“Sometimes, I want to hurt my baby, or leave her somewhere.”
These were the crushing words Carla whispered at the end of her first doctor's visit after the birth of her new baby. She said she was full of guilt and shame over these feelings and thought it meant she was a bad mom.
Luckily, she quickly learned she was not alone.
Carla and her husband Thomas already had two healthy children when she became pregnant for the third time. New to the Richmond, and without health insurance, Carla came to CrossOver’s OB program where she received her prenatal care. After a normal pregnancy she gave birth at VCU Medical Center.
At that first postpartum visit she, her husband, and children all appeared well. Then she confided in our OB program coordinator, Martha, that all was not well.
Recognizing the common symptoms of postpartum depression, Martha reached out To Schliqua Thompson, our Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), who performed an assessment, and determined that the patient was in need of both counseling and medications.
Next, Nurse Practitioners Renee Hammel was brought in. Renee discussed the situation with Schliqua, evaluated the patient, and wrote a prescription for an anti-depressant for Carla. Thanks to our on-site, licensed pharmacy, Carla was able to leave her OB appointment that same day with the vital medications she needed, as well as follow up appointments scheduled with our NP, our LPC, and our Social Worker, who specializes in post-partum issues and family needs.
Most importantly, our team helped her realize that she was not alone, that many new mothers struggle with these thoughts and feelings, and that Crossover would be there with her through each step of her journey.
At CrossOver we care for the whole patient and their families.
Click here to give today. Your donation will ensure that more new moms like Carla get the care they need.
