Beth brings a unique combination of sharp business expertise and women's health insight to her leadership of the organization. Beth has worked in the health care industry for more than 25 years helping to define and drive public education programs on a broad range of women's health issues. She launched and has expanded the HealthyWomen.org brand. As a result of her leadership, HealthyWomen was recognized as one of the top 100 women's health web sites by Forbes for three consecutive years, and was recognized by Oprah magazine as one of the top women's health web sites. HealthyWomen now connects to millions of women across the country through its wide program distribution and innovative use of technology.
Beth is responsible for the business development and strategic positioning of HealthyWomen. She creates partnerships with key health care professionals and consumer groups to provide strategic, engaging and informative award-winning programs. She serves as the organization's chief spokesperson, regularly participating in corporate, non-profit, community and media events. She also is a practicing nurse in maternal child health at Riverview Medical Center- Hackensack Meridian Health, in Red Bank, NJ.
In addition to her nursing degree, Beth holds degrees in political science, business and public administration from Marymount University.
To stay sane, she loves to run and compete in road races. She enjoys skiing and sailing with her husband and young son, and welcoming new babies into the world.
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Many women experience postpartum depression after giving birth. Now there's evidence that bringing a baby into the family can also cause men to experience postpartum depression.
It's a well-known fact that many women experience postpartum depression after giving birth. While a new baby is indeed cause for celebration, about 15 percent of new mothers fall into a severe and long-lasting form of the "baby blues," known as postpartum depression, or PPD.
But did you know that men can also experience postpartum depression? Yes, new dads can get sad, too. Having a new baby can be hard on the whole family.
The Pacific Post Partum Support Society, a program that began in 1971 as a grassroots initiative, estimates the number of men affected with PPD to be as high as 10 percent, and, if their partner is also coping with PPD, it can climb much higher. Parents Magazine reports that number to spike to as high as 26 percent three to six months after the baby's arrival—twice the rate of depression usually seen in men.
PPD is common among women and should not be a cause of shame or self-blame. It's easy to understand how PPD can develop. After all, having a baby creates so many changes and upheavals. Not only are a woman's body and hormones altered and in flux, but so is her life, her responsibilities and routines and the way she and her partner relate to one another. Sleep deprivation also can play a big role in postpartum depression, as does a weak support system, having multiple births or experiencing difficulty with breastfeeding.
Read more about living with postpartum depression.
Likewise, men can also feel anxious and tired, overwhelmed by the weight of caring for a new baby or their depressed partner. Most at-risk are young fathers and those with a history of depression. Having financial struggles and relationship problems can add to that risk. And having a fussy or colicky baby can make the most patient among us angry, anxious or ready to collapse in sobs.
Interestingly, there is another pregnancy-related condition that affects men. Known as Couvade syndrome (or sympathetic pregnancy), it's when the partner experiences many of the same symptoms as the expectant mother, among them weight gain, heartburn, sleeplessness, altered hormone levels, reduced libido and morning sickness.
Similar to women, men should not blame themselves or be reluctant or embarrassed to admit how they're feeling. Though men may be used to being stoic and tough, it's important to reach out to a health care professional and family for support for PPD. Here are some red flags:
PPD can be treated and can improve with psychotherapy, medication or both. Left untreated, PPD can interfere with infant/parent bonding and can have a ripple effect, leading to emotional and behavioral problems for the children.
There are also healthy lifestyle choices that may help speed recovery, according to the Mayo Clinic. These include:
With proper treatment and support, men and women do recover from PPD and go on to enjoy and embrace their new role as parents. And one day, when they're sending their child off to college or to the outside world, there's a good chance they'll be crying again—but for very different reasons!
References
https://www.apa.org/topics/women-girls/postpartum-depression
