How Employers Can Support Women During Postpartum Depression

Pregnancy and childbirth are often an exciting, happy time in a family’s life, but it is also an incredibly stressful time to the whole family. This becomes even more difficult when mom works. Caring for a newborn (especially the first born or a child with special needs) is a significant time commitment. This becomes more challenging as moms and other caregivers lack proper sleep. There are also additional financial pressures in caring for a new family member and taking time (sometimes unpaid) away from work. Post-birth, the medical focus is primarily on the new baby. Though newborns are checked multiple times in the first month of life, mom may not be seen by her obstetrician until six weeks post-labor. Add all this together and having a child can become quickly overwhelming. Ten to twenty percent of new moms struggle with postpartum depression. Even moms who have the best support systems and no previous history of mental health concerns can struggle. Why Should Employers Care? For progressive employers, the health and well-being of ALL employees is extremely important. This increases productivity and drives business results. Employers also want mom to get back to work as quickly as possible, and that’s difficult to do when she’s struggling with mental health concerns in the postpartum period (defined as 12 months post-delivery). Once mom returns to work, mom can be more fully engaged when all her physical and emotional health concerns are addressed. Many employers fac...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Depression Industrial and Workplace Mental Health America Publishers Women's Issues employers Motherhood New Mothers paid family leave Parenting postpartum depression Work Life Balance Source Type: blogs