The Department of OB/GYN provides the Flamingo Program to help people suffering from Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs), which encompasses perinatal mood disorders and postpartum depression.
Please refer to the sections on this page below:
- Why is this program called the Flamingo Program?
- What are PMADs?
- What to expect
- Flamingo Program team
- Other services and resources
- Contact us
Why is this program called the Flamingo Program?
People suffering from PMADs often have drained energy, depression, and anxiety. Our program was named the "Flamingo" Program because flamingos show similar characteristics when caring for their young.
Flamingos are well-known for their beautiful pink plumage. But their color fades to white when caring for their baby birds. So, an adult flamingo that's looking whiter than you'd expect is most likely a mother or father who's tired from caring for their little one.
Our mission is to prevent and help treat PMADs that impact 1 out of 5 people. We provide the personal, community, and professional support you need to regain your mental wellness and return to your fully energized self.
What are PMADs?
PMADs describe symptoms that can occur during pregnancy or throughout the first year postpartum. Symptoms can include:
- Feeling overly tired
- Experiencing appetite changes
- Poor sleep
- Not feeling like yourself
- Crying often
Sometimes symptoms can be dismissed as being "typical" experiences of pregnancy or parenthood. But if symptoms persist and make your everyday life challenging, you should consider seeking help.
Types of PMADs include:
- Perinatal or postpartum anxiety disorder
- Perinatal or postpartum depression
- Perinatal or postpartum obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Perinatal or postpartum psychosis
For more information on the different types and symptoms, please speak with your obstetrician or midwife.
What to expect
As part of the program, you can expect to receive:
- A packet containing information about the Flamingo Program, self-help tools, and community resources during your 28-week prenatal visit
- A phone call from one of our nurses about 2 to 3 weeks after your baby is born:
- During the call, the nurse will ask you a few questions about your mood, health, and overall well-being. If needed, the nurse can also help connect you with helpful services and resources.
Flamingo Program team
Your Flamingo Program team includes:
- Behavioral Health Counselors, such as Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW) and social workers with a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree
- Community Health Resource Coordinators
- OBGYNs
- Midwives
- Psychiatrists
- Specialty-trained Registered Nurses (RNs)
Other services and resources
Behavioral Health services (including Brief Therapy)
Our behavioral health counselors are certified in Perinatal Mental Health by Postpartum Support International and work closely with your midwife or obstetrician. We provide brief psychotherapy, consisting of up to 8 counseling sessions, to support you when experiencing perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, fertility concerns, grief, and other mental health challenges. We can also help identify community referral options if you're interested in longer-term psychotherapy.
Community resources
If you're having trouble accessing food, supplies, transportation, housing, or other social needs, our team's Community Health Resource Coordinator can help you find community support.
The Fourth Trimester Group
The Fourth Trimester group meets at the Women's Health Resource Center every Thursday morning. This group offers new parents and their babies a chance to connect, make new friends, and share and discuss nursing and other baby care issues.
Perinatal psychiatry
The perinatal psychiatry team evaluates and provides care for mental health disorders that affect patients during pregnancy and after childbirth. They specialize in helping you with decisions about the treatment of psychiatric illness in both pregnancy and the postpartum period. They weigh the risks associated with untreated psychiatric illness against the risks of medication use.
While this team cannot provide ongoing psychiatric care beyond the early postpartum period, they can connect you with primary care providers for continued management.
Primary Care
You can connect with a postpartum primary care provider if you do not already have one. This ensures you receive the support you need early on. The goal is to help you smoothly transition from obstetric care and psychiatry to primary care for ongoing support related to mental health medication management and preventative health needs.
Contact us
Dartmouth Health OB/GYN Lebanon clinic main phone: 603-653-9300
The Postpartum Support International (PSI) HelpLine is available for people needing support. You can call or text the PSI HelpLine:
- Phone: 1-800-944-4773
- Text: 800-944-4773 or (971-203-7773 for Spanish)