Postpartum depression is real. Recent data suggests that 1 in 7 U.S. women experience clinical depressive symptoms during the postpartum period, the first year after birth. The prevalence is thought to be higher among African American women due in part to our experiences with structural racism and implicit bias, which creates disparities in quality care. For Mamas who have given birth during the COVID-19 pandemic and this time of racial tension, there may be an even greater risk for mood or anxiety symptoms. Just because a Mama you know “looks okay” or “seems okay,” doesn’t necessarily mean she is feeling okay. Let’s be sure to check-in on our Mamas with infants and toddlers.
