After Sarah gave birth to her baby, she began to experience postpartum depression. Often referred to as “baby blues,” postpartum depression occurs after a person gives birth. Feelings of emptiness, sadness and hopelessness begin to arise. It’s common but can be very debilitating to the people who experience it.
Sarah’s postpartum depression led her to the NEST Partnership at Springfield-Greene County Health.
The NEST Partnership at Springfield-Greene County Health provides prenatal case management and infant services to those in need through referrals. Registered nurses are available to provide support as a person navigates life with a new baby or before having one. Community Health Advocates (CHAs) work closely with NEST Partnership to ensure that clients are being connected to resources they need like health care, food, transportation, housing, and mental health services.
It may be hard to picture what this help can do for families, but Sarah can attest through her story that the help provided has changed her life.
In fall 2022, a NEST nurse, Alisa, and a CHA, Teresa, began working with Sarah after her postpartum depression became unmanageable. As a young mother, Sarah was facing difficulties obtaining resources in the community. A CHA connected Sarah with organizations that helped her find a job, apply for rent assistance and SNAP, navigate the post office system and find clothing.
“You have helped me so much,” she told Teresa and Alisa. Now connected to resources that she didn’t know about or couldn’t access prior to working with NEST Partnership, Sarah’s mental health has improved.
Through every one of her visits Teresa was there to help translate so that Sarah, whose first language is Spanish, could freely speak with her nurse and be updated on the health of her baby. For example, during her most recent appointment, Sarah expressed concern about a rash on her daughter’s bottom that had since gone away. Working with a translator, the nurse gave her advice on diapers and creams that can help when a rash occurs.
During her appointments, Sarah’s NEST nurse weighs her baby, takes vitals, and answers any health-related questions she may have about her baby. The trust between the nurse, CHA and client is important. When creating a bond with a family, this helps ensure the family gets all the help they need throughout the program’s duration.
For infant services, nurses will work with a family for up to six months depending on the needs of a family. Since Sarah began working with NEST in fall 2022, her postpartum depression has significantly improved based on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). This questionnaire, given in the beginning of the program and toward the end, helps identify whether the parent who gave birth may have postpartum depression. Each answer is given a score of 0 to 3. The highest score is 30.
In the beginning, Sarah scored up to a 16.
In her second to last session with the NEST nurse and CHA, she scored a 6.
There are many in the Springfield community with stories like Sarah but are unaware that the NEST Partnership and Springfield-Greene County Health’s CHAs are here to help. To learn more about the process of NEST Partnership and CHAs, visit health.springfieldmo.gov.