The unexpected: A mother’s mental health journey

“She’s great; she’s a happy girl,” says Leemay Regaliza, a Sharp HealthCare employee, describing her third and youngest child.

Leemay delivered her baby girl at Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns in August 2025. But this pregnancy was an entirely different experience compared to the pregnancies with her two older children.

"I had typical, normal pregnancies with my first two kids,” says Leemay. “I didn’t have any mental health issues during or after those pregnancies.”

But while pregnant with her daughter, Leemay began feeling anxious and depressed. “I felt unsettled, and I couldn’t figure out why,” she says. “I was hyper-focused on what could go wrong.”

About 20% of women have reported experiencing mental health conditions known as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, or PMADs. They can experience symptoms anytime during pregnancy and up to one year after childbirth. Stigma and shame can prevent them from reaching out for help.

“Mental health challenges can be a common experience during the perinatal period, and they can show up in unexpected ways,” says Sandra Reynaga, a licensed marriage and family therapist with the Maternal Mental Health Program at Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital.

Leemay talked with her doctor, who had her start a new medication regimen to treat her anxiety and depression — but it didn’t work. “I was feeling really down on myself and disappointed,” says Leemay.

In the first 12 hours of delivering her daughter, something changed.

A huge shift

“I noticed a huge shift in my feelings and hormones,” says Leemay. “I knew I should feel happy and complete, but I felt so bad. I was looking at my new daughter with my other kids and my husband, and I knew that this was amazing — this was all that I wanted. But I just felt so unsettled.”

Leemay’s symptoms became more severe, admitting there were times she didn’t want to wake up in the morning. “I felt like the world would be better off without me,” she says.

Leemay tried different medications and therapy. Then, a colleague suggested the resources at Sharp Mesa Vista might help her.

“I had a ‘come-to-Jesus' moment,” says Leemay. “I had more rage than usual. I was snapping at the kids, and I knew I needed to do something about it.”

In December 2025, Leemay began the Maternal Mental Health Program. “I felt unsure about people seeing all of me and my demons,” she says. “I was scared that I would be judged.”

But she soon noticed the program validated everything she was experiencing. Leemay especially benefitted from the program’s psychoeducation component, which informs patients about the causes, symptoms and treatment of their mental health condition. It helped her understand why she had certain thoughts and emotions.

“It helped me feel more knowledgeable about what was happening to me,” she says. “The group setting held me accountable and gave me more perspective and appreciation for what I have.”

Happy to be here

Thanks to the treatment and support she received from the program, Leemay was discharged the following February.

She is proud she completed the program and wishes she had done it sooner. She no longer has suicidal thoughts and continues to receive therapy. She also takes medications to manage depression and anxiety, which help her with mood stabilization and energy.

“I am more present in all my relationships — with family, friends and at work,” Lemmay says. “I can truly enjoy the moments I have with my kids.”

Getting support

Leemay encourages others with mental health challenges to reach out for help. “Lean on your support system,” she says. “Don’t be afraid to take up your place in this world and ask for the help you need.”

Reynaga recommends two types of support that can be meaningful to moms during this time: emotional support and practical support.

“Emotional support is listening with care, offering encouragement and simply being present. Practical support is about helping with day‑to‑day things, like doing laundry, cooking a meal or tidying up around the house, so mom doesn’t have to carry it all on her own.”

Leemay adds that people should strive to be intentional with their words and actions when checking in on loved ones who are struggling.

“Rather than asking ‘how are you?’ ask, ‘How can I best support you at this time?’” she says. “It helps take away the pressure and shows that whoever is asking is serious about being part of someone’s support system.”

Learn more about the Maternal Mental Health Program at Sharp HealthCare.

If you or a loved one is struggling, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is reachable by calling or texting just three numbers — 988 — from anywhere in the country.