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Dear Community Partners in Mother and Baby Wellness,
Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow and TV show “Parenthood” star Monica Potter are two public figures who are talking about their experiences with perinatal mood disorders (PMD). When interviewed on the CBS show The Talk, Bryce Dallas Howard, star of the Oscar nominated film “The Help,” said: “Now that I’m expecting my second baby, I will take steps to make sure I have the support in place should I show any symptoms.”
Nonetheless, thousands of women like your client, daughter, neighbor, child’s teacher, or perhaps yourself, continue to say that they felt:…sad…anxious…overwhelmed…incompetent…terrified…in the first weeks and months after the birth of a child. They are asking: “Why me?” “How long…?” “What can I do?”
At times it has felt like we were preaching to each other. This is becoming less true.
For five years, Heartsounds Mother & Infant Care has reached out and partnered with community organizations such as the Tucson Postpartum Depression Coalition (TPDC) and other members of the Pima County Mom-Baby Wellness Coalition (MBWC). We have found that these partnerships are key to advancing our goal of using in-home doula care to diminish PMD in our community. Doulas provide the caring, confident, knowledgeable support described by Ms. Howard.
Throughout 2011, Heartsounds has built a foundation of success from grants generously provided by the Zuckerman Community Outreach Foundation, the Long Realty Cares Foundation, the TPDC and all of you, our caring partners. This has allowed Heartsounds to provide a total of eleven grant-funded clients with 71 visits and 158 hours of care. Mileage to and from the client’s homes was donated by the Heartsounds doulas.
Now, we are excited to tell you that in this coming year we are looking forward to
• training a bi-lingual doula,
• reorganizing our staff,
• expanding our dedicated board,
• developing a new web presence and reaching out to you even more.
With your referrals of mothers who are struggling with PMD, including postpartum depression and anxiety, we believe 2012 will be most productive. Your help is critical to us.
Best wishes for a successful new year.
The Heartsounds Board
Kerry Byrd, President
Patti Borden
Susan Hutchinson
Jennifer Soykan
Nancy Tepper
Carol Arnold, Postpartum Doula
Carolyn Matthiasson, Postpartum & Birth Doula
Betsy Stunz, Postpartum Doula
Lisa Wright, Project Administrator
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