What mothers really need for Mother’s Day
**Trigger Warning**
Mother's Day is a time to celebrate the joys of motherhood, the love and care that mothers provide, and the happiness and excitement that their children experience. It's a day to honour the sacrifices, hard work, and dedication of all mothers.
Sadly, we must also remember that maternal mental health is a vital issue that affects many mothers and families and this Mother’s Day may feel a little different for them.
In Australia, one in five mothers experiences postnatal depression within the first two years after birth, and suicide has become a leading cause of maternal death.
Maternal mental health disorders not only harm women but also affect the mental health of the whole family, including the physical and mental development of babies. Unfortunately, many pregnant and postpartum women fall between the gap of maternity and mental health services, not receiving the care they need.
To address this issue, we need to take targeted actions to close the maternal mental health gap.
This includes developing mothers-informed policies, enhancing the collection of data on maternal mental health and suicide-related maternal deaths, and providing universal access to high-quality maternal mental health care and treatment that includes appropriately trained health professionals who are in contact with pregnant and postpartum women.
We need to establish best practices in prevention and intervention, evaluate the effectiveness of current policies, and inform new ones.
On this Mother's Day, let's work together to improve maternal mental health care in Australia and ensure that all Australian mothers and their families can "live a good life" and truly enjoy this day.
So while we celebrate the joys of motherhood, let's also remember those who may be struggling and take action to support them.
Together, we can make a difference and improve the lives of mothers and families across Australia.
With love & kindness, always
Dinah Thomasset
Founder & CEO
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