Shouldn't I Be Happy: Emotional Problems of Pregnant and Postpartum Women

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Simon and Schuster, Jun 15, 2010 - Self-Help - 364 pages
A guide for expectant and new mothers on emotional issues associated with parenthood, including post-partum depression.

Pregnancy and childbirth are a happy and joyous time for some women, but for others the experience can be one of anxiety, fear, and confusion. Because our society cherishes pregnancy and motherhood, many women suffer in silence when their experience is anything less than sublime. How do they explain their unhappiness to spouses, friends, and family, and how can they know if what they are experiencing are the normal mood fluctuations of pregnancy or if they should seek professional help?

In Shouldn’t I Be Happy? professor of clinical psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology, Shaila Misri offers specific advice on emotional issues associated with parenthood—from marital problems to grieving the loss of a child. She also counsels women on coping with the common stresses that accompany the course of pregnancy and early motherhood and addresses common questions every expectant and new mother has as they are introduced to parenthood.
 

Contents

Why Is This Happening?
53
How Could This Be Happening to Me?
74
Death and Disappointment at Birth or Soon After
104
Postpartum Depression and Mood Disorders
128
Breastfeeding and Psychiatric Illness
157
Marital Upset After Pregnancy and Childbirth
190
The Fathers Role During Pregnancy and Postpartum
210
PART II
233
What Should I Expect?
245
My Babys Health Is All That Matters
278
Electroconvulsive Treatment in Pregnancy and Postpartum
302
Will I Ever Be Happy Again?
312
References 3535
325
Index
331
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About the author (2010)

Shaila Kulkarni Misri, Md, Frcpc, is one of the leading reproductive psychiatrists in North America and is internationally recognized as a pioneer in women’s mental health and reproductive issues. She is the founder and director of Reproductive Mental Health at both St. Paul’s Hospital and BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre in Vancouver, and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of British Columbia, Canada.

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