Maternal Mental Health: Postpartum Anxiety Conversation with Kathryn Tipton, LPC, PMH-C
Bringing a new life into the world is a joyous and transformative experience, but it can also usher in a rollercoaster of emotions and challenges for parents, especially mothers.
As a Gentle Sleep Coach with over 13 years of experience in helping families find their way to restful nights, I've witnessed firsthand the profound impact that the postpartum period can have on a family's sleep routines and overall well-being.
Today, I'm honored to present a video interview with a seasoned therapist who specializes in postpartum anxiety, Kathryn Tipton, LPC, PMH-C, Co-Founder of The Houston Center for Valued Living. Together, we'll delve into the topic of postpartum anxiety.
In this interview we go over:
Postpartum Anxiety Disorder
Forms of anxiety such as OCD, PTSD, panic attacks & intrusive thoughts
When are intrusive thoughts problematic
Sneaky ways anxiety can show up in your life
Anxiety Statistics
Ways your life can be disrupted when anxiety is present
When are behaviors considered a disorder
What are the protective things I can do NOW to help reduce my risk of Postpartum Mood Disorders
Postpartum Anxiety Resources
Anxiety can be functional and problematic. Anxiety is a normal emotion like happiness and sadness. It can include bodily sensations like heart racing, sweaty palms, pit in your stomach, shortness of breath, shakiness, nausea, difficulty sleeping and/or tension.
Ways your life can be disrupted when excessive anxiety is present:
Are you having trouble with your relationships?
Are you not able to do things you want to do?
Are you having trouble concentrating?
Are you having disrupted sleep?
Are you having feelings of overwhelm?
How Long Does Postpartum Anxiety Last?
Anxiety can show up pre-conception until 18 months postpartum. Transitions can increase the likelihood of it showing up, such as, weaning or going back to work.
Postpartum anxiety is to not be confused with the "baby blues". In the days after giving birth up, through the first couple of weeks, mother's may experience a transient and mild emotional state with symptoms such as mood swings, crying spells, anxiety and difficulty sleeping. It's important to note that baby blues are different from postpartum depression and/or anxiety, which are more severe and longer-lasting conditions that can appear several months after giving birth. Most mothers are "vulnerable" all the way until the child is 18-24 months, it doesn't have to show up right away.
It's crucial for new mothers to have a support system in place, including family, friends, and healthcare professionals. Talking about their feelings and experiences can be very beneficial.
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of postpartum depression, anxiety or struggling emotionally after childbirth, reaching out to a healthcare professional is important for a proper evaluation and guidance on managing these feelings.
Postpartum Anxiety Resources
If you think you are experiencing mental health challenges:
OBGYN- you can reach out to your OBGYN for support if you feel comfortable.
Postpartum.net has a warm line that will call or text you back and give you a list of providers in your area that specialize in this field.
Communicate with Dad. Often times Dad's don't know what mom is experiencing but want to help when they do realize it.
Support group for Postpartum- Isolation and shame are driving factors in tanking maternal health and support groups can bridge connection and hope. You can build friendships, commonality, and you can laugh because parenting is HARD.
What are the protective things I can do NOW to help reduce my risk of postpartum mood disorder:
Monitor your physical health- go to the doctor, gets your labs checked. Certain conditions can exacerbate symptoms you have and can put you at risk.
Sleep!- get yourself 5-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It reduces your risk of perinatal mood disorder.
Eating on a regular basis- This can have an incredible impact on stabilizing your mood and your blood sugar.
Move your body- get outside, move a bit, stretch your legs.
Time away from your baby- Give Dad or other caregiver opportunities to bond with baby!
Do activities that make you feel like YOU again- See your girlfriends, date night, take a walk, or enjoy some silence!
About Kathryn Tipton
Kathryn Tipton, LPC, PMH-C is a professional counselor and co-founder of The Houston Center for Valued Living.
After obtaining her master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of Houston – Clear Lake in 2010, it didn’t take long for Kathryn, along with her classmate Christen Sistrunk, to start envisioning the growth of a group practice. In 2015, they co-founded The Houston Center for Valued Living (“HCFVL”). Together, they established a company with the mission of delivering consistent, high-quality therapy services through therapists possessing diverse and specialized skill sets.
Today, HCFVL offers treatment for children, adolescents, and adults experiencing anxiety disorders, OCD, trauma, body focused repetitive behaviors, depression, insomnia, and life transitions. Furthermore, their commitment extends to creating a work environment that offers women flexibility, professional autonomy, and competitive compensation, all aimed at fostering work/life balance.
As a certified perinatal mental health therapist, Kathryn focuses on reproductive mental health concerns like infertility, perinatal depression, anxiety, OCD, and birth trauma. Her therapeutic approach includes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD/Trauma, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), and Exposure and Response Prevention for OCD and anxiety disorders.
For state of Texas residents. She offers one-on-one live or virtual/telehealth counseling and 2x a month Postpartum Support Group that is both hybrid so you can join in person or virtually.
Kathryn’s passion to carve out a perinatal speciality started with her own unexpected journey of postpartum depression. Her own experiences highlighted the isolated struggles often experienced for women and men in this stage of life. Kathryn embarked on her journey with the perinatal health community with a vision in mind: to provide support and a sense of community to new moms who may be facing challenges and feeling lost.
Being a mother herself, Kathryn understands the constraints that accompany the arrival of a newborn at home. In her pursuit of enhancing access to support, Kathryn established a no-cost biweekly virtual postpartum peer support group called "Houston Postpartum Peer Support."
Through this initiative, she seeks to cultivate social support networks for mothers in Texas, with the ultimate goal of reducing feelings of isolation and shame. In her professional endeavors, Kathryn is dedicated to enhancing the quality of care accessible to individuals in this life stage. She achieves this by establishing connections with fellow providers, including lactation consultants, infant sleep coaches, physical therapists, and other allied professionals. Through these collaborations, she effectively links her clients with the valuable resources they need.
To connect with Kathryn, contact her at 713-331-5538 ext 2 or at kathryn@hcfvl.com.
To learn more about Kathryn and the Houston Center for Valued Living:
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