Declare Maternal Health Awareness Week

Senate Resolution No. 5231 BY: Senator PARKER MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 30-May 4, 2018, as Maternal Health Awareness Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to help increase awareness of serious health conditions that affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 30-May 4, 2018, as Maternal Health Awareness Week in the State of New York, in conjunction with World Maternal Mental Health Day; and WHEREAS, Organizations from around the world, including the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Turkey, Australia, Argentina, Malta, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, Germany, and Nigeria, are leading efforts to raise awareness about maternal mental health through a collective social media push and in-country events; Postpartum Support International is proud to be a member of this worldwide task force; and WHEREAS, According to the New York State Department of Health and Office of Mental Health, there are four recognized types of maternal depression: prenatal depression, "baby blues," postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis; and WHEREAS, The BlueDot Project was created by Peggy O'Neil Nosti, a mother who suffered from postpartum anxiety with her third child who wanted to find a way to let other mothers know they were not alone; she created a subtle image of a blue dot and a silver lining to illustrate hope; and WHEREAS, Although all types have similar symptoms, the prevalence rates, some symptoms and time frame of the depressions differ; some studies also explore postpartum major depression, which is similar to major depression except after pregnancy; and WHEREAS, For example, "baby blues" is the least severe, and usually lasts about two weeks maximum after delivery; it is the most common, and as many as 80 percent of new mothers suffer from "baby blues"; and WHEREAS, Some symptoms include exhaustion, crying, sleep problems, anxiety and mood fluctuations; and WHEREAS, Postpartum depression (PPD) is becoming more well-known, and it affects 10 to 20 percent of new mothers; and WHEREAS, Symptoms must last more than two weeks to be considered PPD and not just "baby blues"; and WHEREAS, There are also more symptoms associated with PPD, such as feeling inadequate or guilty, feeling sad constantly, feeling suicidal, not attaching or bonding to the baby, overly worrying about the baby or not being interested at all in the baby; and WHEREAS, Information obtained from the New York State Department of Health indicates that 10-20% of new mothers suffer from maternal depression, including periods of sadness, anxiety, fatigue and thoughts of death or suicide; and WHEREAS, For more than 1 out of every 1,000 new mothers, the maternal depression they experience, also known as postpartum psychosis, can lead to hallucinations and mania; and WHEREAS, It is imperative that there be greater awareness of this serious health condition, and more must be done to increase activity at the local, State and National levels; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim April 30-May 4, 2018, as Maternal Health Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of New York.