A treatment program that's right for you.

Learn more about the PAT program.

Prenatal and Postpartum Anxiety:

Perinatal anxiety (also sometimes referred to as prenatal or postpartum anxiety) is very common. Although postpartum depression is familiar to more people, prenatal anxiety is treated much more frequently in my practice than is postpartum depression. While it is natural to be worried about the health and well-being of your baby in both the prenatal and postpartum phase, sometimes anxiety can begin to interfere with daily life and affect your ability to care for yourself or your baby. Although many new or expectant mothers are warned that they will be tired, that the baby will cry, and that seemingly simple tasks such as completing laundry, eating a hot meal or taking a hot shower will become increasingly difficult, few moms are warned that anxiety may impact sleep (even if the baby is sleeping fine), or result in constant worries about if the baby gets sick or if the baby is thriving and meeting developmental milestones. Unhealthy social comparison practices (i.e., comparing your baby to those of friends or relatives) also results in increased anxiety, as can unwanted input from others about how you “should” do things with your baby.

So how do you know if your anxiety requires treatment?

Ask yourself the following questions:
Do you find yourself flooded with worries and concerns about the health and well-being of your new baby?
Do you find it difficult to eat, sleep or manage day-to-day activities because you are constantly checking on, stressing about, or worrying about the baby?
Does it feel like your thoughts are racing?
Have you been losing (or gaining) weight or noticed changes in your appetite?
Have you found it difficult to bond with your baby or care for older siblings due to heightened anxiety or feelings of guilt?

Are you more irritable or tense (either psychologically or physically)?

Do you find yourself being more forgetful or have trouble concentrating?
If you answered yes to any of these signs or symptoms and are either expecting a new baby or have had a baby within the last 12 months, then treatment for perinatal anxiety may be of benefit.

In my practice, we offer one of the only treatment programs in the area specifically designed for new or expectant mothers to help them learn skills and strategies for dealing with the major life changes that come along with having a baby. The Perinatal Anxiety Treatment Program (PAT Program) is a 12-week program and is based on the principles of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).

You are welcome to bring your baby to session and can take comfort in knowing that it is a breastfeeding or bottle-feeding friendly zone, and that crying babies, spit up, and dirty diapers are par for the course. We welcome you and your baby to session, so don’t sweat the small stuff.

Contact Dr. Kristen Kaploun today!

INFORMATION IN THE MOMENT

Dr. Kristen Kaploun Office

Dr. Kristen Kaploun Office
1100 Burloak Drive, Ste. 300
Burlington, ON L7L 6B2

Get Directions

 

Tel: 289-983-7570
Fax: 905-332-3007

Building is wheelchair accessible
Plenty of free parking onsite

If this is an emergency, please visit your local hospital’s emergency department, or call 911.

Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital
1230 North Shore Blvd.
Burlington, ON L7S 1W7
905-632-3737

If you cannot find the answers to any questions you may have, or if you're not sure whether we can help, please do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email. We will make every effort to return all calls or emails within 48 hours of initial contact, and from there we can set up an initial appointment.

Other local crisis hotlines and resources are listed below:

Burlington Telecare Distress Line

905-681-1488
(24 hours)

Crisis Outreach and Support Team (COAST)

1-877-825-9011
note: this is not an emergency service

North Halton Distress Centre:

905-877-1211

Oakville Distress Centre:

905-849-4541

Emergency Psychiatric Services at St. Joseph’s Healthcare, Hamilton:

905-972-8118

Hamilton 24 Hour Crisis Line:

 905-972-8338