Welcome to our ever-growing Alliance for perinatal mental health! The Perinatal Mental Health Alliance of NL (PMHANL) aims to enhance awareness and promote care and supports for perinatal mental health across the province. |
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Local upcoming events: World Maternal Mental Health Day 2024 |
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World Maternal Mental Health Day (WMMHD) is May 1, 2024 "Stronger Together" WMMHD is celebrated internationally and draws attention to essential mental health concerns for mothers, birthing parents, support partners, and families. Through this year's theme, "Stronger Together", the campaign of WMMHD aims to raise awareness, influence policy, and change the attitude to improve the quality of care for those experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. Check out the official WMMHD Website below: | | |
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Local Municipal Support The St. John’s City Hall will be looking blue & bright as of April 29th, when it will be lit up in teal to recognize World Maternal Mental Health Week. The lights will remain teal through May 5, 2024. Thank you to St. John's City Hall for your support in raising awareness for perinatal mental health. |
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Flora's Walk 2024: The 3rd Annual Flora's Walk is back! This year, 75% of funds raised will remain in the province and will support each team's choice of perinatal mental health needs of their area. Locally, we are aware of two teams hosting a walk: St. John's and Carbonear! St. John's Team Join the St. John's Team at the Quidi Vidi Boat House on Saturday, May 4th, 2024 at 2:00 pm. Carbonear General Hospital- NLHS Rural Eastern Zone Team Join the Carbonear General Hospital Team at the Carbonear Boardwalk, on Saturday, May 4th, 2024 - time to be determined. Please consider joining a team near you, or leading your own! Both team's pages are linked below: |
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If you know of a local Flora's Walk Team organized in your community, let us know! Email: pmhanlconnect@gmail.com to share your event with us! |
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Dr. Archana Vidyasankar featured on Out of The Fog Perinatal psychiatrist & Alliance Chair, Dr. Archana Vidyasankar, was featured on local media, Out of The Fog, bringing awareness to the current status of Perinatal Mental Health here in NL. Dr. Vidyasankar highlights the efforts of the Alliance and the Gov NL Task Force for Perinatal Mental Health as well as shedding light on the challenges new families face in NL. In response to the needs, Dr. Vidyasankar has launched a new virtual Perinatal Mental Health hub, Prakash Pathways, to address the many different needs of perinatal mental health. From intake assessment to counselling, lactation support and sleep, patients can find it all in one place, and with a virtual format it is accessible across the province. Check out www.prakashpathways.com for more information. Thank you Dr. Vidyasankar for your continued passion and dedication in advancing Perinatal Mental Health in NL. To check out the full interview, see the link below and forward to 14:12 (14 minutes 12 seconds). |
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Join the MGH Virtual Rounds The Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) webinar is open to health professionals with an interest in perinatal and reproductive psychiatry. Faculty from the Center for Women's Mental Health at Massachusetts General Hospital will discuss clinical cases and field written questions from health professionals about clinical scenarios being encountered in women’s mental health derived from a spectrum of clinical settings. The webinar is open to health professionals only, and registration is required. Registrants need only register once to gain access to all rounds. This month's virtual rounds will take place: Information and Registration can be found in the link below: |
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Postpartum Planning for Expecting Parents - Free Class Postpartum International (PSI) hosts a 2-hour class twice a month for expecting parents, as a space to assist in preparedness and skill building for parents' emotional well-being in the postpartum period. The class will include education, discussion, a review of a postpartum plan, and resources. The main topics covered include postpartum physical recovery, partner support, self-care, support networks, lactation and emotional well-being, and perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. All expectant parents are welcome: moms, birthing people, non-gestational parents, partners, couples, and single parents. If you are expecting a baby soon, you are welcome to join!
These classes are meant as a one-time session, so please only register once. This is a free resource, so please cancel your registration at least 24 hours in advance if you cannot attend the class to provide an opportunity for someone on the waitlist.
This month's classes are offered on: Wednesday, April 3rd 2024 @ 9:00pm NL Time Wednesday, April 17th 2024 @ 2:30pm NL Time Registration can be found in the link below: |
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Perinatal Mental Health in the Margins Conference The Together Waterloo Conference is a one-day event dedicated to raising awareness and understanding about the importance of mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. This conference aims to shed light on the unique perinatal mental health challenges faced by individuals in marginalized communities. Date: Wednesday, May 01, 2024 Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Location: Kitchener Public Library, 85 Queen Street North, Kitchener, ON, Canada At this conference, you will have the opportunity to hear from local experts and advocates in the field of perinatal mental health, as they share their insights and experiences. Through engaging speakers and panel discussions, we will explore strategies to improve access to mental health support, reduce stigma, and promote overall well-being for individuals during this critical phase of life. More information, including registration details, can be found through the link below: |
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We'd love to hear your feedback |
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Are you following our Website or Social Media? Stay tuned for some local surveys that we would LOVE to have your input on. First, we want to know what you would like to see more of from us. Check out the link below to provide anonymous feedback about how we better support, connect, and engage with you. P.s. We promise that it's short! | | |
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Effects of Prenatal Exposure to Second-Generation Antipsychotics on Development and Behavior Among Preschool-Aged Children: Preliminary Results From the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications (Swetlik et al., 2024) This study, published in March 2024, reports on the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preschool-aged children who were prenatally exposed to second-generation antipsychotics. When compared to children who were not exposed in a cohort of mothers with a history of psychiatric illness, no significant differences were found between the groups of children for neurodevelopmental or behavioural outcomes at the pre-school age. This study is the first to examine long-term outcomes in children with exposure to second-generation antipsychotics in utero. Clinically, this helps contribute to the available research knowledge for patients and their providers who may be considering the use of the newer, second-generation antipsychotic agents during pregnancy. To read the full text, visit: |
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Feature of the Month: Mokami Status of Women Council |
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The Mokami Status of Women Council is a non-profit organization that works to address issues related to gender equality, women's rights, and social justice in the Mokami region of central Labrador. The Council provides support services, advocate for policy change, and raise awareness about issues affecting women and marginalized communities. Some programs and services include the Women Supporting Women program, the Leche (breastfeeding support) Program, the Supportive Living Programs for those at risk for homelessness, and Thrifty Fashions affordable secondhand clothing boutique. For more information, check out their website: | | |
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If you, or a loved one, are experiencing struggles with your mental health during the perinatal period, know that you are not alone. Please check our Resource Page to find what supports are best for you. |
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Do you or your team have an event coming up related to Perinatal Mental Health? Let us know! We would love to share more updates from our community on our website and through newsletter! Email pmhanlconnect@gmail.com with your information. |
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