ABSTRACT
I received a call from Carol. She had heard about me from her colleagues where she worked as a nurse. She had had a baby about 6 months earlier and was currently, “not feeling very well.” She described that she felt her “heart pounding” and her hands were “shaky all the time.” “I just feel lost.” She went on to describe that she only felt safe at home and that was not acceptable as she had to go out into the world and could not just stay home. She had a 6-month-old daughter and felt that the birth experience was “horrific” but felt she should be able “to get through it.” We agreed to meet the next day for an evaluation and I informed her that she could indeed bring her baby to the appointment as it is my practice to include children. I include babies whenever possible as it is a perfect way to assess the maternal–infant attachment/relationship which can be affected by a mood and/or anxiety disorder that occurs during the childbearing years. Carol was relieved to hear that she could bring her baby in that she did not have child care and her husband could not take the day off from work.
