becoming a parent is arguably the most important and challenging job out there but for some mothers there's another side to it that's rarely shown or talked about the silent struggles of maternal mental health disorders that's mood changes anxiety or depression Melissa Rose Cooper highlights how one Health Clinic in the state is dedicated to supporting and treating the condition I took this pregnancy test and I saw these two little lines and I've never seen those two little lines before they were right there I was holding it up to the white I ran outside and held it up to the Sun and I called my neighbor and I was like oh my God I'm pregnant moments Victoria malagary says she'll never forget after seeking fertility treatment because doctors told her she wouldn't be able to get pregnant on her own milagary beat expectations welcoming her son Ryan into the world last June but they only got to spend about 10 minutes together before he was rushed to the NICU due to a medical complication it was pretty traumatizing just because it happened so fast and I wasn't prepared for that melagari says she was overjoyed when they were finally able to go home but not too long after something inside started to feel off I was trying to feed him change him calm him down and like nothing would happen and at that point I was up for like two days straight and I just remember like hysterically crying like is this how it's always going to be and my boyfriend woke up the next day because you know Dad gets a full night's sleep and I just remember him looking over at me and he goes um I need some help and I remember throwing my pump off like my chest and just screaming at him and I was like I wish I never did this and that's when melagari says she knew something was really wrong she eventually contacted her doctor and realized she was living with postpartum depression she was referred to treatment here at the RWJ Barnabas Health Center for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders we help all women who are pregnant having loss and fertility or postpartum up to one year after delivery who are suffering from the most common complication of child birth which is postpartum mood disorders and it's a well-kept secret there's a lot of stigma because it is a mental health it plays out as a mental health issue but it's temporary and completely treatable according to the anxiety and depression Association of America 15 to 20 percent of women experience significant symptoms of depression or anxiety during or shortly after pregnancy symptoms can appear anytime during pregnancy up to the first 12 months after childbirth and it's a condition that can happen to any woman regardless of culture age income level or raise so the center takes a multi-disciplinary approach to helping mothers through therapy and group support we have four different rooms and we run two things every day so moms can be with each other seeing another mom in the same season you're in and knowing that she looks just like you like she doesn't look like something's wrong we think you can see it I think is really validating and comforting and then the therapy all women the medication all women being able to bring your babies I think the whole thing hopefully reads as it's just another system in our body and we can get you back to yourself Mela Gary says coming to the center has given her a circle of family and friends she never knew she needed they'd get it it's just been the most amazing thing and as soon as I'll never forget leaving the house for the first time ever with my son alone I came here and after I had this confidence this boost in the world and I went to another store and I went to another store and now every time I leave the house like I feel so confident that I can do it and malagary wants other moms who might be experiencing postpartum depression to know that it's not their fault and things can get better with help for NJ Spotlight news I'm Melissa Rose Cooper [Music] [Music]