Bringing a new life into the world is often portrayed as a time of joy and fulfillment. Yet, for many birthing people, the perinatal period—encompassing pregnancy and the first year postpartum—can be marked by overwhelming sadness, anxiety, and exhaustion. Perinatal depression is a serious mental health condition that affects 1 in 7 birthing people in the United States (Wisner et al., 2013), yet it remains widely misunderstood and under diagnosed…