The North Shore Postpartum Depression Task Force is available to women experiencing postpartum stress, as well as the family members, friends and practitioners who support them. They are available for help, hope and connection. Postpartum is a huge adjustment for everyone, not to just the new moms, but the extended family and friends who support them. The North Shore Postpartum Task Force works together with new mothers and their support givers to help by easing feelings of being overwhelmed and uncertain of the future.
Postpartum depression (PPD) can happen to anyone regardless of work status, marital status, number of children, or mental health history. It can happen during pregnancy, right after birth or months later. About 20% of women experience a clinical depression. Going without help may make your depression worse. Left untreated, postpartum disorders can last for several months, even years. Both men and women experience postpartum depression. Certainly, when one parent is suffering, the rest of the family suffers.
The North Shore Postpartum Depression Task Force was convened in 2007 by Ipswich’s Birth to Three Family Center, which is operated under the auspices of the Ipswich Public schools and is a Coordinated Family and Community Engagement grantee funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education & Care. We created the Task Force because we believe in the profound importance of strong maternal and infant mental health.
Visit their website at NorthShorePostpartumHelp.org. Those needing to talk to someone immediately may call the Parental Stress Hotline at: 1-800-632-8188. It is the goal of this Task Force to bring together the practitioners, organizations, research, and best practices that North Shore families need for a healthy postpartum experience. The initial scope of this Task Force is the North Shore United Way community, including the following towns: Beverly, Manchester, Hamilton, Wenham, Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester, and Rockport.