What is this?

When I was pregnant in 2020 I joined a bunch of new mom Facebook groups. The groups were filled with questions and anecdotes ranging from the small (tips for dealing with pregnancy heart burn, product recommendations) to the huge (sharing birth stories, advice for divorce). Many questions centered around mental health:

I think I’m still dealing with trauma from my labor. Is this normal?

Can non-birthing parents have postpartum depression?

Is it safe for me to take sleep medications while breastfeeding?

While I knew nothing about being a parent (still don’t, really), I know something about mental health science. Trying to find answers to these questions helped me deal with my own struggles with being a new parent and made me feel like part of a larger parenting community.

This newsletter is an extension of that. This is my attempt to share what the science says about all things mental health related to being pregnant, being a parent, and everything in between.

Check out my writing. Subscribe to my newsletter. Follow me on Twitter. Ask a question. Share with a friend.

About Jasmine

I have a Ph.D. in clinical psychology, but I’m by no means a parenting or child behavioral expert. I’m a brand new parent learning things as I go.

In my professional life I’m a Research Assistant Professor at Boston University. I conduct research on understanding the social and emotional difficulties of adults living with serious mental illness. I'm also a practicing therapist in Massachusetts.

In my personal life I like to binge-watch too much television, go on brunch-and-a-movie dates, bake, and hike. I live in Somerville, MA with my husband, cat, dog, and child.