Charleston Women-Summer 2021

www. Char l es tonWomen . com | www. Char l es tonWomenPodcas t . com | www. ReadCW. com CW feature endure the stressors she was facing daily as a new mom. Once fully acclimated to the medication, Arsneault’s mental state significantly improved. On the other side, she explained how she wished she had known how common PPD/A was before her son’s birth. “Because of this, I’ve made it my mission to be open about my experiences and get the word out about postpartum mood disorders,” Arsneault explained. “I make sure to talk honestly with pregnant women about what they might face and that it’s manageable with the right support. I’m trying to help break down the stigma around it.” Just last summer, Arsneault saw a Facebook ad for Postpartum Support Charleston, a local nonprofit that supports mothers struggling with postpartum depression and anxiety, and reached out to start volunteering her time. “Living through postpartum depression and anxiety had a profound effect on my life. It really changed me and made me want to help other new moms through it. I could’ve used that support when I was going through it myself,” she said. Elaine DeaKyne, board member at Postpartum Support Charleston, addressed the current insufficient care and concern for a mother’s mental health post labor and the negative effects of neglecting to identify a need for intervention. “Our society should value both the physical and mental health of a mother. A mother’s health really is vital to the growth and development of the child,” DeaKyne stated. “A healthy mom equals a healthy baby.” A mother herself, DeaKyne suffered from postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her oldest daughter. “When she was 2 months old, I reached out for help and found Postpartum Support Charleston’s support groups. Finding this organization gave me support by showing me that I was not alone.” While support for PPD/A is without a doubt a necessity, one’s ability to identify symptoms and locate the appropriate support are two issues that general awareness may help eliminate. “It can be extremely difficult for a mom to say, ‘I am sad, I am anxious, and this is overwhelming,’” DeaKyne noted. “We try to help mothers understand that PPD or PPA is an illness. It is not a reflection of who someone is as a parent. Mental illness is very real, and it is also very treatable. We still talk to moms after their recovery who say, ‘I wish I had known about you when I was struggling.’ So, we do still have work to do to get the community more involved in helping us reach more moms.” “There are approximately 10,000 births every year in Charleston, and we want to make sure all of those moms know that PPD/A is an illness that one in five moms will suffer from — but there is help, and PPD/A is a completely treatable illness. No mom has to suffer in silence,” she added. E l a i ne DeaKyne and her daughter s . UPSCALE LUXURY SECOND TO NONE Manicure • Pedicure • Facial • Waxing 617 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. Mount Pleasant www.843nailspa.com Appointments & Walk-Ins are Welcome! ® Photo by Jos i e De r r i ck Photography. Published three times a year, Charleston WOMEN is a lifestyle magazine that focuses on the needs and desires of women who are business leaders, daughters, mothers, grandmothers, neighbors, wives, sisters andmuchmore. SPR I NG 2021 LOCAL WOMEN Accomplished a nd Diverse www.CharlestonWomen.com Keep Your Cool Coping with Hot Flashes Thrill of the Hunt Real-life American Picker “Different” Children’s Book Inspired by Loss Google Lens Me CHARLESTON LET US HELP YOU GROW YOUR BUSINESS ADVERTISE WITH US! For Distribution and Marketing Information Call Mandy Willis 864.612.7694 or Mandy@MountPleasantMagazine.com