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Postpartum Depression Multiplied

Moms of Multiples Face Increased Risk of Baby Blues

By Teri Brown

(NOMOTC). "There is a definite link between social support and wellness," says Adcock. "Indeed, support is crucial when facing any major life change, whether it involves only joy or a combination of joy and challenge. For the mother of newborn multiples, support is even more critical."

NOMOTC offers support on many levels. Members receive a bimonthly publication, NOMOTC's Notebook, a newsmagazine containing feature articles about parents of multiples and their children, as well as parenting tips, book reviews and items of club and individual interest. Perhaps most important, organizations such as NOMOTC provide a network of support. Some clubs offer social support through pen pal programs, group meetings and mentor programs. They also provide new mothers of multiples information on area and local resources.

"Clubs can help mothers of newborns build a network of friends," says Adcock. "These friends can come once a week and watch the babies, thus providing Mom with an opportunity to get out or to take a much-needed nap. Some clubs also help moms with newborns by providing meals for the family at designated times."

Adcock feels strongly that new mothers need to be aware of the risk of PPD and reach out for help if faced by PPD. "That's especially true after giving birth to twins or other higher order multiples," says Adcock. "At that time, it often seems everyone is making reference to the 'double joy' or 'double blessings' you have just received. Given the situation, any sadness can seem out of place. So perhaps for the mother of twins, it takes a 'double' amount of courage to admit to PPD and reach out for help."

Fry credits joining a multiples club with helping her overcome PPD. With twins who were 8 months old at the time, Fry wasn't sure if she could fit one more thing into her life, but she has never regretted the decision. "The other people in the club were a lifesaver for me, and I could never replace that type of support," says Fry. "It helped to know that others were as overwhelmed as I was and that they had bad days, too."

As a single mother, the club also gave Fry's family of three a place to go to for fun social events like park play dates and family picnics. She was able to bounce ideas off of others who understood her challenges, which was something she missed as a single parent.

Want to see more?

• Two at Once: Becoming a Parent of Twins
• Postpartum Depression: Preventing Tragedy
• Postpartum Depression: When Having a Baby Gives You More Than the Blues
• Talk about it!

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