Patients & Visitors

Tree of HOPE Perinatal Support Group

Join our Tree of HOPE Perinatal Support Group online from the comfort of your home via Zoom! We welcome you to come connect with us in a virtual meeting – we use a corporate version of Zoom, which is secure, private, and HIPAA compliant! We meet every Wednesday, 1 – 3 pm.
 
•    Free
•    Open to the public

You will need to register for each meeting. Once you register for the support group, you will receive a confirmation email. 

Register for the Tree of HOPE Perinatal Support Group
  
Did you know one in seven mothers feels sad and irritable during pregnancy or postpartum (after delivery), and fathers can feel down and anxious too? Perinatal mood disorders can begin during pregnancy and throughout the first year after birth. Inland cares about your well-being so we created the Tree of HOPE Support Group for perinatal mood disorders.

Postpartum depression, one type of a perinatal mood disorder, is more than just "baby blues" - it's a serious condition that mothers can experience after childbirth, typically arising from the combination of hormonal changes, the psychological transition to motherhood, and fatigue.

What are some signs to look out for?

  • Transition from partners to parents
  • Lack of interest in newborn
  • Anxiety
  • Nursing struggles
  • Poor self-care
  • Hopelessness/worthlessness
  • Loss of interest in regular activities
  • Isolation
  • Fatigue, exhaustion, sleep disturbances, (oversleeping, not sleeping at all)
  • Appetite changes, eating too much, not eating at all
  • Unexplained physical illness – chest pain, hyperventilation, GI upset
  • Guilt/shame
  • Anger/rage
  • Suicidal thoughts

If this sounds familiar, please contact your provider; Bridgette Gemelli, community health navigator; or Amanda Brown, RN, Northern Light Birthing nurse, Tree of HOPE facilitator, and Maine State Postpartum Support International coordinator. You are not alone, and help is available. We can get you referrals to:

  • Primary Care
  • Behavioral Health
  • Nursing

If you would like more information, please contact:

Bridgette Gemelli
Community Health navigator
bgemelli@northernlight.org 
207.861.6091

Amanda Brown, RN
Northern Light Birthing nurse
Tree of HOPE facilitator
Maine State Postpartum Support International Coordinator 
amandabrown@northernlight.org
1.857.203.0482