Lethbridge mothers who are also psychologists publish book on what to expect postpartum
CBC
As a registered psychologist, Caitlin Slavens says that when she had a baby, she was convinced she would be fine.
"But I was really blown away at how much postpartum anxiety reared its ugly head," she said in an interview on The Homestretch.
"I really found my anxiety interfered with my sleeping, interfered with my eating, interfered with just going out day-to-day. So that's where I really needed to get some help in that area."
Her friend and fellow psychologist, Chelsea Bodie, had found the same thing.
No matter their mental preparedness and the tools they had, nothing could've prepared them for the emotions, thoughts and anxiety they had.
"Together, we were like we cannot be the only ones that are going through this and feeling this loneliness," Bodie said.
So, in 2020, the Lethbridge duo created Mama Psychologists, running workshops, providing guides and curating tips and advice on their Instagram page. It has about 389,000 followers.
On Jan. 17, the pair released a new book: Not Your Mother's Postpartum Book.
"There really wasn't anything that focused on the mental health experience of mom and of parents. And so we really wanted to highlight that," Bodie said.
Slavens says it covers topics they often felt uncomfortable speaking about as mothers, like intrusive thoughts about harm coming to their child, or even harming their child themselves.
"We found that this is such a big source of shame for moms because nobody really wants to talk about that or admit that they've had these sorts of thoughts," she said.
"But once you unpack it and you break it down, it's like this is a very normal part of new motherhood.… It's our brain's way of pointing out all of these possible dangers, even though of course we would never hurt our child, and we know that. But these thoughts can be incredibly distressing, and we think it's important to talk about them."
The book is also tailored with new parents in mind.
Knowing many new moms and dads might not have time to read a full book, they organized it like an encyclopedia, Bodie said.
A new study suggests that a colony of sea birds nesting on Cape Parry in the N.W.T. could face increasing threats related to increased Arctic shipping traffic and environmental change.
Albertans — predominantly members of the South Asian community — gathered at the Venice Banquet Hall in northeast Calgary for a town hall Saturday to address concerns around extortion and crime, with provincial and federal elected officials in attendance.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says his party's focus on affordability "is what unites all Conservatives," as the Tories grapple with another MP crossing the floor to join the Liberals — bringing them one seat shy of forming a majority government.
Toronto, York and Peel police are increasing their presence in the Jewish community during Hanukkah after the harrowing attack at Australia’s Bondi Beach on Sunday.
Another round of wintry weather is moving through Nova Scotia and P.E.I. on Sunday and will continue into Monday, with more snow and gusty winds, followed by frigid temperatures.
Hundreds of Londoners showed up at CBC's annual Make the Season Kind holiday event on Thursday in support of the London Food Bank.
The crisp weather didn’t stop the hundreds of people who took part in the annual Mummer’s parade in Bowring Park, St. John’s Saturday.
Wake Lloire loves how slow letter writing is, from composition right to its arrival at its final destination by mail. It's like a "little time capsule."
Experts are constantly warning the public to be on guard for new and increasingly convincing scams, but police say the holiday shopping season is especially fraught with risk.
A surgeon who used to work at Flin Flon's hospital says residents in the northwestern Manitoba city have been left in a precarious situation after more than five years without general surgery services.
Moubarak Bokhit Ali's memories of his home country of Sudan are punctuated by flashes of violence.
The man behind the Moose Jaw health centre that has claimed “a 100 per cent success rate in stopping the progression and in restoring function of people with ALS” says a recent CBC story about his company is evidence that he is seen as “a direct threat to the ALS drug industry.”
The Neighbour to Neighbour Centre’s trans and non-binary grocery program, which offers free food and household products to community members once a month, began with a simple question: how do we get free menstrual products to trans people without being awkward?