Shawna's Riveting Story as a Postpartum Psychosis Survivor
Mar 07, 2023
EPISODE 11 SHOW NOTES
I’m very excited to have another amazing guest, Shawna Mox, on today’s podcast episode! Shawna is here to share her very specific experience with postpartum psychosis after the birth of her first baby, which happened almost 2 years ago. She has gone through a lot of healing to get to where she is today, and she is very ready to share her story with other women so they know they're not alone in this.
Shawna Mox is a life coach, founder of BomBooty Dance Party Workouts (I totally can't wait to do these workouts btw), podcaster, Mother, and postpartum psychosis survivor. One of her callings is to share her story in order to help raise awareness and transform the stigma around maternal mental health experiences.
In today’s episode, Shawna is sharing her story as a postpartum psychosis survivor, and we're talking about:
- Shawna’s pregnancy and birth experience. Shawna had a really beautiful pregnancy and home birth experience; she felt truly in tune and supported with all of it.
- The manic-like symptoms she started experiencing in her early postpartum. Shawna first started experiencing postpartum psychosis around 7 weeks postpartum. She found out her hormone levels were extremely out of whack (her estrogen and progesterone levels), and this can actually lead to someone experiencing bipolar-like symptoms.
- Her frustrating experience with her family during her first manic episode. While her (now) ex-husband and parents tried to do what was right for Shawna (at least what they thought), they only made matters worse for her during her manic episode.
- Shawna’s 2 different stays in behavioral health facilities. She ended up staying in 2 different behavioral/mental health hospitals on 2 different occasions. Unfortunately, these hospital stays only made matters worse for Shawna and everything she was experiencing.
- Losing temporary custody of her son and eventually, going through a divorce. Shawna was separated from her baby boy (something she never planned on or thought would happen), and she had struggles with maintaining her milk supply for breastfeeding and pumping. She did end up separating and going through a divorce from her husband at the time. All of this stress added to her plate did not support her during her postpartum psychosis experience.
- What Shawna has experienced since her postpartum psychosis and how she is planning to support herself if it happens to her again. Shawna is a life coach herself, and she's also worked with other women who specialize in postpartum psychosis and maternal mental health. She now has a solid plan in place for herself and her support system if she ever does experience postpartum psychosis (or anything like it) ever again.
Postpartum psychosis and other maternal mental health conditions (during postpartum or any other time) NEEDS to be brought to light more in our society.
Shawna’s story is pretty incredible, and I felt truly honored that she decided to share it here on this podcast. Postpartum psychosis is absolutely a health emergency. This condition affects a person's sense of reality that can cause hallucinations, delusions, mania, paranoia, and other major behavior changes. In severe cases, people with postpartum psychosis may even attempt to harm themselves or their newborn babies. While it is treatable (especially when early treatment can happen), it’s something we NEED to bring more awareness to (and I’m so grateful Shawna is doing this!)
Mothers should not be suffering with their mental health during pregnancy, postpartum, or any other time. As a society, we need to dismantle the stigma around maternal mental health, and really bring in the support that’s necessary during these times. If you are struggling with this, please advocate for yourself, and don’t be afraid to get the help you deserve!
Resources and links mentioned in this episode:
- Connect with Shawna on Instagram: @shawna_mox and @_bombooty
- Shawna's Podcast: Calling It In Podcast
- If you’re interested in sharing your own, powerful birth story with myself (and the world), I would LOVE to have you on this podcast! Please fill out this form if you’re interested in doing so: https://forms.gle/Ga4ekxpNWMf43ysy9
- Connect with me on Instagram @the.holistic.birth.coach
- More information about the Virtual Natural Childbirth Education Course and ways to work with me: https://instinctivebirthandbeyond.mykajabi.com/offers/2sHMmves
- Join Instinctive Birth and Beyond: The Collective Facebook Community and Support Page: Instinctive Birth and Beyond: The Collective | Facebook
