Honoring the Postpartum Journey in Communities of Color
What every BIPOC parent deserves to know and how to feel less alone
The fourth trimester is hard—most parents can agree on that. But when you consider the role of culture, identity, and systemic barriers, things get more complex. If you're a parent of color, your experience may not always reflect the common postpartum narrative—and that’s not because you’re doing anything wrong. It’s because the systems around us often miss the nuances that shape our healing.
So, what’s so different about the BIPOC experience? Dare I say…everything. The numbers don’t lie. Women of color are at higher risk for Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS), but they are less likely to be diagnosed and receive treatment. There are many barriers to receiving treatment including, relationships with your provider, quality of care, being uninsured or underinsured, financial stressors, attitudes about mental health, to name just a few. To say it is complicated, is an understatement.
Many of these barriers are out of your control but what you can do is be informed about the help that is available to you. While we hope that our medical providers are equipped with the knowledge and resources to help you when you need it most, that’s not always the case. Mental health is often overlooked or not approached in a culturally centered way, meaning that the language a medical provider might use to assess your symptoms, doesn't resonate with your experience. For example, you might experience headaches, palpitations, aches and pains, with no clear physiological reason which could in fact be symptoms of depression or anxiety. You might think, “that’s an issue with the doctor, their is nothing I can do about it”, and you are right about it being the doctors responsibility. But what you can do is inform yourself as best you can so that you can advocate for yourself when needed. So, here is some information that might be helpful.
What are PMADS?
PMADs is a term used to describe the range of mental health conditions that can occur during the perinatal period (from pregnancy through the first year postpartum). We have more data and research showing that mental health conditions can show up as a complication as early as pregnancy through the postpartum period. Anxiety and depression are in the list of mood and anxiety disorders but so is bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you have a family history, recent stressors, history of trauma, struggled with infertility, you are at increased risk. There are many other risk factors which you can read about here. Again, there are many risk factors and a lot of information about PMADS. Know that more people than you think may struggle with a PMAD and often the thoughts and feelings you have and even the things you say or do while struggling with a PMAD are not a reflection of who you are but rather a symptom.
How do I know whether I have a PMAD?
While, its best to see a medical professional to identify and diagnose, its helpful to familiarize yourself with some common symptoms. Below is a list of things to look out for:
Feelings of guilt and/or shame
Changes in appetite
Excessive worrying
Trouble sleeping
Crying and/or sadness
Thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
Rage, anger, irritability
Fear and/or panic
Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
Low energy
Trouble concentrating
These above list can be used for reference. Ultimately, you want to reach out to your doctor or other provider to further assess and diagnose. Below is a list of resources specifically for the BIPOC community that may be helpful in accessing support and treatment.
Resources for the BIPOC community
PSI offers BIPOC support groups, peer to peer support, a helpline, and a directory of providers that specialize in the treatment of PMADS. You can check them out here.
Shades of Blue Project offers support groups and mental health resources for black women.
At Latinx Therapy you can find mental health therapists near you, support groups, and resources for the Latinx community.
Psychology Today is a directory where you can find mental health providers. You can use filter options to select preferences for provider languages, gender, identifies, race, and other options.
Inclusive Therapists is another directory offering you options to search for therapists who meet your identity needs.
What You Can Do
The best you can do is inform yourself and advocate for yourself. If advocating for yourself tends to be difficult, find someone in your support system that you have confidence in and ask for their support. Inform yourself about what is expected and what is not, identify resources and build community either by tapping into your support system, strengthening your support system, or building it from the ground up. There are communities and resources out there that are ready and able to help.
Remember, asking for help is not weakness, it’s resistance. It’s reclaiming your story, your wellness, and your right to heal.
