![\"Dr.](\"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/RT1510211_006_8x10-400x500.jpg\")
\u201cNo matter how many book you\u2019ve read, nothing can quite prepare you for the transition to parenthood,\u201d reads the website of Premier Pediatrics<\/a>, home of The First Month program. Created to help new moms and dads ease into parenthood, The First Month assists parents in three key areas\u2013feeding success, emotional wellness, and parenting fundamentals<\/strong>.<\/p>\n A team of pediatricians, obstetricians, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, midwives, doulas, lactation consultants, CPR instructors, massage therapists, and pharmacists work together to give new parents the information and guidance they need.<\/p>\nHealthy families start with healthy moms. @DrDeenaB & The First Month take care of families! <\/a><\/span>Click To Tweet<\/a><\/span>\n I spoke with Dr. Blanchard to learn more about The First Month and its impact on new moms, and how Premier Pediatrics is making mental health care affordable for all families.<\/p>\n \u201cMoms are spending more time at the pediatrician\u2019s office than their OBGYN,\u201d Dr. Blanchard says. \u201cEverything\u2019s accessible at the pediatrician\u2019s.\u201d A simple two question test\u2013the PHQ2\u2013helps Dr. Blanchard and her partner, Dr. Jon Sarnoff, determine if a mom should talk to someone. Since every mom who comes in with her baby is screened, there\u2019s no stigma. No pressure. And, no expensive bills.<\/strong><\/p>\n Small group support sessions, like \u201cMotherhood and Selfhood\u201d and \u201cBeyond the Baby Blues\u201d help women navigate the transition, and one on one meetings are available at a cost of $100 a session. The program also offers low cost referrals for outside help.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s not just for moms. In the United States, one in four dads becomes depressed, so fathers are offered the PHQ2 questionnaire too. \u201cHealthy families mean healthy kids.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n Dr. Blanchard\u2019s personal experience with post partum anxiety after the birth of her second son in 2010 gives her insight into the fears and worries of moms. \u201cI judged myself in ways I would have never done to any friend, family member or, heaven forbid, patient.\u201d Her own struggles help her to recognize the signs in other moms. \u201cThese are our patients, our sisters, our friends. They feel like \u2018someone understands. I\u2019m not alone. \u201d<\/p>\n According to the Centers for Disease Control, 11 to 20% of women who give birth each year have postpartum depression symptoms. Although many moms experience postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis, not a lot of us are talking about it. Part of our reluctance to discuss our after baby issues stems from fear of judgment and the stigma surrounding mental health, which Dr. Blanchard suggests is historical. \u201cDuring the late 1800s and early 1900s, women who suffered from postpartum mental illness were classified as having \u201chysteria,\u201d from the Greek word hysteron, meaning womb.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n The simple screening process at Premier Pediatrics\u2019 Brooklyn and Manhattan locations has helped several moms to get help\u2013whether that means therapy with a professional or just talking to other moms. \u201cWe tell them if you\u2019re okay, that\u2019s okay. If you\u2019re not, that\u2019s okay too,\u201d says Dr. Blanchard. \u201cThe feedback so far has been positive, there have been moms on our Facebook page saying they feel so much better.\u201d<\/p>\n If you\u2019re feeling down, depressed, hopeless, or have little interest or pleasure in doing things\u2013there\u2019s nothing to be ashamed of.<\/strong> Speak to your doctor, or the team at Premier Pediatrics at 917-715-0876.<\/p>\n Interested in learning more about The First Month? Visit\u00a0 TheFirstMonth.org<\/a>, or see all the services offered on the Premier Pediatrics website <\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The first weeks of motherhood\u2013with their constant breastfeeding struggles, sleepless nights, and unending diaper changes\u2013can stress any mom out. That\u2019s why Dr. Deanna Blanchard, MD, MPH and her colleagues have teamed up to help moms in a convenient and accessible place\u2013the pediatrician\u2019s office. \u201cNo matter how many book you\u2019ve read,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3516,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[83,99],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/the-art-of-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3512"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3512"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3512\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5044,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3512\/revisions\/5044"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3516"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3512"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3512"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3512"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Photo](\"http:\/\/mymommyvents.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Deena-Blanchard.-ForkandBib.com_.jpg\")