Peer support group offers help to new moms dealing with Postpartum Mood Disorders (PPMD)

New moms in Halton experiencing postpartum depression, or other mood disorders, no longer have to suffer in silence thanks to a peer-to-peer support group. Designed to bring the topic of PPMD out of the closet and help struggling mothers find the support and treatment they need, the Moms Supporting Moms PPMD support group is the only one of its kind in Halton Region. Meetings are held every Thursday at 7 p.m. in Milton at the Our Kids West Milton Hub, Our Lady of Victory School.

“The PPMD support group offers a safe, comfortable place for moms to connect with other moms who are experiencing, or have recovered from, PPMD,” says Dr. Bob Nosal, Halton Region’s Medical Officer of Health. “New moms can get information about postpartum adjustment, postpartum depression and other postpartum mood disorders, and also receive reassurance they are not alone.”

It is estimated that one in five women in Canada will suffer from some degree of postpartum depression or mood disorder following the birth of a baby. More than 5000 births were recorded in Halton in 2007. Physical and emotional symptoms of PPMD can affect women in the first month, or at anytime in the first year, after giving birth or adopting a baby. Symptoms can include feelings of anxiety, guilt, hopelessness, and sadness, as well as changes in appetite, problems sleeping and extreme fatigue and exhaustion.

Moms Supporting Moms meets every Thursday from 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Our Kids West Milton Hub located at Our Lady of Victory School, 540 Commercial Street in Milton get directions. Pre-registration is not required and moms with babies under six months of age are welcome to attend with their infant. For more information call Halton Region at 905-825-6000, extension 2927, toll free 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-442-5866), or TTY 905-827-9833.

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