At Bright Idea Counseling we are deeply invested in the well-being of mothers and families, so let’s discuss the importance and significance of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month. This annual observance, held in May, serves as a crucial reminder of the challenges many mothers face regarding their mental health during the transformative journey of motherhood. This month is a time to shed light on the struggles that many new and experienced mothers face, this month serves as a way to raise awareness and promote strategies for support and healing. In my own experience from the perspective of a son with an amazing mother and a husband with a warrior wife, I feel confident in stating that mothers do not get enough credit for how strong they are. So let’s discuss the complexities of maternal mental health, how to identify common struggles, how to recognize signs of distress, and discuss ways to offer meaningful support to mothers.
Understanding Maternal Mental Health
Motherhood is an experience characterized by immense joy, love, and fulfillment, but it also comes with its share of challenges and stressors. That is how a textbook would define motherhood but I enjoyed my wife’s definition more. My wife shared with me that motherhood is having your heart walking around the outside of your body; and the joy, fear, pride, exhaustion, and overwhelming love that comes with it. Maternal mental health refers to a mother’s emotional well-being during pregnancy and the postpartum period. It includes a range of emotional and psychological states, from the “baby blues” to more severe conditions like postpartum depression (PPD) and postpartum anxiety (PPA).
One of the primary struggles associated with maternal mental health is the societal expectation of blissful motherhood. Society creates an unrealistic painting of motherhood which often makes mothers feel pressure to conform to these unrealistic standards of perfection. Think of a paint night, the instructor creates this beautiful portrait with colors and life, and they walk you through the process starting from step 1 but no matter how slow you go your painting will never be exactly like the instructors, in my case, it won’t even be in the same category. When you cannot repaint this painting it creates feelings of inadequacy, guilt, and shame for mothers experiencing difficulties or negative emotions. But this month is about shedding light on facts so let’s highlight hormonal fluctuations, sleep deprivation, changes in identity, relationship dynamics, the demands of caring for a newborn, and how all of those factors contribute to mental health challenges for mothers.
Recognizing the Struggles
- Postpartum Depression (PPD): PPD is a mood disorder that can occur after childbirth, characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, worthlessness, and guilt. Mothers with PPD may experience changes in appetite, sleep disturbances, loss of interest in activities, and difficulty bonding with their babies.
- Postpartum Anxiety (PPA): PPA involves excessive worry, fear, and intrusive thoughts related to the baby’s safety, health, or well-being. Mothers with PPA may experience physical symptoms such as elevated heart rate, sweating, trembling, and gastrointestinal issues. The constant fear and anxiety can significantly impact daily functioning and quality of life.
- Postpartum Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (PPOCD): PPOCD is characterized by intrusive and distressing thoughts or images related to harm coming to the baby. Mothers with PPOCD may engage in compulsive behaviors such as checking on the baby repeatedly, seeking reassurance, or avoiding certain activities or objects they fear might harm the baby.
- Postpartum Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PPTSD): PPTSD can occur after a traumatic childbirth experience, such as a complicated delivery, emergency cesarean section, or medical complications. Symptoms may include intrusive memories or flashbacks, avoidance of reminders of the trauma, hypervigilance, and mood disturbances.
- Baby Blues: This usually occurs between birth and four weeks. Some of the symptoms include mood swings, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, crying, nervousness, and general unhappiness. This is usually caused by a drop in hormone levels post-delivery heightened by being overly tired, going back to work, feeling inadequate as a mom, feeling trapped/isolated, and having problems bonding with the baby.
Signs of Struggle
It’s essential to recognize the signs that a new mother may be struggling with her mental health:
- Persistent Sadness or Mood Changes: If a mother consistently expresses feelings of sadness, emptiness, or mood swings that interfere with her daily functioning, it may indicate underlying mental health concerns.
- Excessive Worry or Anxiety: Constant worry, fear, or panic attacks related to the baby’s well-being, safety, or one’s ability to care for the baby can be signs of postpartum anxiety or other anxiety disorders.
- Difficulty Bonding with the Baby: Struggles in forming a bond or feeling emotionally connected to the baby despite attempts to nurture and care for them can be a red flag for maternal mental health issues.
- Changes in Behavior or Sleep Patterns: Significant changes in appetite, sleep patterns (beyond the typical disruptions associated with caring for a newborn), social withdrawal, or neglecting self-care may indicate underlying mental health challenges.
Ways to Help and Support New Mothers
- Normalize Mental Health Conversations: Encourage open and honest discussions about maternal mental health, emphasizing that seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Oftentimes mothers just want to feel heard and acknowledged during some of the early challenging times of being a new mother. Normalizing the range of emotions mothers may experience and validating their feelings without judgment can often help support them.
- Provide Education and Resources: Equip mothers with information about common mental health challenges during the perinatal period, available support services, and self-care strategies. This can include online resources, helplines, support groups, and referrals to mental health professionals. This will require partners and those involved in the process to educate themselves about common challenges, warning signs, and how to help mothers.
- Offer Practical Support: Assist with practical tasks such as meal preparation, childcare, household chores, or running errands to alleviate some of the daily stressors new mothers face. Small gestures of kindness and support can make a significant difference especially if these things are done without being requested. Support can be shown in many ways and it will only require partners to be mindful.
- Encourage Self-Care Practices: Advocate for self-care practices that promote mental and emotional well-being, such as adequate rest, healthy nutrition, regular exercise, mindfulness or relaxation techniques, engaging in enjoyable activities, and setting realistic expectations. My wife struggled with postpartum after the birth of our first child, it was my job to be educated on postpartum and to find ways to help her through this. It was my job to not be frustrated but be understanding and supportive. One of the best things I did was encourage my wife to return to her self-care practices that have helped her manage life stressors. I was able to realize that as a new mother she was trying to provide as much as she could for our child and in the process was neglecting herself. Providing my wife with the time and the understanding that she can take time for herself helped her get back to her healthy self-care practices.
- Foster Social Connection: Encourage new mothers to maintain social connections with friends, family members, and support networks. Organize or facilitate opportunities for socializing, whether in-person or virtually, to combat feelings of isolation and loneliness. This is a great time for partners to allow mothers to check out for a little bit and recharge their batteries.
- Monitor and Follow-Up: Stay attuned to changes in the mother’s mood, behavior, or well-being over time. Follow up regularly to check in, offer ongoing support, and reassess the need for additional interventions or professional help if symptoms persist or worsen.
In conclusion, Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month serves as a major reminder of the importance of prioritizing maternal mental wellness and supporting mothers through the highs and lows of their motherhood journey. By raising awareness, recognizing signs of struggle, and implementing meaningful support strategies, we can contribute to creating a more compassionate and nurturing environment for mothers and their families. Together, we can help mothers thrive emotionally, mentally, and physically as they navigate the transformative experience of motherhood.
