Breastfeeding is a gift from
nature for both baby and mom,
but many women are afraid of it.
Some women are afraid that breastfeeding will
hurt. For others, the thought of nursing around
other people can also be scary. The staff at
St. Barnabas Hospital (SBH) helps mothers
get over all of their fears about breastfeeding.
“Everything worked beautifully,” said one mom
who had a hard time breastfeeding her first child.
“Thanks to my SBH midwife, I felt more confident
that I could breastfeed my baby this time. It’s
helped create a bond that I didn’t have with
my first child.”
Breast milk has everything a baby needs for
a lifetime of good health. Breastfeeding moms
burn a lot of calories, which helps those trying
to lose weight.
At SBH, moms learn about all the benefits of
breastfeeding. They also learn other ways to
boost the mother/baby bond. One of the ways
is skin-to-skin contact – when the newborn is
placed on the mother’s bare chest right after
birth. Skin-to-skin contact also makes
breastfeeding easier.
Learning about breastfeeding can happen at
any time, but at SBH it begins before the moms
give birth. All expecting mothers are invited to
the hospital’s monthly baby showers, where they
can start learning about breastfeeding and also
get a special gift to take home.
If you want to learn more about breastfeeding
or make an appointment to see an SBH doctor,
call 718-960-3730.
BREASTFEEDING
Good for Baby and Mom.
Postpartum depression is a serious
illness that affects many new mothers.
You may find yourself feeling sad,
hopeless, and full of anxiety. You
also might have a change in appetite
and sleep.
While those with a history of depression
are at higher risk, it often affects women
who have never suffered depression
before. Causes may be due to family
history, hormone changes that happen
during your pregnancy, or feelings of
being overwhelmed with the birth of
your child and difficulty sleeping.
According to Dr. Matthew Grover, a
psychiatrist at SBH Health System, this
problem should not be ignored. “It’s
different than the ‘baby blues,’ which is
a sense of feeling overwhelmed, where
you’re crying, sad and tired. But that
usually goes away after a couple of
weeks,” he says.
“Postpartum depression is persistent.
And, because it can affect the wellbeing
of your child moving forward, you need
to get help.”
The good news is that pediatricians
and obstetricians at SBH regularly
screen now for depression among new
mothers. If you screen positive, you will
be referred to a mental health specialist
like Dr. Grover. Through psychotherapy,
and sometimes the aid of medication,
treatment often works successfully.
“Patients tend to do better, and so do
their children,” says Dr. Grover.
You do not need to suffer with
postpartum depression. We are here
to help. If you think that you may have
postpartum depression, please call
718-960-3071.
POSTPARTUM
DEPRESSION
More than the baby blues
For new moms,
giving birth feels like
it should be a
time that is full of
JOY
and
HAPPINESS.
But what happens
if you experience
THE OPPOSITE
and it doesn’t
GO AWAY?
4 | SBH Caring
FOR YOUR
Health
SBH Caring
FOR YOUR
Health | 5
