Canopie Blog

This month, we spoke with Dr. Soudabeh Givrad about her work as an Assistant Attending Psychiatrist at New York-Presbyterian Hospital as well as her research interests as the director of the Maternal-Infant Psychiatry Program and Assistant Professor at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Breastfeeding is a physical, mental, and emotional expedition—like scaling a mountain…in the snow……without a puffy winter coat…and no cell phone service. In fact, 67% of us report feeling really stressed about it. While the physical challenges of breastfeeding are visible—painful nipples, engorged breasts, leaky boobs—the mental and emotional stresses are silent lurkers. And ones we wrestle with the most.

Dysphoric Milk Ejection Reflex, also called D-MER, is a condition that affects 10% of new moms. It is characterized by a massive surge of negative emotions just before let-down or milk ejection. Rather than the typical mood boost that comes with let-down from the release of oxytocin, moms are filled with dread, panic, and even nausea.

Kristin Tully, PhD is a Medical Anthropologist and Research Assistant Professor at University of North Carolina, shares her NICU experience.

NICU parents are more likely to struggle with their mental and emotional health. Canopie’s new program uses clinically-validated therapeutic techniques to support them on their journey.

Canopie and Uber are taking on the parts of parental mental health that are hard to talk about.

The pressure to have a particular type of birth experience, whether this experience is attainable or not, can lead us to question ourselves or feel ashamed very early in our journey as parents.

So mama – if you are feeling anxious, very anxious or just a little anxious, you are in very good company.

Even though a lot of progress has been made in the last few years, we are far from making effective mental health care truly accessible.