Light Relief Therapy

Light Therapy For Depression

• My Partners Resources
• Partners

2 Comments on “Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers: Evidence-based Support of Omega-3s, Bright Light Therapy, Exercise, Social Support, Psychotherapy, … St. John’s Wort (Clinics in Human Lactation) Reviews”

1. 
   1 Sarah R. Fields said at 2:52 pm on July 19th, 2010:

   Review by Sarah R. Fields for Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers: Evidence-based Support of Omega-3s, Bright Light Therapy, Exercise, Social Support, Psychotherapy, … St. John’s Wort (Clinics in Human Lactation)
   Rating:
   When PPD and postpartum psychosis made me delusional and unable to care for myself and my children, psychiatric drugs (an antipsychotic and a muscle relaxer) got me some sleep, but it was the subsequent months I spent researching and trying the natural treatments suggested by Dr. Kendall-Tackett that brought me complete healing.

   Now I feel better than I’d felt in years. I learned how to care for my body, brain, and whole self (mind/body/spirit). I learned about the important role of social support, about supplements, and about the womanly art of setting healthy limits by saying “no” to too many undesirable volunteer commitments. Research has come a long way in helping women find treatments that prevent, reduce the severity of symptoms, and heal from potentially-devastating perinatal mood disorders.

   This book is a must-read for pregnant and nursing mothers and those who care for them. As a postpartum support group facilitator and as a survivor of severe PPD, I highly recommend reading _NonPharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers_, along with Kendall-Tackett’s other publications. During my pregnancy, Kendall-Tackett’s resources formed the basis for writing my husband and I to write our own comprehensive postpartum care plan, which we shared with healthcare providers, the psychiatrist, midwife, doulas, and family. That planning made for an easier postpartum, with fewer symptoms and quicker healing, than either of the previous two.

   PPD is too common and too severe to ignore. Babies, children, marriages, and women’s health are at stake. Natural prevention and treatment goes a long way, and we have Kathleen Kendall-Tackett to thank for bringing the science to a layperson’s level, while citing all the studies that the professionals need to access.

2. 
   2 A. Witmer said at 3:23 pm on July 19th, 2010:

   Review by A. Witmer for Non-Pharmacologic Treatments for Depression in New Mothers: Evidence-based Support of Omega-3s, Bright Light Therapy, Exercise, Social Support, Psychotherapy, … St. John’s Wort (Clinics in Human Lactation)
   Rating:
   If only more women and their doctors would know all this information. This is evidenced based information about how you can treat postpartum depression (and almost any other depression) without drugs. If you do choose to take drugs, you can do some natural things with it.

   I am currently pregnant and doing the light therapy and high dose fish oil to help prevent postpartum depression.

Leave a Reply