Dear Colleague,
Postpartum depression is thought to affect 1 in 10 new fathers in the United States. Scientists aren't sure what causes PPD in men, but the body of research into paternal depression is growing, and recent studies suggest that language development delays and colic may be linked to depression in dads. With postpartum depression research and awareness gaining ground, the men are beginning to speak up: several new memoirs reveal the feelings of detachment and depression that can follow baby's arrival. In Home game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood, author Michael Lewis describes intrusive thoughts he had of hurling his baby daughter off a balcony, and writes that he kept a parenting journal to attempt to reconcile "this persistent and disturbing gap between what I was meant to feel and what I actually felt." An anthology, The Book of Dads: Essays on the Joys, Perils, and Humiliations of Fatherhood, examines how modern fathers face the demands of parenting, and in The Reluctant Fathers' Club, Nick Duerden describes the numbness and fear that set in the moment his daughter was born--and the year it took to grow to love her.
Postpartum Support International hosts a weekly "Chat With an Expert" every Monday for men who are experiencing symptoms of PPD or care about someone who is. Will Courtney, PhD, and Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW, will be on the calls to facilitate July's discussions.
Medical
Updates
Use of modified spectacles and light bulbs to block blue light at night may prevent postpartum depression.
Bennett S, Alpert M, Kubulins V, Hansler RL.
Med Hypotheses. 2009 Aug;73(2):251-3.
This trial tested the efficacy of glasses and light bulbs that blocked blue light, which is thought to suppress production of the sleep hormone, melatonin, which may contribute to PPD.
Screening for postpartum depression at well-child visits: is once enough during the first 6 months of life?
Sheeder J, Kabir K, Stafford B.
Pediatrics. 2009 Jun;123(6):e982-8.
This study aimed to determine the prevalence and incidence of maternal depression at well child visits up to 6 months postpartum.
Risk factors for postpartum depression: the role of the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised (PDPI-R). Results from the Perinatal Depression-Research & Screening Unit (PNDReScU) study.
Oppo A, Mauri M, Ramacciotti D, Camilleri V, Banti S, Borri C, Rambelli C, Montagnani MS, Cortopassi S, Bettini A, Ricciardulli S, Montaresi S, Rucci P, Beck CT, Cassano GB.
Arch Womens Ment Health. 2009 Aug;12(4):239-49.
This study identified frequency of risk factors and during pregnancy and 1 month postpartum and evaluated the predictive validity of the Postpartum Depression Predictors Inventory-Revised screening tool.
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In
The
News
Colic in babies may be linked to depression in dads
USA Today, June 26, 2009
Research has shown colic to be more prevalent among babies of depressed mothers, but could colic also be linked to depressed fathers?
Campaign focuses on postpartum depression
Today's Sunbeam, June 19, 2009
As part of the Speak Up When You're Down campaign, The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has produced an informational card listing signs of PPD and phone numbers to call for help.
Health Watch: Postpartum Depression
Fox News New York, June 19, 2009
Fox 5 New York profiles a mother who describes her experience with PPD.
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Events
Calendar
Summer Networking Dinner
When: July 13
Where: Brightwaters, NY
Postpartum Support International's 23rd Annual Conference
When: August 4-7
Where: Los Angeles, CA
Unmasking Postpartum Depression
When: September 29-October 1
Where: Regina, SK, Canada
Med
Ed
Resources
Women's Behavioral HealthCARE
Women's Behavioral HealthCARE is an intellectual and strategic leader in Women's Behavioral Health, offering gender-based medicine and advocacy for women, their families, and communities.
Postpartum Support International: Chat With an Expert
Every Wednesday (for women) and Monday (for men), up to 15 callers can chat with an expert facilitator and one another about coping, or helping a loved one cope, with PPD.
Perinatal Pro
Run by Susan Dowd Stone, MSW, LCSW, Perinatal Pro is an expert resource offering news, educational and support resources, and a weekly blog for women, families, and healthcare providers.
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