Keeping Jenny’s Light Shining Bright

One evening about a year ago, after my fourteen month old daughter was fed, bathed, nursed and asleep, I began my evening routine of decompressing by sitting at the computer: checking email, following blogs, googling topics people had mentioned during the day.  That morning a mom had told me about a foundation called Jenny’s Light named after her friend’s twin sister. As I read Jenny’s story, tears flowed down my face uncontrollably.  Her story was so real, so close to me.  We shared a bond of being new moms, yet our lives had taken such different paths.

On December 19, 2007, Jenny Gibbs Bankston and her seven-week-old baby died tragically.  Jenny suffered silently with postpartum depression, and unfortunately, her symptoms went undiagnosed. As a new mom, I immediately related to the feelings of anxiety, insecurity, sleep deprivation, guilt, and shame. I was surprised by how close to the surface all these emotions remained, well past my daughter’s first birthday.

Postpartum Depression (PPD) and/or anxiety affect about one in eight of us. Unlike Baby Blues, that last about two weeks after delivery and affect about 80% of new moms, PPD occurs any time in the first year or beyond. Social support, individual and group counseling and sometimes medication can help women work through and treat postpartum depression. New moms can benefit from knowing that they are not alone, that they are not to blame for these unexpected feelings and that there is a community of supportive people around them. 

Take a minute to check-in with a new mom today to see how she is doing and if possible, do one tangible thing to help: bring over some food, offer to hold her baby while she takes a shower, or go for a walk together.  Give her space to express herself and destigmatize any sadness or anxiety she may be feeling.  Reassure her that with help, she can regain a feeling of normalcy.

At Blossom we are committed to providing a supportive, welcoming community and resource center to new and expected moms. Blossom’s weekly facilitated Pregnancy and Postpartum Moods and Challenges Support Group, held on Wednesdays from 10-11:30 am, can provide an important source of community and friendship. We also offer a class called Adjusting to Parenthood: Surviving the First Six Weeks, for expectant moms and their partners to learn about, anticipate and prepare for life after their baby arrives. The list below includes a number of excellent resources in the Bay Area and on-line for more information about PPD.

I invite you to join me and keep Jenny’s Light shining bright by participating in The 2nd Annual Jenny’s Light 5k Charity Run on Sunday March 7, 2010 in Los Gatos, CA at 10 am, rain or shine! Join the Blossom Team in Training! Sign up today to register for the run- a great way to help raise money and awareness about PPD.  This Saturday, January 16, 2010 we are starting weekly informal practice runs (I use the term loosely- jog, walk is more realistic!), in Palo Alto at 10am.  Send me a note at mora@blossombirth.org if you’d like to meet up. If you’d like to be a volunteer at the run, email me as well - we can use all the help we can get! This is a photograph of me with my daughter and fellow participants at last year's run.

Here is a list of additional Postpartum Support Services and Resources:
Blossom Birth, 650-321-2326
El Camino Hospital’s Maternal Outreach Mood Services, 650-988-7841
Bay Area Postpartum Warmline, 1-888-773-7090
SOLACE, 1-877-SOLACE4

Jenny’s Light Foundation

Postpartum Support International, 1800-944-4PPD
www.mededppd.org
http://www.mommiescrytoo.com/
http://1800ppdmoms.org/PSG.html
http://placentabenefits.info/index.asp

Please leave us a comment with resources that you have found helpful or personal strategies you has used to address postpartum depression and anxiety. Together we can continue to spread awareness about PPD and break the silence that keeps many women from reaching out for community and support.

Warm regards,
Mora (Director, Blossom Birth)