The first weeks and months of motherhood can be overwhelming for any new mom. This is especially true for moms who face ongoing chronic stress, such as trouble finding a living wage job or affordable housing. One of the many organizations that helps connect these moms to behavioral health resources is SSM’s MOMS Line.
“It’s pretty common for new moms to feel overwhelmed, depressed, anxious, isolated and not quite like themselves after the birth of a new baby,” said Kim Martino-Sexton, postpartum resource coordinator at SSM Health. “Often, moms feel like doctors and close family members don’t fully understand what they are going through. This can lead to additional feelings of frustration and stress. We’ve found a peer relationship between moms helps them feel heard and understood, because they have likely been through similar experiences.”
When a mom is struggling, she can leave a voicemail with the MOMS Line. The program coordinator responds within 24 hours and links the mom with a peer coach, all of whom are mothers themselves. Coaches spend an average of 45-60 minutes talking with a mom and connecting her to additional resources she may need. Coaches can also text moms in between calls to continue to check in on them and send words of encouragement. These weekly phone conversations last as long as the mom needs them, then taper off as the mom is feeling more healed. Most mom-coach relationships last three to six months.
“Knowing I had my coach to talk with each week gave me something to look forward to,” said one new mom. “She understood me and was a good listener. I’m grateful for her.”
MOMS Line also hosts in-person support groups for expectant and postpartum moms experiencing any form of baby blues, anxiety, stress, and/or depression. Moms who attend these groups benefit from sharing their experiences with other new moms, and learning from one another. There are currently 20 trained MOMS Group facilitators, and 40 MOMS Line postpartum peer coaches.
Behavioral health services, like MOMS Line, are critical to helping prenatal and postpartum moms manage chronic stress. Sadly, less than one in four providers screen pregnant and postpartum women for depression. In one study of women living in high impact areas in St. Louis City, 80 percent of those screened showed signs of depression or anxiety. But this doesn’t mean that she will get the resources she needs to manage her depression or anxiety.
“Depression, anxiety and trauma is often stigmatized in the Black community – the same community that is most impacted by infant mortality in St. Louis,” said Jerri Michael, who oversees FLOURISH’s behavioral health action team and serves as director of strategic initiatives at Generate Health. “We have to make moms feel comfortable and safe enough to ask for help when they need it. FLOURISH is exploring other peer-based models that train women living in the same community to help moms find the behavioral health resources they need.”
If you are interested in becoming a MOMS Line volunteer, contact MOMS Line at 314-768-8570 or Kim.Martino-Sexton@ssmhealth.com.
