A mom stricken by postpartum psychosis shares her story of hope
Bridget María Chesterton, a history professor, is sharing her personal experience with postpartum psychosis to raise awareness and dispel misconceptions about the condition. Her story highlights the critical need for better societal understanding and support for mothers facing this severe mental health emergency.
Why it matters
Postpartum psychosis is a life-threatening but often misunderstood condition; public awareness can help reduce stigma and encourage families to seek necessary medical intervention.
By LAURA UNGAR Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] --> Add AP News on Google Add AP News as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google. --> Share
About two weeks after giving birth, Bridget María Chesterton was curled up on the bathroom floor, saying things that made little sense. Later, in the emergency room, she kept repeating, “What’s going on?” She’d lost touch with reality.
The family eventually learned that Chesterton had postpartum psychosis , a severe mental health disorder thrust into the spotlight by the case of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts woman on trial for strangling her three children. A key question is whether postpartum psychosis drove Clancy to do it.
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