05/04/2022
✨ May is off to a gloomy start but let us not let that dull our sparkle and motivation in supporting women across the globe as we recognize today as World Maternal Mental Health Day and this week May 2nd– May 8th, 2022 (Mother’s Day) as Maternal Mental Health Week. May is also recognized as Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month!
•
You may be wondering why is this important? Women go through many physiological and mental health changes while trying to conceive, while pregnant, throughout postpartum, and beyond, that can lead to women being more vulnerable to developing mental health illnesses. A mother/birthing person's mental health and well-being directly affects the fetus, newborn, relationship with partner and overall quality of life.
•
As a postpartum doula and mental health nurse I know firsthand how important access to the necessary mental health supports and resources are to an individual's overall physiological and mental wellbeing. It’s also important to note that this is not just an issue in North America but globally where resources are limited and depending on various social determinants of health (income and social status, employment and working conditions, education and literacy, Social supports and coping skills, access to health services, gender, culture, race, etc.)
TW: postpartum psychosis & su***de
Today so many are walking across Canada in honour of Flora, a Toronto mom who was experiencing untreated postpartum psychosis after giving birth to her baby girl last fall which led to her ending her life. There are too many stories like Flora’s. Thank you to everyone who has shared, liked, and donated to my fundraising efforts via in support of Flora’s baby and perinatal mental health.