5 Strategies to Promote Mothers’ and Birthing Persons’ Mental Health

The pregnancy and postpartum period is a transformative and life-changing experience. However, it can also come with significant stress and anxiety for mothers and birthing people. Taking care of one’s mental health during this time is crucial, but it can be challenging to prioritize self-care amid growing family responsibilities, feelings of isolation and self-doubt.

“It is essential to change the societal expectation that mothers and birthing people should put their needs aside”

Mothers and birthing people deserve to prioritize self-care alongside the care of their babies. It is essential to change the societal expectation that mothers and birthing people should put their needs aside. Instead, we need to embrace an approach that centres both the mother/birthing person and the baby. With this shift in narrative, mothers and birthing people can be empowered to engage in self-care practices that promote their optimal health and well-being.

In line with our Perinatal Mental Health theory of change, the strategies below aim to reduce the prevalence of perinatal mental health concerns by placing an emphasis on health-promoting preventative measures. They provide realistic and meaningful ways that mothers/birthing people and their support systems can integrate self-care into day-to-day life.

The Daymark Foundation is committed to finding ways to support mothers’ and birthing peoples’ mental health. We look forward to embarking on a future project that aims to build a community of people that will shift the current narrative around the expectations of being a mother and birthing person. Stay tuned!