Series: Mothers Day isn’t enough (Why I care)
I care because I want other moms to access the same resources I did | 3 min read
“I didn’t even realize I had postpartum anxiety.”
1 in 5 new moms have a mental health disorder. But too many go undiagnosed or untreated.
I’m a 2X survivor of postpartum anxiety. The moment I realized I had it was during a free webinar with Postpartum Support International. The trainer described a new mom who called her pediatrician nurse line every day.
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Looking back, I see how it showed up in other ways too:
- Nervous about germs when visitors came to meet the baby
- Obsessively checking my baby's sleep and nap times, desperate for some predictability back in my day
- Saying no to plans so I could rest, but concerned for being judged for it
I thought I was just being overly worried and that was part of being a ‘good’ mom. Not a signal that I needed more support.
Mental health challenges show up in so many different ways. It’s not just postpartum depression. It can include anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, trauma, and psychosis. The good news is they’re temporary and treatable.
If I knew the signs earlier, I would have asked for help sooner.
I was grateful I eventually found mental health support. But not all moms have that access.
That’s why I share my story–and have become a maternal mental health advocate through my work with Postpartum Support International, Chamber of Mothers, and March of Dimes.
When we’re not honest about how hard early motherhood is, moms internalize it as a failure instead of recognizing they deserve support.
📣 Learn the signs early and where to get help:
- Call Postpartum Support International’s hotline at 1-800-944-4773 or sign up for a free webinar
- Register for a free webinar hosted by Minnesota Mental Health Clinics on May 21st
- Hear more stories (including mine) on PSI’s I Am One Podcast
- Visit my mental health resource page
I care because these support resources made me feel whole again. And that’s what all new moms deserve.
