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Resources, education, support, and ways to connect with Starlight Birth Services.
Resources, education, support, and ways to connect with Starlight Birth Services.
Mental Health After Birth is a two-page educational guide designed to help new parents and their support people better understand emotional wellness during the postpartum period.
It includes information about common postpartum emotions, practical ways to care for yourself and build your support system, the difference between baby blues and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs), signs that it may be time to reach out for additional support, and resources for finding help.
This guide isn't meant to tell you how you're supposed to feel after having a baby. Every postpartum experience is different. It's simply a starting place for recognizing what you're experiencing and knowing where you can turn when you need more support.
2-page printable PDF
Page 1 — Mental Health After Birth
Common postpartum emotions
Simple postpartum self-care ideas
Building your support village
Reminders about the emotional adjustment to parenthood
Page 2 — Baby Blues vs. Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders
Common signs of the baby blues
When symptoms may indicate a PMAD
Examples of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
Signs that it's time to talk with a healthcare provider
Emergency warning signs
Maternal mental-health support resources
Postpartum psychosis is rare, but it is a psychiatric emergency. Understanding the warning signs—and creating systems that recognize and respond to them before a crisis—can help protect postpartum people, babies, and families.