How are you feeling?
Being pregnant, giving birth and becoming a parent are big life transitions. It’s not always just a happy time. Many pregnant people and new parents feel scared, overwhelmed, sad, angry or confused. Sometimes, especially if the birth did not go the way you planned, you might even be feeling traumatized by the experience. How you feel matters and it’s okay to need support during this time.
We know how exhausting and overwhelming it can be in the beginning. You are recovering from birth and trying to take care of a new baby all at the same time. There are lots of physical and emotional changes happening and often many other factors that contribute to how you feel. Sometimes it’s the “baby blues” that can happen during the first few weeks, but sometimes it’s more than that.
Pacify is here to support you from pregnancy through parenthood. We do that by making maternal mental health a number one priority. It’s no secret that reaching out for help is hard, so we’ve created this page especially for you with an evidence-based, mental health screening tool called the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2).
PHQ-2 Screening Tool
|
Over the last two weeks, how often have you been bothered by any of the following problems? |
Not at all |
Several days |
More than half the days |
Nearly every day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Little interest or pleasure in doing things |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
|
2. Feeling down, depressed or hopeless |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
Instructions
The PHQ-2 is a great tool that you can use to quickly and easily screen yourself for depression. It’s a first-step tool. If you’ve been having a hard time, but you’re not sure if you should reach out for help, ask yourself these two questions and choose one answer for each. Then add up your total score. Possible PHQ-2 scores range from 0-6. If your total score is 3 or greater, you should reach out for help and further screening as soon as possible. We have put together some recommendations and resources to help you do that.
Recommendations
If you score 3 or greater on the PHQ-2, please follow these recommendations:
- Call your healthcare provider to ask for help and further screening with the PHQ-9. You can also take a mental health test by visiting Mental Health America at screening.mhanational.org/screening-tool.
- Call one of the hotlines for support.
- Join a perinatal mental health support group.
- Reach out to family and friends to let them know how you are feeling and ask for help.
- If you are in a crisis or feeling like hurting yourself or others please call 911.
Hotlines
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
Call or text 1-833-852-6262
24/7
mchb.hrsa.gov
Postpartum Support International Hotline
Call or text "Help" 800-944-4773, text en Español: 971-203-7773
8am-11pm EST
postpartum.net
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call 988 or chat
24/7
988lifeline.org
Resources
Mental Health America
Mental Health America understands the importance of maternal mental health. They have multiple online mental health screening tests, including what they call a Depression Test (PHQ-9) and a Postpartum Depression Test (Edinburgh). You can track your results over time and share them with your healthcare provider.
Postpartum Support International
Postpartum Support International offers many resources for moms, dads and families who are dealing with perinatal and postpartum depression or anxiety. You will find a hotline, weekly "Chat with an Expert" and perinatal mental health support groups. Reaching out and connecting with others can be so helpful!
March of Dimes
March of Dimes is dedicated to healthy moms and strong babies. They have good information if you want to learn more about maternal mental health during pregnancy and postpartum.
