Perinatal Mental Health
In Charlotte, Perinatal Wellness & Support Services offers therapy to expecting and new mothers struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, and adjusting to parenthood. Afton Jones helps navigate the challenges of the perinatal period (pregnancy and postpartum) for a smoother transition.
Perinatal Mental Health &
Wellness Services
The perinatal period, encompassing pregnancy and postpartum, is a time of immense joy and transformation. However, it can also bring unexpected challenges. At Perinatal Wellness & Support Services, I understand the emotional complexities of this journey and how it affects your mental health. As a licensed therapist, Afton Jones specializes in supporting expecting and new mothers (and fathers!) in Charlotte to navigate the unique mental health needs that arise during this period.
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Whether you're experiencing anxiety, depression, stress, or difficulty adjusting to parenthood, Afton provides a safe and supportive space to address your concerns. With my guidance, you can develop healthy coping mechanisms, build emotional resilience, and embark on a smoother transition into parenthood. I offer in-person and telehealth appointments to ensure convenient access to our services.
THERAPY SERVICES
Therapy Designed For Women You Will Love
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FEEDING CHALLENGES
When feeding doesn't go as planned, it can leave us feeling overwhelmed. This can manifest as depression related to weaning, anxiety around breastfeeding challenges, or even guilt and shame about the feeding choices we make for our babies. Perinatal Wellness & Support Services can help navigate these difficult emotions and find a path that feels right for you and your family.
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WORK-LIFE BALANCE FOR MOMS & WOMEN
Balancing work, a career, self-care, marriage, parenting, friendships, and other relationships can be hard. There are so many roles and so many things! It can feel like there's just never enough time or energy to devote to each of them. Let's work together to devise a plan to find a healthy balance.
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ADJUSTING TO MOTHERHOOD
Motherhood can bring about changes in many ways, including physically, financially, emotionally, and even psychologically. It also changes our friendships, romantic relationships, and even our relationships with ourselves. I can help you with this adjustment. We can work together to identify practical ways to adapt to these changes.
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STRESS MANAGEMENT
Stress isn't always a bad thing. However, stress in high doses is. Stress does not only manifest in your mind, it manifests in your body as well. Are you experiencing work burnout? Maybe things at home are intolerable at the moment? Are you feeling overwhelmed and irritable? It's possible that you may be experiencing difficulty with managing your stress. Together we will seek to find the causes of your stress as well as make necessary changes and implement coping skills that will help to manage stress better.
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LIFE TRANSITIONS FOR WOMEN
Even the changes that we consider to be positive can bring about some level of stress, anxiety, fear, or a mixture of emotions. Maybe there has been a change in your relationship, your career, location, or something else. Maybe you want to make a change in a specific area but don’t know where to start. I can support you in working through this process.
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PREPARING FOR POSTPARTUM
Preparing to welcome a new baby involves many things. It is important to plan for the baby's needs, but it is just as important to plan for mommy's needs. When preparing for postpartum, we will work together to identify what is needed to take care of you so you can be at your best when taking care of the baby.
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PERINATAL DEPRESSION
Postpartum depression can create a feeling of loneliness for moms and can even make it challenging to bond with babies. Are you feeling sad and crying more days than not? Do you find yourself wanting to isolate and not want to get out of bed? Are you simply not interested in the things that you used to enjoy? If so, now is a good time to seek help. I am here to support you throughout this process to improve your mood and to establish some sense of normalcy again.
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PERINATAL ANXIETY
It is not uncommon to experience some level of anxiety during or after pregnancy. Sometimes, anxiety in the perinatal period can become unhealthy and interfere with daily life functioning. You may:
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A constant worry and concern about pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum.
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A sense of overwhelm or a need to be in control of everything
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Worry about the baby's health or other things related to motherhood.
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What if I fall down the stairs and drop my baby?
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Anxiety can create irritability and an inability to relax. It can also make it difficult to fall asleep or stay asleep.
Afton is caring, professional, and passionate about maternal mental health and lactation support. She has a wealth of resources to support soon-to-be and new mothers
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LACTATION SERVICES
Consulting For When Feeding Doesn't Go As Planned
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PRENATAL BREASTFEEDING CLASS
Breastfeeding Beginnings covers all of the basics of breastfeeding, potential challenges, and much more to help you feel prepared and confident to breastfeed your baby. This is a 4-hour class can be provided on a one-on-one basis or in a group setting. Classes are divided into 2 days and offered virtually worldwide or in person in Charlotte.
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Some of the topics include:
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The Benefits of Breastfeeding
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Breastfeeding Positions
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Latching your Baby
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How to know if your baby is getting enough
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Pumping and Milk Expression
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Bottle Preparation and Feeding
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Where to get support plus much more
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BREASTFEEDING & PARTNER SUPPORT CLASS
Breastfeeding can be a challenging journey, but partners can play a crucial role in supporting their loved one’s breastfeeding journey. Our class is designed to help partners understand their role in breastfeeding and provide practical ways to support the breastfeeding person and bond with the baby. We'll also address common misconceptions and discuss what to expect during the breastfeeding process and address intimacy and breastfeeding. Taking this class prenatally is highly recommended to increase the chances of better breastfeeding outcomes.
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PRENATAL LACTATION VISIT
Prenatal lactation visits are an excellent way to prepare for breastfeeding and if you're feeling anxious about breastfeeding prenatal lactation visits can be a great way to get peace of mind. Prenatal visits are tailored to each family's specific needs and can help address any concerns or questions parents may have. Prenatal visits are designed for first-time, repeat parents who need a refresher, or anyone who wants to ensure that breastfeeding gets off to a good start. During these visits, we discuss positioning and latching, assess breast anatomy, identify any potential barriers or complications such as medical issues, early return to work, and past breast trauma or augmentations. We also discuss how to know if breastfeeding is going well and address any potential mental, emotional, or physiological barriers. Information on available breastfeeding resources are provided as well. Let’s get your breastfeeding journey off to a good start!
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RETUN TO WORK CONSULT
Returning to work doesn't have to mean sacrificing your breastfeeding goals. Our Return to Work Consult is designed to help working mothers navigate the challenges of breastfeeding while working. We will discuss how much milk to leave for baby, pumping frequency, and paced bottle feeding. We'll also provide guidance on how to have helpful conversations with your employer and childcare providers. Let us help you make the transition back to work with confidence.
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VIRTUAL CONSULT
Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience, but it can also be challenging at times. Virtual visits are convenient as they allow you to access support for your breastfeeding needs from the comfort of your own home or in other situations such as needing help when you are traveling. We are here to assist you with a wide range of issues, including positioning and latching, nipple pain, engorgement, plugged milk ducts, possible infection, pumping, milk supply, bottle feeding, etc. We are also here if you are just needing reassurance that everything is going well. We'll work with you to develop a personalized plan of care that fits your unique needs and lifestyle.
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OTHER SERVICES
Maybe you are battling some other issue that you don't see above, or maybe you just aren't quite sure how to identify it. Contact me to see how I can help.
SCHEDULE YOUR APPOINTMENT OR FREE PHONE CONSULTATION
Charlotte, North Carolina and Surrounding Areas
980-322-6268