mom

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Four Benefits of Seeing an Online Therapist During Your Pregnancy

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Four Benefits of Seeing an Online Therapist During Your Pregnancy

If you are pregnant, you probably have heard from friends, your family, your doula, or your OB-GYN about the possibility of experiencing postpartum anxiety and depression after delivery. Perhaps you’ve even considered that you might reach out to a therapist after your baby arrives if you feel like you are struggling with your mental health. But beginning to see a therapist while you’re pregnant can have significant benefits throughout your pregnancy and in your postpartum period. Here are four benefits of seeing a therapist during your pregnancy.

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Learning to Let Go of "Mom Guilt"

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Learning to Let Go of "Mom Guilt"

Motherhood is hard, like really hard. And parenting in the time of a global pandemic is a whole other level of stress and difficulty. We aren’t going to always get it right. Rather than heaping guilt on yourself, almost as a form of self-punishment, try approaching yourself with a sense of self-compassion.

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Five Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Health as a Mom in the New Year

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Five Ways to Prioritize Your Mental Health as a Mom in the New Year

Our minds and bodies are not designed to be under the constant and consistent stress that they’ve experienced the last two years. The majority of moms I’ve spoken to feel burned out, overwhelmed, and exhausted. While there isn’t a quick fix or a pill that will simply take the overwhelm and exhaustion away, by taking small steps to prioritize your needs and your mental health, you may begin to feel some relief or a reprieve from the stress. Check out these five ways to prioritize your mental health as a mom in the new year.

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Hurricane Ida and COVID-19: The Perfect Storm for Mom Anxiety and Overwhelm

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Hurricane Ida and COVID-19: The Perfect Storm for Mom Anxiety and Overwhelm

Hey there, NOLA mom, how are you?

I’m going to guess the answer is, “I’m really not okay.” I hear ya. It has been a really rough last few months, and not many of us are “okay.” And guess what? THAT is okay!

To say that life has been rough since March 2020 is an understatement. Most of us have been operating in survival mode since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Between trying to figure out balancing the roles of homeschool teacher, childcare provider, and lunch and snack lady, plus working a full-time job and trying to keep the house in some kind of livable condition, there has been little physical and mental space to decompress and heal from the stress and trauma associated with COVID-19

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This Isn’t What You Expected: Pregnant and Giving Birth During Hurricane Ida

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This Isn’t What You Expected: Pregnant and Giving Birth During Hurricane Ida

For any woman who has found herself pregnant during the COVID-19 pandemic, expectations have had to be adjusted based on the requirements and guidelines of the doctors’ offices and delivery settings. And while these adjustments have required pregnant women in New Orleans to shift their expectations, there has been a fair amount of time to process and accept those changes and disappointments.

But one thing that no expectant mom was prepared to deal with is the aftermath of Hurricane Ida. For women who are still pregnant and for those who are newly postpartum, life is currently filled with so many unknowns, so much worry, anxiety, and sadness. Where you are in your pregnancy or postpartum experience may impact the intensity of those emotions and the types of questions you find your anxious mind mulling over.

The Benefits of Online Therapy vs. In Person Therapy

The Benefits of Online Therapy vs. In Person Therapy

While COVID-19 has brought online therapy to the forefront of counseling options, many people don’t realize that telehealth therapy has been around for many decades prior to the pandemic. As more people are beginning to get vaccinated and life starts to give some sense of normalcy, you may be wondering if you want to continue to meet with your therapist online or try a traditional office setting.

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Should I Take Medication For My Anxiety?

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Should I Take Medication For My Anxiety?

While I believe it is important for every woman to make this decision for herself and choose whether or not taking medication for anxiety is the right choice for her, too often I see people making the decision to avoid medication based on poor information.

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Breastfeeding and the Impact on Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

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Breastfeeding and the Impact on Postpartum Depression & Anxiety

“I knew the lengths to which I was going to try and do all the things (nurse, pump, bottle feed, formula feed) was not sustainable. I knew my mental and emotional health were suffering and would only get worse if I continued this cycle.”

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Coping with Stress as a Mom During COVID-19

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Coping with Stress as a Mom During COVID-19

So many moms are still having to wear all the hats (work hat, chef hat, educator hat, etc.), while also navigating the numerous challenges COVID-19 brings to daily life. Many of us are experiencing COVID fatigue and feeling burnt out from parenting during a pandemic. And let me validate those feelings: This burnout is real.

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This Isn't What You Expected: Pregnant During a Pandemic

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This Isn't What You Expected: Pregnant During a Pandemic

Pregnancy is typically a time filled with celebration, joy, and eager expectation of your little one’s arrival. During pregnancy, there are milestones you look forward to: the first time you hear your baby’s heartbeat, seeing that tiny little face on an ultrasound, a gender reveal party, a baby shower thrown by loved ones, and the first time you get to finally hold your bundle of joy in your arms. And throughout these special moments, you can’t wait to be able to share them with you partner or spouse, other children, friends, and family members. But with the arrival of the coronavirus a few months ago, those of us who are pregnant found that our expectations for many of these milestones seemed to shatter around us.

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