On For Mom's With Postpartum Depression: Support and infant massage

By valentinapowers

 

Kellye Campbell, ARNP at KMHS, passed on this information about a service available in Seattle but which has roots in the Olympic Peninsula. -gw

 

I want announce a new referral source for moms with postpartum depression/anxiety and their babies called BabyLink. Groups will start in Seattle this fall. This is a postpartum depression support/ infant massage group developed by Marian Birch, DMH. She and her partner have been running this group in Port Angeles, WA for the past five years. Last year, I observed and evaluated this group as part of my post-doctoral fellowship at the UW Center for Infant Mental Health.

 

We are really excited to be replicating this group as there are no groups like this in Seattle right now. The program not only helps decrease depression in moms but also has many benefits for babies. Importantly, it can also help improve the relationship between moms and babies.

 

There will be two groups offered, a pro-bono group and a fee group for moms who can afford to pay. The attached flyer gives more details both groups. They will be on Capital Hill at Cooper House (http://cooperhouse.org/index.html) and led by health care providers trained in infant mental health and infant massage.

 

Recap:

What: BabyLink: A Postpartum Distress Support Group and Infant Massage.

Who: For moms with postpartum distress and their babies. Babies must not be crawling (they are hard to engage with infant massage once they start to crawl).

When: Groups will start this fall when we have enough referrals.

 

If you have any referrals please have them contact Lisa Mennet at 206-402-3099. You can also contact me if you have any questions. If you would like to have flyers sent to your office/clinic, please let me know.

 

Thank you,Michele Kulbel, DNP, ARNP

www.michelekulbel.com

On Why We Come Together: To gain a perspective that is ultimately interdisciplinary

The mission of MI-AIMH is to promote and support nurturing relationships for all infants.

MI-AIMH believes that each infant needs to be nurtured and protected by one or more consistent and stimulating caregivers who enjoy a permanent and special relationship with the baby.  This relationship is essential for optimal social, emotional and cognitive growth.

MI-AIMH also believes that the failure to provide and maintain nurturing relationships, at least one, during infancy may result in significant damage to the individual and to society.

Therefore, MI-AIMH supports the following positions:

• Early intervention is an essential social policy, important from both a fiscal and a moral point of view.
• Early intervention can be effective for the individual infant only if offered in a manner that promotes and supports the infant-caregiver relationship as both the primary source of strength and growth.
• Early intervention is effective only when a family's culture is respected and approached as a strength and support.

Support, training and advocacy for early intervention must become a cooperative venture that bridges traditional cultural, disciplinary, administrative and political boundaries.

 Action Goals

Educate birth to three and family professionals in relationship-based practice that reflects the mission of MI-AIMH.

Diversify the infant mental health community, engaging professionals who represent many different ethnic groups, cultures and communities and who work in a variety of settings with or on behalf of infants, toddlers and families.

Advocate for the social, emotional and cognitive well being of all infants and toddlers within the context of their caregiving families.

Endorse the infant and family work force, using standards that reflect competency and best practice promoting infant mental health.

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The mission statement of the Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health
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The action goals as stated in this mission statement consitute a nice description of what might be the goals of our modest and informal association of professionals that meets each month here in Washington State. To educate professionals -- including ourselves -- in relationship-based practice is fundamental to our efforts. "Diversify the infant mental health community," is the calling. What makes our consultation feel so rich, so unique, is precisely our diversity. Where else can you draw on such diverse backgrounds in reflecting on a case? School psychologist, social worker, disability specialist, Early Head Start supervisor, and mental health counselor, for example -- we come together to gain a perspective that we just can't find within our own specific workplace. We work for school districts, non-profit agencies, and in private practice.  We serve military and civilian, native and non-native communities. Our focus is on education, early intervention, and behavioral health. To a man and woman, we are advocates for the well-being of young children, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. We endorse the highest standards, the greatest competencies, and the best practices of this infant and family work force of which we are a part. And there is so much work to do. -gw

On Looking for a Few Good Providers: And who take TRICARE

The program Marilyn works for is looking for "providers who are GOOD at what they do, and take TRICARE." She believes that participants in our infant and early childhood mental health consultation group either fill the bill or know of someone who would. She invites you to provide the following and anything additional about these providers that you feel would be helpful.

 

1) Name

2) Degree and credentials

3) Specialties

4) Address

5) Phone Number

6) Email

7) Fax

 

Thanks George. See you at the next gathering.

 

Marilyn Larrabee

New Parent Support Home Visitor

Fleet and Family Support Program

Naval Base Kitsap

 

marilyn.larrabee.ctr@navy.mil