been the assumed postpartum helpers anytime up until the last half century or so. For many in my generation, that once-obvious support system has vanished, and to quote Brenhouse again: 'it certainly wasn’t replaced with anything.'” - Ananda Lowe Excerpt from her June 2014 article in @wbur : "Best Kept Secret For Postpartum Depression? Help At Home." Link to the full article in bio.
So many people have scolded: "you have to take better care of yourself," they say. What they're really saying is "you let this happen." No wonder there is a stigma surrounding maternal mental health. No wonder women are lying to their doctors. This is not your fault. We hear you. We know it's difficult, and on top of that, it's financially frustrating. Join us tomorrow, 4:30pm PST/7:30pm EST, for our first Saturday Soapbox. Let's talk about the real price of postpartum.
$$$ The Price of Postpartum $$$ Join us right here THIS Saturday June 1st at 7:30pm EST / 4:30pm PST for an Instagram Live as we discuss and share what postpartum is costing us, literally and figuratively. You won't want to miss it. #makehistorytakeaction
Our feature story from #mmhweek2019
1900 BC. Yeah, you read that right. Ancient Egyptian papyrus depicts treatment for what Hippocrates would coin "Hysteria" in the 5th century. The treatments have varied wildly over the course of the next several thousands of years - from uterine massage to vibrators (yeah, you read that right, too) to a drug that costs more than many Americans make in a year. . . . Want to be a part of writing OUR history? Take action. Take the survey. . . AND join us on THIS Saturday June 1st right here on @makehistorytakeaction at 7:30pm EST / 4:30pm PST as we explore the Price of Postpartum. 💲💲💲
Join @this_postpartum_life and @findamomlikeme RIGHT HERE on Saturday June 1st at 7pm EST/4PM PST OR 8pm EST/5pm PST to take about the postpartum price we are paying (or not). Tell us what time you prefer 👇👇👇
When will you have time? Tell us in the comments or respond to our stories! 7pm EST/4pm PST or 8pm EST/5pm PST ???
ANNOUNCING 🔈🔉🔊SATURDAY SOAPBOX. Every first Saturday of every month we go LIVE here on Instagram, taking a trip back to the past to uncover how we've gotten here and where we need to go next! A huge part of taking action is getting educated on where we've been. By learning the past we can change the pattern and disrupt the cycle. MARK YOUR CALENDARS and join the conversation! CHECK OUT OUR STORIES TO VOTE ON A TIME.
During maternal mental health week we blasted Instagram with our demand for diagnostic criteria for postpartum mental health conditions. So many of you are new to this community as a result, and so we'd like to introduce ourselves and tell you more about WHY this is important to US. THIS IS AMANDA'S WHY. Share your why in the comments after you fill out the survey! . . . After being diagnosed with “general depression” and receiving treatment that was wildly inappropriate for a new mother, Amanda took to making a difference for the moms that will come after her.  Established diagnostic criteria for postpartum mental health conditions, for Amanda, could have meant a faster more reliable response to her cry for help that could have been covered by insurance.  It could have meant less guilt, less fear, less stigma, less pain.  It could have changed her life.