Pregnancy and motherhood are often portrayed as idyllic and fulfilling periods of life. While this may hold true for some, it’s essential to acknowledge that the journey to and through motherhood can be fraught with stressors and mental health challenges. From fertility struggles to postpartum adjustments, women often find themselves navigating a complex interplay of physical, emotional, and psychological changes.
Yet, maternal mental health remains under-discussed, and many women feel unsupported or unsure about seeking help. Many more women enter parenthood and pregnancy with pre-existing mental health concerns and lack guidance around options to continue treatment. Maternal mental health deserves focused attention, and specialized treatment, including medication management, is vital during this transformative time.
Understanding Maternal Mental Health
Maternal mental health encompasses the emotional and psychological well-being throughout planning for and during pregnancy, as well as in the postpartum period. Profound biological, social, and psychological transitions during these life stages contribute to the high incidence of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
Perinatal depression affects 1 in 7 women, yet many cases go undiagnosed or untreated. Anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, and trauma-related symptoms are also common but frequently dismissed as normal stress. Left untreated, these conditions can have significant implications for the mother and the child’s development and the family unit as a whole. 
Why Specialized Care is Essential
Maternal mental health is distinct from general mental health care. The hormonal shifts, physical changes, and unique stressors of pregnancy and postpartum require clinicians who understand the interplay between these factors and mental health.
Medication management during this period is particularly complex. Women and their healthcare providers often face difficult questions:
- Will medication exposure in pregnancy affect the baby?
- Are there safe treatment options during pregnancy or breastfeeding?
- Can I safely continue the medication that has been so helpful to me for many years
- What happens if a mental health condition is left untreated?
Specialized care ensures that these decisions are made collaboratively, with evidence-based practices that prioritize both maternal and fetal health.
The Role of Medication Management
While therapy and lifestyle changes are valuable tools, medication is sometimes necessary to effectively manage conditions like severe depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder. It’s important to remember that untreated mental illness can pose greater risks than the potential side effects of carefully chosen medications. Partnering with a clinician who specializes in reproductive or perinatal psychiatry is often the first step to exploring safe medication options during fertility treatment, pregnancy, and lactation.
Breaking the Stigma
One of the greatest barriers to maternal mental health care is stigma. Many women hesitate to seek help due to fears of being judged or misunderstood. By normalizing conversations about mental health and educating the public about the importance of specialized care, we can create a supportive environment where mothers feel empowered to prioritize their well-being.
How Nested Perinatal Psychiatry Can Help
Nested Perinatal Psychiatry is a local specialty practice devoted exclusively to maternal mental health. We are committed to providing compassionate, personalized care for women at every stage of their journey to and through parenthood—whether you’re planning a family, navigating pregnancy, adjusting to postpartum life, or in the thick of toddlerhood.
We specialize in parental mental health and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) with a focus on medication management and holistic support during the preconception, pregnancy, and postpartum periods. Our services are designed to meet the unique challenges of this life phase, providing a safe, empathetic space for healing and growth.
Nested has partnered with most commercial insurance plans to make specialized mental health care more accessible to women in all stages of parenting. Motherhood is a journey of transformation, and every mother deserves to feel cared for, supported and understood. If you’re struggling, know that you’re not alone. Proper care makes it possible to thrive for yourself and your growing family.
Interested in learning more? Contact Nested today to schedule a free consultation with the mention of Fairfield County Mom. Visit Nestedperinatal.com, email [email protected], or call 203-522-8127.
Jennifer Kenny, a psychiatric nurse practitioner passionate about maternal mental health, founded Nested Perinatal Psychiatry. With clinical training at New York University, Bellevue Hospital, and Zucker Hillside Hospital in the Department of Perinatal Psychiatry, Jennifer brings extensive experience to her work with women navigating the reproductive journey.
Jennifer’s career includes time with Columbia University’s Women’s Mental Health team within the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Brooklyn Parent Support. After identifying a significant gap in accessible, specialized mental health care for mothers in Connecticut, she established Nested with the belief that maternal mental health is the foundation of healthy families and thriving communities.
