Q: I'm a new mom and am feeling freaked out about people like Andrea Yates and Dena Schlosser. Could I be capable of hurting or killing my baby like that?

-- Anna, Houston, TX

A: Both Yates and Schlosser had postpartum psychosis. This is a very rare condition (.01% of new moms ever get this way) in which the woman has a break from reality. Many times, they hear voices telling them to perform some action for a reason that seems logical to them in their deluded state. For example, Andrea Yates believed that Satan lived inside her. So, she was protecting her kids by sending them to Heaven. She fully expected to be executed by the state, thus killing Satan and saving the world from evil. 

Women who suffer from postpartum depression, anxiety or obsessive-compulsive disorder do not experience this break from reality. Those who get very depressed may start to have thoughts of suicide and should be seen by a medical professional ASAP. 

If you notice a new mom acting strangely, talking to someone who is not there, or severely neglecting their own and their baby's hygiene, please call 911. But to answer your question, it is very unlikely that you will become psychotic. Unfortunately, stories like Yates' and Schlosser's make the news, giving the illusion that this type of behavior is more common than it really is.  -- Stacey

Q: How do you feel about the Yates case being overturned? 

What do you think would be the best outcome for Andrea?

-- Jennifer, Pearland, TX

A: I am pleased to hear that the Yates case was overturned, and I think the reason for it was justified. However, I believe the real problem has not yet been addressed, which is the standard for an insanity defense in Texas. Until that is better defined, mentally ill women such as Andrea Yates will continue to be convicted of crimes such as she was.  I think most agree that a second trial for Andrea could be very harmful to her. I believe the best outcome for her would be that she moves to a psychiatric hospital, and continues to get treatment for her very severe mental illness. -- Sherry