Jess, Full-Spectrum Doula, MFT Trainee
Los Angeles, 90039
As a full-spectrum doula, I have spent years supporting birthing people and partners through the emotional transitions of pregnancy and postpartum. I have witnessed how common perinatal mental health challenges are and how deeply they affect families. When I became pregnant, I believed my training and experience would help me navigate the transition with confidence.
Instead, I began experiencing severe prenatal depression early in my first trimester. The shame of struggling in a field where I had supported so many others made it difficult to ask for help. Despite knowing the importance of support and early intervention, I found myself withdrawing and going against the very guidance I had shared with clients.
After my son was born, my symptoms intensified into postpartum anxiety and OCD. My world narrowed to caring for my baby, and separating from him filled me with overwhelming fear. The only provider I saw after six weeks postpartum was his pediatrician, who never asked about my mental health or well-being. This experience underscores the urgent need for consistent perinatal mental health screening and stronger accountability to ensure parents do not fall through the cracks.
