with Tara Maxa.

How did you deal with feelings like fear and apprehension during and after each pregnancy?

In this video, Dr. Tara Maxa, MSN, RN, RNC-OB, C-EFM, CNE, RNC-IAP, CHSE, discusses overcoming Post-partum Depression.

Transcript

My name is Tara Maxa and I am an RN, but I’m also an MSN. I teach nursing students at the School of Nursing for Texas A&M, but I’m also by trade a labor and delivery nurse and I have practiced for about 12 1/2 years now.

How did you deal with feelings like fear and apprehension during and after each pregnancy?

That’s a hard thing to do because as a new mom, you just want to take on everything yourself and you’re going to take care of the baby, and that’s, you know, that’s the job we were told we were going to do. And so, you know, it was very hard for me to just admit to myself that something was wrong. But also, you know, understand that it wasn’t anything I was doing wrong. It wasn’t anything I’d caused. It was just how my hormones were regulating themselves after the delivery of the baby, how my brain is and, you know, that was okay. So really asking my support people for help really, you know, allowing them to help me get through those times, I think, is really what helped me go through those, those challenging times. But then also I think it has allowed me to help take care of my friends and my family better because, you know, those people may not always ask for help. It’s going to be very hard for them to. But to say, you know what, I’m going to come bring you dinner tonight or I’m going to help do your dishes or I’m going to help, you know, watch your baby while you take a nap. Those kinds of things, they just make it. This has given me the opportunity to kind of see it from a different point of view. So now you know my babies are older, I don’t have postpartum depression or anxiety anymore, I will mention that if you have a history of anxiety, depression before or any kind of mental illness in your family or you’ve you know kind of been going through some struggles or times, you may be more at risk for postpartum depression and anxiety. So to know that about yourself, to know that it’s common and there are things to help you, I think that is a huge advantage going into this and knowing that there is help out there, that you know you’re not alone if you do experience these feelings and that, you know, try not to shut people out. Those people who want to help you, let them in. Let them help you. Because you know you’re wanting to take care of this baby and you want the best for your baby. But you’ve got to take care of yourself too. You’ve got to make sure that you’re healthy so that you can provide the best care for your baby.