Lauren Myers is a NICU nurse and staff nurse at The Pregnancy Network. A Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat veteran, she joins host Chloe Belk to share her story with pregnancy and postpartum mental health.
Tune in as she shares her experience with prenatal OCD, seeking healing through counseling and medication, encouragement for parents with babies in the NICU, and more.
Lauren shares her advice for women struggling throughout the pregnancy and postpartum season:
“Just say something to anyone that you trust… it can be a family member, it can be a spouse, it could be a friend, it could be someone at your church. It needs to be your doctor eventually, but that doesn’t have to be the first person you talk to. You don’t even have to articulate it very well; you can just say “I’m having some feelings that I didn’t expect, I don’t feel bonded to my baby, I’m worried about being a good mom…” You just need to say it to somebody and kind of raise that red flag.”
In a hurry? Skip to the section that’s most relevant to you:
- 00:30: Lauren’s Introduction and Trigger Warning
- 1:22: What Lauren was Experiencing that Led to Her Diagnosis
- 11:57: A Note on the Postpartum Mental Health Screening
- 14:31: Lauren’s Process in Seeking Help
- 22:38: How Long it Took for Lauren to Start Feeling Better
- 24:28: A Quick Tip to Prepare for Postpartum
- 25:49: Symptoms of Postpartum Depression vs. Baby Blues
- 28:47: Lauren’s Advice for Someone Struggling During Pregnancy or Postpartum
- 31:01: Lauren’s Wisdom for NICU Parents
- 35:56: Closing Thoughts on Mental Health
- 36:45: Lauren’s “Why”
About Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat
Meet the podcast that’s here to equip you for what’s next now that Pregnancy Has Entered the Chat. Hear from The Pregnancy Network staff and guest experts in their fields on topics like mental health and loneliness, what to do when you don’t know what to do, caring for yourself holistically, and making empowered choices.
Chloe Belk
Chloe is a Communications Coordinator at The Pregnancy Network.