Welcome to the Regina Perinatal Health Network
Hello and welcome! Today is a very exciting day for Regina families! We all know that healthy communities begin well before birth and today, with the support of the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation, we are proud and excited to officially launch the Regina Perinatal Health Network (RPHN)! Our team is committed to improving the health and wellness of new families here in Regina for many years to come.
As a program of the Regina Early Learning Centre, the Regina Perinatal Health Network is dedicated to providing much needed support services to perinatal families experiencing, or at risk for developing, a Perinatal Mood and/or Anxiety Disorder (PMAD). We truly believe every birthing person should have access to education and support that is inclusive and culturally appropriate through the perinatal period. All families should have access to prompt and effective treatment for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders free from barriers and biases.
At the RPHN, our area of expertise is perinatal social support which is a fundamental component of the recovery process. Social support offers a unique, non-clinical form of support for birthing people when they need it most. Evidence continues to confirm that consistent social support greatly reduces the severity of perinatal mood & anxiety disorders. Our Perinatal Health Coordinator provides this type of support through our many service offerings including weekly support groups (online/ in-person) and through one-on-one care during private prenatal/ postpartum wellness sessions.
Our goal is to assist birthing people in developing a clear pathway to treatment with a strong sense of community surrounding them.Through a holistic approach to care, we help those we work with make informed decisions about their care and build confidence in their ability to parent. Above all, we build strong, lasting relationships with each and every client we work with. These relationships create a healthy foundation for the coordination of comprehensive treatment for perinatal mental health.
IMPACT OF PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH
Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD) are the most common birth complications to date as they affect one in five perinatal women each and every year. While 25% of birthing people suffer, only half are screened and diagnosed while only 60% of those detected actually receive the treatment they require to recover and regain their health.
With COVID-19 taking an especially hard toll on new families, we are seeing rates increase to close to 40% of birthing people experiencing a PMAD which tells us we have a lot of work to do in order to reduce the long term impact they have on both parent and child when left untreated.
For children, this includes delays in cognitive development, increase risk of behavioral/ emotional difficulties, and increase risk of mental health complications later in life. Meanwhile, while an untreated PMAD can also lead to lifelong battle with mental health, many birthing people experience intense feelings of guilt as they are aware their mental health is affecting their children yet they don’t have the tools to buffer these negative side effects.
For more information on the signs and symptoms of a Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorder, visit our site for more Resources or Frequently Asked Questions.
TREATMENT WORKS
While social support is a vital piece to the recovery puzzle, having access to trained mental health professionals is equally important. That’s why we are also happy to share that we have partnered with Family Service Regina to provide counseling services via their walk-in Thrive program and we couldn’t be happier!
The team at Family Service Regina is passionate about improving emotional wellbeing, meeting families where they’re at and filling in gaps whenever needed. They care deeply about this new initiative and the need for increased awareness and continued education in this area. We are looking forward to seeing more new parents accessing their support and want to thank them for joining us on this important work!
WE’RE HERE TO HELP!
Reaching out for help can be one of the hardest decisions to make due to the shame that surrounds perinatal mental health and of course, the fear of the unknown. We want to make sure you understand a few details that might make it easier to connect with our team! So, if you’re struggling and need some guidance on where to start, please know:
- All support services are FREE of charge thanks to the generous support of the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation and members of the public who support this work!
- At this time, support sessions will be done online or over the phone. You can book by following the link HERE or email us directly at info@rphn.ca
- During these sessions, our goal is to meet you where you’re at, to create a safe place to talk about how you might be feeling, answer any questions you might have and of course provide any additional resources you may need.
Above all, we want you to know that welcoming a new baby can be extremely challenging, that parenting is not designed to be done in isolation, and most importantly, that Perinatal Mood & Anxiety Disorders are common and it’s not your fault if you’re struggling. These illnesses are temporary and treatable with a little help and we are here to support you every step of the way!
SUPPORT THE RPHN
In order to truly move the needle on improving perinatal health here in Regina, it’s going to take the whole community coming together to support new families! In saying that, we are here to help with anything you need whether it’s educational material for your clients/patients, direct support if you are a partner or grandparent of someone who is struggling, or maybe you’re a PMAD survivor and you want to find ways to help the families coming up behind you!
If you’re passionate about improving perinatal health in Regina, there are 3 important steps you can take right now!
1.
Help us end the stigma that surrounds Perinatal Mental Health and ensure families in the community know we’re here!
LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE our social media channels: FACEBOOK – INSTAGRAM
2.
Stay connected! Sign up for the RPHN newsletter and keep up to date on all of our important initiatives!
Better yet, if you’re a PMAD survivor and want to share your story, we’d love to hear from you! Email info@rphn.ca and lets chat!
3.
The support and services provided at the Regina Perinatal Health Network would not be possible without the generous support from our community. We would like to thank those who have supported us this far.
If you feel passionate about improving perinatal health here in Regina, please consider making a donation to the RPHN today so we can continue supporting Regina families! .
We’re excited to get things off the ground here at the RPHN and we look forward to supporting new families here in Regina and surrounding area! As always, if you have questions about your upcoming pregnancy, your mental wellbeing or you work with new families and would like more information and resources, contact us today and wed be happy to help!
Email: info@rphn.ca
