What Should I Do If I Want to Have a Baby and I have Mental Health Concerns?

Do you or someone you know have mental health concerns but also plans to be a parent? I recently had someone ask me, “Dr. Mills, I really want to have a baby sometime soon. I am a little worried, though, because I have mental health concerns. Can I have a baby while still having a mental illness?”

What a great question! The short answer is, yes, you can! Of course, there are some things you will want to do and think about when you are family planning and have a known mental health issue or are experiencing mental health symptoms that have not yet been diagnosed.

First things first, if you are experiencing mental health symptoms like those we’ve discussed in the depression, anxiety, or bipolar disorder videos and are not under the care of a mental health professional, please seek assistance. You can find mental health professionals online through various search engines, listings on sites like Psychology Today, Postpartum Support International, LGBTQHealthCareCenter.org, and many other sites. Instructions to contact me specifically are at the end of the blog post.

If you are already receiving care with a mental health professional, then that is excellent! Let them know that you plan to become pregnant and within what approximate timeframe. They should be able to help you with feeling at your emotional best for the upcoming pregnancy and parenthood.

If you are or plan to be on medications for your mental health, it is important that your treating psychiatrist feels comfortable in treating you during pregnancy because not all psychiatrists feel comfortable doing so. I have special experience in working with those during family planning, pregnancy and after birth, so you can speak with me or another reproductive psychiatrist.

It is important to be as mentally well as possible because the stress of pregnancy and is REAL. It is also important to know that untreated depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and other mental illnesses lead to increased inflammation of the brain and body, which can harm you and the fetus.

In addition, certain medications are safer in pregnancy and during breast feeding than others. A knowledgeable psychiatrist will help you make decisions to keep you and your baby well. In a future video, I will go into more detail about certain medications and pregnancy.

Of course, don’t forget about lifestyle habits such as healthy eating, regular sleep, and exercise! I will discuss this in greater depth in a future video also.

If you would like me to help you feel your best during family planning, pregnancy, and postpartum, please click on the “Contact” button and schedule your free 15min consultation with me, Dr. Mills. 

Thanks for reading and have a great week. Remember, Mental Health is Freedom!

Dr. Mills is the Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Freedom Psychiatry, located in California. She focuses on achieving mental wellness using medication, nutrition, and lifestyle changes.