Perinatal & Postpartum Care
Support Through Every Part of Becoming a Mother
Support through pregnancy and after, for the moods and thoughts that can come with either one. Pregnant does not mean unmedicated. It means we manage it carefully, together.
— CLINICAL CARE · PERINATAL & POSTPARTUM
Understanding perinatal and postpartum mental health
Becoming a mother is supposed to be joyful. When it is also frightening or heavy, you are not alone.
Mood and anxiety changes during pregnancy and after birth are common and treatable. They can start in pregnancy or appear weeks to months after the baby arrives.
They can look like sadness, but also like worry, anger, panic, or intrusive thoughts. Getting help early helps you and your family.
What it can look like
It Does Not Always Look Like What You Expected.
Many mothers are told to enjoy every moment, so they stay quiet when they are struggling.
Persistent Sadness
Feeling low, tearful, or numb, or not feeling the bond you expected.
Constant Worry
Racing thoughts about the baby, your health, or what could go wrong.
Intrusive Thoughts
Unwanted frightening thoughts that you would never act on but cannot shake.
Anger and Overwhelm
Irritability, rage, or feeling like you are about to snap.
Sleep That Will Not Come
Lying awake even when the baby sleeps, or being too anxious to rest.
Feeling Like You Are Failing
Believing you are not a good mother, or that everyone else is managing better.
Why it happens in women
We Look at the Whole Picture, Not Just One Symptom
Hormones shift dramatically during pregnancy and after birth. Add sleep loss, a major identity change, and stress, and mood and anxiety conditions are common. A history of depression or anxiety, loss, or a hard birth can raise the risk, but it can happen to anyone.
Hormones are part of the picture, and so is your whole life.
Your History
Past mood or anxiety, your pregnancy and birth, and your support.
Sleep and Recovery
How much rest you are getting and how your body is healing.
Hormones and Feeding
Where you are in pregnancy or postpartum, and how you are feeding your baby.
Mood, Anxiety, Focus
What is happening in your mind, named clearly and without judgment.
How I treat it
Your Plan Starts With You
I build a plan around where you are right now. That can include therapy, EMDR when a hard birth or past experience is part of the picture, and sleep and support strategies.
I manage psychiatric medication before pregnancy, during pregnancy, after delivery, and while you are breastfeeding. If you are already on medication and become pregnant, the answer is not to stop on your own. It is to have someone manage your care safely through the whole pregnancy and after, and I can take over that care. We weigh the risks and benefits of every option together, and the decision stays yours.
When to reach out
You Do Not Have to Wait for It to Get Worse
Your mood or worry is affecting how you care for yourself or your baby.
You have frightening thoughts or panic that will not go away.
You cannot sleep even when the baby does.
You feel numb, disconnected, or like you are failing.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 in the U.S., or go to the nearest emergency room.
Meet your psychiatric provider
Christine Archer, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Psychiatric nurse practitioner for women
I have spent over 20 years working with women. I provide psychiatric care before pregnancy, during pregnancy, after delivery, and while you are breastfeeding, and I can take over medication you are already on.
Our visits are by telehealth in Maryland, Washington State, and New York. You see the same provider each time, one who remembers your story.
- PMHNP-BCBoard-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
- Integrative Health and NutritionPost-Master's Certificate
- EMDR TrainedEye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
- PSI TrainedAdvanced Perinatal Mental Health Psychopharmacology (2025)
- Menopause SocietyCertification candidate
- Former competitive bodybuilderWomen's health advocate
Getting started
Three Steps to a Plan That Fits
You decide each step, at your own pace.
Book a free consultation
A 15-minute conversation about what is happening and whether we are a fit.
Complete your evaluation
We look at your history, your body, your hormones, and what you want help with, together.
Build your plan
A plan shaped around your life and your pace, never rushed and never one size fits all.
Questions about pregnancy and postpartum
Before You Book
Is this just the baby blues?
Baby blues usually ease within about two weeks. If symptoms last longer or feel heavier, it is worth being evaluated.
Can I get care while trying to conceive, pregnant, or breastfeeding?
Yes. I manage medication before pregnancy, during pregnancy, after delivery, and while you are breastfeeding, including if you are already on medication and need someone to manage it. Every decision weighs the risks and benefits for you and your baby, and it is made together.
I am on medication and just found out I am pregnant. What should I do?
Do not stop your medication on your own. The answer is to find someone who can manage you safely throughout pregnancy and after delivery, and that is what I do. We review everything together and make a plan.
What if I have thoughts of harming myself or my baby?
Reach out right away. Call or text 988, call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-852-6262, or go to the nearest emergency room.
How do visits work?
Visits are by secure video, so you can be seen from home. I see patients in Maryland, Washington, and New York.
You don't have to choose between your care and your baby's safety.
A free 15-minute consultation, and a real conversation about what is happening. Telehealth across Maryland, Washington, and New York.