having anticipated that early pregnancy would be difficult, she was followed closely by a psychotherapist and had a lot of help from family. “i feel like i got the help i needed,” she said.
“the pregnancy and immediate postpartum period was as hard as i expected it to be, but i was prepared. the return to work phase i was not prepared for.”
about nine months after giving birth, nguyen “really hit a wall.”
“we were co-sleeping and there was my son’s crying as we did the sleep training, arranging daycare, trying to go back to the life of a clinician-researcher, which is really two jobs, and trying to be a mother.”
before giving birth, she had anticipated returning to work quickly. “but every mother is different: i realized i wanted to spend time with my child — and that is not compatible with the demands of the 21st century, being an md and having a husband who is also a clinician-researcher.”
ultimately nguyen delayed returning to work by several months; she and her husband, a psychiatrist and clinician-researcher like her, had couples psychotherapy. she started anti-depressant medication. she continued her research while on maternity leave but started seeing patients again only in january. she is returning to work progressively but says she doesn’t want to go back full time.
an estimated one canadian woman in five experiences perinatal depression and anxiety — more during the
covid-19 pandemic
. yet it remains a taboo topic, said nguyen, 38: it’s to help break that taboo that she chose to share her
story
.