Reference: Gabriel, A. S., Ladge, J. J., Little, L. M., MacGowan, R. L., & Stillwell, E. E. (2023). Sensemaking through the storm: How postpartum depression shapes personal work–family narratives. Journal of Applied Psychology, 108(12), 1903–1923. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001125 Returning to full-time work after childbirth is a challenge for women, with significantly new responsibilities, sleep deprivation, and priority setting, especially those with postpartum depression (PPD). They have extreme sadness, mood swings, impaired reasoning, and tearfulness with thoughts of self or child harm. Psychologists conducted Zoom interviews with women’s health experts and 41 working women diagnosed with PPD of different races recruited from blogs, and professional or health organizations for new mothers. Only two were without partners. All had 1-3 children. Results? Diagnosis of PPD led mothers to identify as impaired. Women needed to make sense of new expectations and reality of their lives towards work and family. Women with PPD experienced excessive loss. They used medication, therapy, coping, and/or recovery activities, such as mindfulness, exercise, and limiting work tasks. Treatment was essential to help women learn self-compassion and self-care practices while relieving the burden of believing they needed to "do it all." Workplaces! Understand the impact of PPD and new babies on working mothers! Create flexible policies that allow for treatment, reduced workloads, flexible time off, childcare, and support for both parents. Partners! Share household and child-care tasks. Give encouragement to aid your partner’s resilience and well-being.

Written by Jarret Bain B.S.