Beyond the Headlines: Postpartum Mental Health & Systemic Failure

What is postpartum psychosis, and why does the media keep getting it wrong? On this episode of The BADT Roundtable, Sabia Wade talks with clinical psychologist Dr. Ana Arteaga-Biggs and doula, educator and BADT teacher, doula, and educator MaryNissi Lemon. They look at the public reaction to the Lindsay Clancy case and the clinical realities of severe perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). Then they turn to the practical side: what birth and postpartum workers can actually do to spot warning signs and get families support early.

In this episode:

• Baby blues vs. postpartum depression vs. postpartum psychosis: how onset, prevalence, and severity differ
• Intrusive thoughts vs. psychosis: why a parent’s terrifying thoughts are not the same as losing touch with reality
• Why the 6-week postpartum checkup often comes too late for families in crisis
• How race and class shape whether a parent gets psychiatric care or faces criminalization and CPS involvement
• How doulas can use screening tools like the EPDS without stepping into diagnosis
• Red flags to watch for during postpartum visits
• Building a mental health safety plan with clients before birth
• Holding space without taking on trauma: boundaries for birth workers
• Building referral networks with perinatal therapists, psychiatrists and support groups, and what to do when a client is in acute crisis

About our guests

Dr. Ana Arteaga-Biggs, Psy.D., is a bilingual clinical psychologist and National Register Health Service Psychologist now based in Barcelona, Spain. Her expertise includes trauma, perinatal mental health, infertility, grief and loss, and race-based traumatic stress. She works with individuals, couples, and families, and she facilitates support groups.
Website: www.doctorarteaga-biggs.com
Instagram: @__.dr.ab.__

MaryNissi Lemon, CD, CLC, CBE, is a birth and postpartum doula, childbirth educator, doula mentor, and trainer. She has more than a decade of experience supporting families. Born and raised in Malawi and now based in Philadelphia, she hosts the Positive Birth Corner Podcast. She is also the author of The Complete Informed Doula Guide for Expectant Families. Her work focuses on making birth education accessible and culturally relevant, especially for Black and immigrant families.
Website: www.positivebirthcorner.com
Instagram/TikTok: @positivebirthcorner

Learn more about BADT programs and resources: www.badoulatrainings.org

Content note: This episode discusses maternal mental health crises, including a case involving the deaths of children. If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA (1-833-852-6262), available 24/7. You can also reach Postpartum Support International at 1-800-944-4773. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.