51: Postpartum Suicide - The loss of a wife & mother

Raul Martinez - Postpartum Suicide- The loss of a wife and mother.

After losing his wife, Kelly, Raul became a powerful advocate for moms and families. He shares about Kelly, his message to mothers and partners and the work that he does now to advocate for better care of perinatal mothers and families.

We talk about how postpartum mood changes impacted his wife and the how knowing what he knows now, what he would have helped to do differently. He shares about the loss of his wife Kelly, her complications from postpartum depression, her specific risk factors which lead to her suicide when their daughter was just 3 months old. He discusses things to look out for and how sleep deprivation factored in for Kelly. Raul emphasizes to take care of the mom too, not just the baby. He offers advice for partners of new mothers

Resources

If you or someone you know may be struggling, please reach out. You can look at www.postpartum.net, Postpartum Support international for resources in your area as well as information about symptoms and risk factors.

 

Raul shares Kelly's story is in the recently released Documentary - When the Bough Breaks - A Documentary about Postpartum Depression

www.mmhcoalition.com

www.maternalmentalhealthnow.org

www.postpartumstress.com

 

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Raul Martinez lost his wife, Kelly, to complications with postpartum depression in 2010, when their daughter was only 3 months old.  Since then, Raul has become an advocate for improvements in perinatal depression awareness, prevention, and treatment.  Raul has been featured in documentaries about postpartum depression and has spoken before the California Legislature, at medical training seminars, and to numerous community groups in an attempt to raise awareness and to effect change on behalf of the women, children, and families of California.