There is a theory about human babies and their lack of maturity at birth compared to other mammals. The theory is that human babies are born 3 months premature compared to other mammals because their heads would not fit through our pelvis if they were born at 12 months instead of 9 months* (the average gestational period is 40-42 weeks). Babies are born "premature" we require a Fourth Trimester of growth, healing, and maturation.
The Fourth Trimester is the first 3 months after birth. Babies during the first 3 months of life require an incredible amount of care and attention. Mothers/birthing persons are also trying to recover from the intense physical and emotional demands of pregnancy and birth at the same time. In the United States mothers are also often returning to school or work within 2-6 weeks of delivery and in some cases within days. Most fathers are also expected to continue or return to work immediately after their infant's birth to provide financial support for their families, as paternity leave is rarely protected or paid in the US. We often don't yet feel confident in our ability to care for our newborn in those first several weeks. Many parents are trying to learn to breastfeed which is a skill that other societies have had their entire childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood to observe. They also have the support of generations of others that have already mastered infant feeding. Challenges with infant feeding, infant sleep policies/recommendations, and the distance between families and their social support we have set new parents up to be extremely sleep deprived, fearful, and overwhelmed.
1 in 5 mothers experience postpartum depression/anxiety. 1 in 10 fathers experience postpartum depression/anxiety. Parents experience scary thoughts (intrusive thoughts) and some even experience hallucinations when extremely fatigued. There are also some very rare very dangerous illnesses that can show up after having a baby like postpartum psychosis. Sometimes scary thoughts happen so frequently that parents will not be able to sleep or do normal daily activities for fear that these scary thoughts will happen when they fall asleep or the baby is out of their sight. Many parents feel isolated and alone when they are suffering from these mental health issues and struggle to find care providers who recognize these struggles and have the ability to help them.
Fourth Trimester Care is a care concept where new parents and infants receive care specific to the postpartum period (and sometimes longer) by professionals who are knowledgeable about parental health, infant health, and the health of mothers and babies as a unit. This allows families to receive the care they need with providers who are able to see the family as a unit and consider all aspects when helping families navigate postpartum challenges and healthcare needs.
As a society we need to continue to work towards being a culture that supports new parents and provides them with the community they need to thrive in the early months of the postpartum period. Raising awareness through events like The Climb, sharing evidenced based information with healthcare providers and others who work with young families, using a shared decision making approach to educate and empower parents to make decisions that work for their specific situations, and sharing personal experiences are all important ways to educate others and change the current postpartum landscape to one that embraces the Fourth Trimester and creates a new parental-newborn standard of care encompassing the physical and mental health of young families, allowing parents to confidently navigate the wonderful aspects of a new baby without the hardship so many new parents are currently facing.
If you are experiencing a Mental Health Emergency Please call or text 988 or go to your nearest Emergency room.
If you need to talk to someone and are not experiencing an emergency please call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262 (1-833-TLC-MAMA) counselors are available 24/7.
The PSI Helpline is also available by Calling or Texting PSI HelpLine at 1-800-944-4773 or for Español: 971-203-7773.
If you are interested in learning more about how The Knapp Clinic can provide Fourth Trimester Care for you and your newborn give us a call at 270-697-9174 or schedule an appointment today!
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