Natalia’s Perinatal Mental Health Story

Thrive • November 29, 2021

Former Thrive client, Natalia shared her perinatal mental health story with us. You can read about her journey below.

MY FIRST PREGNANCY

While giving birth to my first child in November 2017, I underwent long labor that ended in a C-section. My first idealized choice would have been to do a home birth, but I wasn’t able to do that. So instead, I worked with a birth center.

I was against having a C-section, so much so that I didn’t even go to the interventions section of my birth class. I told myself, “I’m not going to need that. I’m going to a birth center. Nothing is pointing me towards needing a C-section.”

My due date came and went, but I didn’t go into labor. Every day, I got more anxious. I began doing some gentle, natural induction exercises, but nothing worked. Finally, I was able to naturally induce the birthing process, but I remained in prodromal labor for a long time.

At the birthing center, I labored for ten hours. My state did not allow individuals to be under the care of a birthing center for more than 42 weeks, and I was approaching that deadline, so I moved to the hospital. At the hospital, a cascade of interventions followed that ended in a C-section.

Having a C-section after so many hours of labor — a couple of days at home, ten hours at the birth center, and seventeen hours at the hospital — was difficult to heal from. When I returned home, I suffered from severe postpartum depression and anxiety that was left untreated.

MY SECOND PREGNANCY

In May of 2020, we moved to Reno. Only a couple of months prior, I’d found out that I was pregnant.

While I was setting up my healthcare, I discovered Thrive Reno’s Perinatal Mental Health Support Group and began attending. It was exactly what I needed. I was pregnant. I had postpartum depression and anxiety after my last pregnancy. I was hoping to have a vaginal birth. I’d just moved to the city. Not to mention, the pandemic was raging. The group provided me with a community that supported me throughout my pregnancy.

My daughter was due on September 20. By Christmas Eve, I was still pregnant. That morning, I had a doctor’s appointment. The doctor sent me to the hospital for extended monitoring. Almost as soon as I walked through the door, they began talking to me about a repeat C-section, which was the opposite of what I wanted.

Christmas Eve fell on the same day as Thrive’s Perinatal Mental Health Support Group, so I called into the group from the hospital. Connecting with people who knew my story was so helpful.

I ended up having a repeat C-section. It was Christmas, and my son was expecting us, so I pushed the hospital to release me. They let me leave 48 hours after giving birth — the minimum length of stay for someone who’s had a C-section.

I expected to experience the same symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety that I’d struggled with after my first pregnancy, but this time the symptoms were more severe and came on faster.

I had wanted a girl, so I was excited. I was also happy that my daughter was safe and healthy. But I was devastated about having another C-section. Anytime that I thought about it, got dressed, took a shower, or looked in the mirror was extremely difficult. I ended up attending Thrive Reno’s It Takes a Village perinatal day program .

IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Initially, I wrestled with whether to attend the program. I remember thinking that I could deal with my symptoms on my own. I wasn’t sure if I needed a day treatment program. Additionally, I wanted to get used to being a mom of two. I wanted to just be with my baby, but just being with my baby was hard for me too.

When I finally decided to attend the program, I was excited and terrified. The experience transformed me in so many ways. The groups were comprehensive. They allowed me to explore how my life and the world around me were affecting my postpartum period. It was life-changing.

Connecting with other parents and hearing their stories was also helpful. I waited several weeks to tell my birth stories. But there was another person in the group who’d had a C-section. When she told her story, the other group participants said things to her that were exactly what I needed to hear. The moment was a turning point in my healing process.

After a few weeks, I dove in. I was able to open up, ask questions, and share my experiences. There were so many rich discussions and opportunities to talk not just about being a mom, but about my family system, my childhood, and ways I want to parent that weren’t accessible to my parents.

The program helped me be a better mom. From the cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical-behavioral therapy skills groups, I learned strategies to refrain from catastrophizing and remain in the moment instead.

One of the most impactful takeaways from the program was learning to avoid making generalized value judgments about myself. In other words, instead of viewing myself as a bad mom because I misplaced something, I say, “Wow I made a mistake, and I’ll do better next time.” Initially, I was resistant to even the idea of giving myself grace. But over time I realized that by giving myself grace, I can stop the spiral of negative thoughts.

I’m also a gentler parent. I’ve always believed in the gentle parenting style, but I couldn’t embody it before. I had too many other things going on in my mind. Because I’ve had this space and time to process my emotions, I’m a kinder, calmer parent.

The shift into motherhood and then the subsequent shift into becoming a mother of two was so disorienting. I wasn’t doing that well with it by myself. The It Takes a Village program provided me with a supportive, warm environment to do the deep self-work necessary to explore what was going on with me as a parent and as a person.

There’s an idea that one’s mental-emotional state has to be severe before deserving professional support. There’s a range of experiences related to birth and becoming a parent. Even if you think that you can deal with all of it, you shouldn’t have to deal with it alone.

The post Natalia’s Perinatal Mental Health Story first appeared on Thrive Wellness.

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When Mealtimes Become Battlegrounds: How ARFID Impacts Families

August 21, 2025

When Emma was 8, her parents noticed her food choices shrinking. At first, they assumed it was just picky eating — “She’ll outgrow it,” friends said. But by 10, Emma would only eat crackers, cheese, and chicken nuggets. Family dinners became nightly struggles, her growth slowed, and she skipped birthday parties to avoid “strange food.” Her parents felt powerless, her brother grew frustrated, and outings dwindled. What began as food avoidance soon reshaped the rhythm of the entire household. When children avoid food, most parents expect it’s a passing stage. But when restriction deepens, shrinks to only a few “safe foods,” and begins affecting growth or health, families suddenly find themselves in unfamiliar territory. This is often where Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) emerges — with effects that extend far beyond the plate. As providers, we need to be attuned to these patterns. It’s tempting to dismiss them as “no big deal,” yet for many families, they are life-altering. Sadly, Emma’s story is not unusual. Mealtimes as Battlegrounds Families living with ARFID often describe mealtimes as emotionally charged, exhausting, and unpredictable. What should be a chance to connect around the table can feel more like a negotiation or even a standoff. Parents wrestle with whether to push their child to try a new food or give in to the same “safe foods” again and again to avoid tears, gagging, or complete meltdowns. This ongoing tension can make mealtimes dreaded rather than cherished. Siblings, too, are affected. Some may feel resentful when family meals are limited to what only one child will tolerate. Others may act out in response to the constant attention the child with ARFID receives. Over time, the dinner table shifts from a place of nourishment and bonding into a stage for conflict, anxiety, and guilt — a pattern that can erode family cohesion and resilience. Social Isolation and Missed Experiences ARFID impacts more than what happens at home; it influences how families engage with the world around them. Everyday events — birthday parties, school lunches, vacations, even extended family dinners — become sources of stress. Parents may pack special foods to avoid confrontation or, in many cases, decline invitations altogether to protect their child from embarrassment or overwhelm. This avoidance can lead to an unintended consequence: isolation. Families miss out on milestones, friendships, and traditions because of the unpredictability surrounding food. The child may feel left out or ashamed, while parents grieve the loss of “normal” family experiences. This social withdrawal can compound the anxiety already present in ARFID and deepen its impact across generations. Emotional Toll on Parents The emotional strain on parents navigating ARFID is significant. Many describe living in a constant state of worry — Will my child get enough nutrients? Will they ever grow out of this? Am I doing something wrong? This worry often spirals into guilt and self-blame, particularly when outside voices dismiss the disorder as mere “picky eating.” In addition, the pressure to “fix” mealtimes can strain marital relationships, creating disagreements over discipline, feeding strategies, or medical decisions. Parents may also feel emotionally depleted, pouring all their energy into managing one child’s needs while inadvertently neglecting themselves or their other children. Without support, this chronic stress can lead to burnout, depression, and disconnection within the family system. The Role of Providers For clinicians, ARFID must be viewed not only as an individual diagnosis but as a family-wide challenge. Effective care requires attention to both the clinical symptoms and the family dynamics that shape recovery. Parent Support: Educating caregivers that ARFID is not their fault, offering psychoeducation, and helping them reframe mealtime struggles as part of the disorder — not a parenting failure. Family-Based Interventions: Coaching families in structured meal support, communication strategies, and gradual exposure work so parents don’t feel powerless. Holistic Care: Involving therapists, dietitians, occupational therapists, and medical providers ensures that the family does not shoulder the weight of treatment alone. When families are validated, supported, and given practical tools, the entire household can begin to heal. Treatment is not only about expanding a child’s food repertoire but also about restoring peace, resilience, and connection at home. Moving Forward ARFID may begin with one individual, but its ripple effects are felt across the entire family system. By addressing both the psychological and relational dimensions, providers can help transform mealtimes from a source of conflict into an opportunity for healing and connection. For those who want to go deeper, we invite you to join our upcoming training on ARFID , where we will explore practical strategies for supporting both clients and their families.

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Is It OCD or an Eating Disorder? What Parents Need to Know

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As a parent, noticing alarming behaviors around food or routines in your child can raise some important questions. You might be asking yourself, “Is this an eating disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), or something else entirely?” Understanding the signs and differences between these disorders is key to getting your child effective, timely treatment. In this blog, we’ll break down the overlap between OCD and eating disorders, what signs to watch for, and how to get professional help. If you're a parent wondering “Is my child’s eating disorder actually OCD?” or “OCD vs eating disorder in teens,” know that you’re not alone and you’re in the right place to find specialized care for your child. What Is OCD? Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition where unwanted thoughts (obsessions) cause anxiety, leading to repetitive behaviors (compulsions) intended to ease that anxiety. OCD can be focused on any subject. Common obsessions include contamination, perfectionism, scrupulosity, and harm, but sometimes, the content of obsessions can be focused on food, body image, or weight. What Is an Eating Disorder? Eating disorders , like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) involve disturbed eating behaviors and intense concerns about body weight or shape. These conditions go beyond dieting or “picky eating” and can become life-threatening without professional intervention. The Overlap: Why It Can Be Confusing OCD and eating disorders often share similar symptoms : Ritualistic eating (e.g., needing to eat foods in a certain order or at a certain time) Rigid rules about food (like only eating certain food groups or certain amounts of food) Excessive checking (like weighing food or body or repeated checking of expiration dates or thorough cooking) Avoidance behaviors ( like avoiding carbs, fats, or other food groups or avoiding places or objects that can trigger obsessions) Distress when routines are disrupted (either around mealtimes or exercise routines) So, How Can You Tell the Difference? Use the following chart to compare and contrast symptoms of OCD and eating disorders.