May 21, 2010 - Law Gives $3 Million to Educate, Research PPD Chicago Tribune - Nine years ago, Chris Loo thought about putting her newborn daughter, Becky, in a basket on the steps of a church down the street from her home, and leaving her there. "I don't think I really wanted to get rid of her, I just think I wasn't thinking at all," said Loo, 43, a social worker in Flushing, New York. "I started to really feel suicidal, like I just couldn't go on anymore." View the Chicago Tribune's complete article here Read a letter of congratulations from Joan Mudd, president of the Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling Postpartum Depression Foundation, at The MOTHERS Act Passes! May 14, 2010 - CNN Spotlights Mothers' Struggles with PPD CNN Health - Nine years ago, Chris Loo thought about putting her newborn daughter, Becky, in a basket on the steps of a church down the street from her home, and leaving her there. "I don't think I really wanted to get rid of her, I just think I wasn't thinking at all," said Loo, 43, a social worker in Flushing, New York. "I started to really feel suicidal, like I just couldn't go on anymore." Read CNN's complete article here The Jennifer Mudd Houghtaling Postpartum Depression Foundation is overjoyed that the MOTHERS Act has finally passed! We give a well-deserved standing ovation to Carol Blocker, Rep. Bobby Rush, Sen. Robert Menendez, Mary Jo Codey, Susan Dowd Stone and Sylvia Lasalandra for their hard work in enacting this important bill. May 6, 2010 - Women's Health Advocates and Congressional Champions Celebrate Enactment of the MOTHERS Act on The Hill With Mother’s Day approaching, women’s health advocates will join Congressional champions on The Hill to celebrate the enactment of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, the initiative to combat postpartum depression signed into law as part of health insurance reform. The law was authored by U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-IL), who will help lead the celebratory event on May 6, 2010. The new law will establish a comprehensive federal commitment to combating postpartum depression through new research, education initiatives and voluntarily support service programs. Read this brief summary from Sen. Menendez about the bill and pass it along to your friends! Learn more detailed information about this new bill on Sen. Menendez's website. April 29, 2010 - TEXT4BABY Asks New Moms to Seek Help If Sad or Not Sleeping Each week during pregnancy and the postpartum period, TEXT4Baby subscribers can receive text messages reminding them of important health information. Included in the program will be messages to encourage mothers to reach out for help if they are sad, not sleeping or experiencing other signs and symptoms associated with mood disorders. Launched by Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition, this free program will be featured in Time Magazine's May 3, 2010 issue. Visit the Text4Baby website. March 22, 2010 - Major Initiative to Combat Postpartum Depression To Be Signed Into Law As Part of Health Insurance Reform U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) announced that the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act will become law as part of landmark health insurance reform. According to Sen. Menedez's press release, the MOTHERS Act will "establish a comprehensive federal commitment to combating postpartum depression through new research, education initiatives and voluntarily support service programs. January 21, 2010 - Dr. Sarah Allen Authors Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Childbirth Article The Expectant Mother's Guide website features a new article on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) following a traumatic childbirth experience. Authored by Dr. Sarah Allen, Chair of the PPD Alliance of Illinois, the article discusses the characteristics of, and risk factors for PTSD. Read the article Additional sources of information on birth trauma: www.angelfire.com www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk www.tabs.org.nz August 21, 2009 - New Report Offers Recommendations for Treating Depression During Pregnancy A new report from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) attempts to help doctors and patients weigh the risks and benefits of various treatment options. Based on an extensive review of existing research, ACOG and APA offer recommendations for the treatment of women with depression during pregnancy. The report, "The Management of Depression During Pregnancy: A Report from the American Psychiatric Association and The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists," is published in Obstetrics & Gynecology (September 2009) and General Hospital Psychiatry (September/October 2009). Read the news release July 13, 2009 - MOTHERS Act Supporters Scold Time Magazine for Postpartum Depression Article More than 40 advocates for the MOTHERS Act, including Mary Jo Codey, Joan Mudd, George Parnham and Valerie Plame Wilson, admonished Time magazine for its article "The Melancholy of Motherhood." Their letter refutes statements made by Time writer Catherine Elton about postpartum depression and the MOTHERS Act. Read the letter... April 20, 2009 is Blog Day for the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act. We strongly encourage everyone to write your senator today to advocate passage of this important legislation! Congratulations to Katherine Stone for being named Health Hero by WebMD. The Foundation salutes your achievement! Archives (2003 - 2008) October 16, 2008 WTTW 11 - Chicago Tonight Joan Mudd and Dr. Laura Miller discuss Postpartum Depression on Chicago Tonight October 17, 2007 Chicago Sun-Times Testing New Moms for Depression                                                                 September 13, 2007 Chicago Parent 'We Knew She Was Lost' February 19, 2007 Chicago Tribune Does Brittany Have Postpartum Depression? February 17, 2003 Chicago Tribune 'There is hope': Women overcome illness to thrive February 10, 2003 Nursing Spectrum Postpartum Depression Hotline Offers Help to New Mothers PRESS RELEASE: SENATOR MENENDEZ APPLAUDS GRASSROOTS SHOW OF FORCE ON BLOG DAY   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 20, 2009 CONTACTS: Menendez Press Office 202-224-4744 Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act has broad support in Congress, needs public pressure to overcome procedural obstacles   WASHINGTON - As bloggers around the country today advocate for passage of federal legislation to combat postpartum depression, U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the Senate sponsor of the Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, applauded the effort as necessary to enact the bill into law. The legislation has broad support in Congress and was able to pass the House of Representatives earlier this year, but has been stalled in the Senate because of objections by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK). Senator Coburn commonly uses senatorial holds to stall disease-specific legislation, and indications are that he would do so with the MOTHERS Act.   Postpartum depression is a condition that is not only more widespread than most realize but also more debilitating than most realize, said Menendez. We need to make sure these mothers are fully supported and informed, rather than scared and alone. Working together with a nationwide community of mothers, we are so close to enacting this important legislation into law. What we need is an intense dose of public pressure. This Blog Day helps reinforce the type of grassroots movement that will create the pressure that is needed, and I commend the participants. I invite mothers, fathers and anyone else who believes we need to better support those with postpartum depression to contact their Senators and urge them to vocally support S.324.��   The legislation would increase federal efforts to combat postpartum depression by: Encouraging Health and Human Services (HHS) to coordinate and continue research to expand the understanding of the causes of, and find treatments for, postpartum conditions. Encouraging a National Public Awareness Campaign, to be administered by HHS, to increase awareness and knowledge of postpartum depression and psychosis. Requiring the Secretary of HHS to conduct a study on the benefits of screening for postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis. Creating a grant program to public or nonprofit private entities to deliver or enhance outpatient, inpatient and home-based health and support services, including case management and comprehensive treatment services for individuals with or at risk for postpartum conditions. Activities may also include providing education about postpartum conditions to new mothers and their families, including symptoms, methods of coping with the illness, and treatment resources, in order to promote earlier diagnosis and treatment. It is estimated that postpartum depression (PPD) affects from 10 to 20 percent of new mothers. In the United States, there may be as many as 800,000 new cases of postpartum conditions each year. The cause of PPD is not known but changes in hormone levels, a difficult pregnancy or birth, and a family history of depression are considered possible factors.