Cheryl Beck | My Postpartum Voice

I had dinner & wine with the lovely ladies of @MotherWoman. They did not let me escape without a tattoo. I heart them. (I really do – I was sad when they left)

I got to hug Jane Honikman and Pec Indman.

I FINALLY met Wendy Davis, Program Director of PSI, in person. She was every bit as awesome as I thought she was BEFORE we met. Possibly even a little more!

I got to share my story in a roomful of women who GOT it. (I totally cried while doing so and then did the one thing I tell every woman not to do – apologized!)

Cheryl Tatano Beck said meeting me made HER day. (And then she told me the next day as she was thinking over the day while falling asleep, meeting me was the highlight of her day!)

Adrienne Einarson gave me a hug and said I embarrassed her with all the lovely things I say about her on my blog. (I won’t be stopping that any time soon because Adrienne does amazing work!)

I got to meet and chat with Brian Shanahan, the CEO of MedEdPPD.

Margaret Spinelli told me to keep up the good work.

I finally met Ivy Shih Leung of Ivy’s PPD blog and she is awesome.

I had a chance to chat with Ian Jones, this year’s recipient of the Marce Medal. He’s been doing amazing research with women who suffer from Postpartum Bipolar and Psychosis.

But most importantly, I connected with several of my fellow PSI Coordinators – women who, like me, are so very passionate about their work.

Women who are in the trenches, supporting families and women as they go through some of the toughest times they will ever face. Regardless of the situation, these Coordinators hang tough as they compassionately educate and advocate for these families and mothers. It’s amazing to watch them in action, actually. Honoring to be one of them. And beyond humbling to have brilliant members of the Marce Society thank us for all the hard work we, at PSI, are doing to support the very women for whom they research.

Last week was amazing and I am so very thankful I was able to attend. Thank you again to my angels and to God for providing such an amazing experience. Just four years ago I was a Mom with a determined heart. This past week that heart got me to the PSI/Marce Conference.

I want to close with something Wendy Davis emphasized so very often in every PSI meeting I attended last week: Everything you are doing today is more than was done yesterday.

It’s true for us as Coordinators and for those recovering. It’s a small goal to do just a little more today than you did yesterday. Today, I’m putting that into practice. Will you join me?

I wanted to share these with you. I am participating in both and if you or someone you know would be willing to share with these researchers, please take the opportunity to do so. Thank you!

Subsequent Childbirth after Previous Birth Trauma
In order to help clinicians provide better care to mothers who are having a subsequent childbirth after suffering through a previous traumatic birth, Cheryl Beck (Professor at the University of Connecticut) and Sue Watson (chairperson of TABS) are now conducting a research study on this topic. Women who have had another child after having experienced birth trauma are invited to participate in this research study. Just like Professor Beck’s previous studies on birth trauma and PTSD after childbirth, this study will be conducted over the Internet. Mothers will be asked to describe their experiences during pregnancy, and labor and delivery after having suffered a previous traumatic childbirth. If you are interested in participating in this research or wish to find out more about this study, please contact Professor Cheryl Beck directly at the University of Connecticut.

Investigating women’s memories of childbirth
Have you given birth recently, or suffered from a traumatic childbirth experience? If so, can you spare a few minutes to help with the following on-line questionnaire: Rachel Harris is undertaking the research study at Sussex University with the help of Dr Susan Ayers who has undertaken a great deal of the leading research into PTSD in the UK. The current study is investigating women’s memories of childbirth, to try to better understand what makes some birth experiences traumatic. These research studies are contributing enormously to our understanding of birth trauma so your help is really appreciated.