Postpartum Depression & Anxiety Treatment at Feel August
Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders affect roughly one in five birthing parents, and they remain one of the most under-treated conditions in adult psychiatry. The postpartum window is short and the stakes are high — for the parent, the infant, and the family. At Feel August, postpartum care begins with a 60-minute evaluation and continues with measurement-based follow-up from a provider who knows your story.
Understanding Perinatal Mood & Anxiety
Postpartum depression is not a moral failing and it is not the baby blues. Baby blues are mild, common, and resolve within two weeks. Postpartum depression persists, intrudes, and can deepen — low mood, exhaustion that sleep does not fix, tearfulness, guilt, a sense of disconnection from the baby or from yourself. Postpartum anxiety often travels alongside depression and may present as racing thoughts, hypervigilance, panic, or intrusive images.
Intrusive thoughts about harm coming to the baby are common in postpartum anxiety and OCD and do not mean a parent is dangerous. What matters clinically is how the thoughts are experienced — distressing, ego-dystonic, and unwanted — versus ideas that feel aligned with intent, which require different care. A thorough evaluation distinguishes these clearly.
Postpartum psychosis is a separate, rare, and urgent condition. If you are experiencing hallucinations, delusions, extreme confusion, or thoughts that feel compelling rather than intrusive, this is a psychiatric emergency — call 988 or go to an emergency department.
Recognizing the Signs
- Persistent low mood, tearfulness, or numbness lasting beyond two weeks
- Anxiety, racing thoughts, or inability to rest even when the baby is sleeping
- Intrusive, unwanted thoughts about harm coming to the baby
- Feeling disconnected from the baby or from yourself
- Difficulty sleeping when the baby sleeps; sleeping far more than usual
- Loss of appetite or eating for comfort
- Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or being a bad parent
- Thoughts of self-harm or of not wanting to be here
Our Approach
Treatment at Feel August
Postpartum care at Feel August begins by making space to actually hear you. Your provider spends 60 minutes in your initial evaluation to understand the birth, the pregnancy, the sleep, the support you have, the thoughts that are showing up, and what your life looked like before this. Nothing about the postpartum period is one-size-fits-all.
Treatment may include medication (SSRIs such as sertraline are first-line and are compatible with breastfeeding for most patients; brexanolone and zuranolone are available for specific presentations), coordination with therapy, and — where helpful — coordination with your OB, midwife, or pediatrician. Your PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores are tracked at every visit so you and your provider can see, not guess, whether care is working.
We do not wait six months to see whether this resolves on its own. If symptoms are interfering with daily life, sleep, or bonding, the right time to start care is now.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your first appointment is 60 minutes, by secure video, with you able to nurse or hold the baby if that's what works. Come prepared to share what has changed since the baby arrived, your medical and psychiatric history, any medications you are taking, and what you hope care can help with. There are no wrong answers — this is a conversation.
After the evaluation, your provider will share their assessment and recommend a plan. You will leave with a clear next step and a follow-up appointment, typically within two to four weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is it postpartum depression or baby blues?
- Baby blues are common, mild, and resolve within two weeks of birth — tearfulness, mood swings, feeling overwhelmed. Postpartum depression is more persistent, more intrusive, and does not lift on its own. If symptoms are lasting beyond two weeks, interfering with daily life, or including intrusive thoughts, a professional evaluation can help clarify what is happening.
- Can I take medication while breastfeeding?
- For most patients, yes. Sertraline is the most-studied SSRI in lactation and has a strong evidence base for safety. Your provider will discuss the evidence for any specific medication, the tradeoffs of treating versus not treating, and will coordinate with your pediatrician if helpful. Untreated perinatal depression has its own risks for both parent and infant.
- I'm having scary thoughts about the baby. Does that mean I'm dangerous?
- Intrusive thoughts about harm coming to the baby are common in postpartum anxiety and OCD, and almost always show up as distressing, unwanted, and ego-dystonic — the opposite of something a parent wants. That is a recognized, treatable pattern. Thoughts that feel compelling or aligned with intent are a different picture and require urgent care. A thorough evaluation distinguishes these clearly, without judgment.
- When should I seek care?
- Right away if you are having thoughts of self-harm, feel unable to care for yourself or the baby, or are experiencing confusion, hallucinations, or delusions (call 988 or go to an emergency department for those). Otherwise, any time symptoms are lasting beyond two weeks, interfering with sleep or bonding, or including anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or hopelessness — the right time is now. Postpartum care does not need to wait for the six-week visit.
- Does insurance cover postpartum psychiatric care?
- Most California commercial insurance plans we are in-network with cover perinatal psychiatric care. You can check your coverage during the booking process or review our insurance page. Self-pay is also an option.
- Can I do online psychiatry with a newborn?
- Yes — and many patients prefer it. Telehealth means no leaving the house, no arranging childcare, and the ability to hold or nurse the baby during the visit. Feel August provides all appointments via secure video from anywhere in California.
Related Conditions
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