Dear Friends of the Net
Back in the day when one did 12 weeks intensive "training" as part of ones
nursing school experience, I did mine at  a private psychiatric hospital in
New Orleans.  (DePaul)  This was in the early 60's before the current
psychotropic drugs and  psychiatric patients were either "acute" or
"chronic." (They were not put out on the street !!)  Electric Shock
treatment was a very available therapy.  ( As a student one spent a week on
the EST team)  It was very traumatic for everyone.  Oddly enough for some
people it worked.

  Women (I have only seen three in my entire career) who are diagnosed as
post partum psychosis by definition are out of contact with reality.. Unless
this definition and diagnosis has changed the mothers that I have seen were
in no position to be left alone with themselves or a baby.

Then little attention was given to the mothers pp needs because her psyc
needs were so acute.  But my vision of that young women with full breasts
leaking being strapped down for her EST has always remained with me
( a very naive 20 year old student).

One only wonders how long  the practice of separating mind and body will
still continue in some areas of medical practice?.

What would have happened had she been safely ensconced with a loving doula
and another loving family member to have given time for the maternal child
interaction a supervised chance?  It is certainly worth a try.

Beadie Cambardella RN IBCLC FACCE
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no A/C, no heat,  just open windows in Atlanta, Ga