Latest news with #MaternalMentalHealthAwarenessWeek
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why statues are wearing 'forced smiles' for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
If you're a mum, you likely know the feeling of forcing a smile through exhaustion, anxiety and overwhelm. In fact, 58% of mothers say they don't think anyone realises how lonely they are, so they simply smile and carry on. Plus, a huge 43% of new mums have never told anyone how they really feel, according to research by Tommee Tippee and women's social network Peanut. The survey of 2,000 mums found most fear being a burden or believe they should just 'get on with it', stopping them from opening up about their mental health. Yet, 75% of them experience difficulties including loneliness during the first three months postpartum. The stats have been published during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, with 'forced smiles' being added to eight statues of women around London to raise awareness about the impact. The yellow smiles were added to statues including the Bronze Woman, Emmeline Pankhurst, Millicent Fawcett, and Mother and Baby. The campaign was launched to break the stigma of how hard motherhood is, with the research finding 69% of women reporting a loss of self, 63% experiencing a collapse in confidence, and 54% finding this time particularly isolating. 'Mothers are forcing smiles outwardly and then suffering alone across the UK,' says Michelle Kennedy, CEO of Peanut. 'Motherhood is the ultimate "Instagram vs reality" moment – and mothers feel they should be so happy to have a healthy baby that their feelings should be put on the back burner. 'This forced happiness is also making the situation far worse, as many don't realise that others are masking their true feelings too. We hope that this campaign will highlight to mums everywhere that they are not alone, they don't have to just "keep calm and carry on smiling", and that help is out there.' You Might Also Like 13 Buys To Help You Feel Great From £5 16 Speedo Swimsuits that Won't Flash Your Bum When Getting Swim-fit 11 Best Gym Trainers for Different Types of Workouts
Gulf Today
08-05-2025
- Health
- Gulf Today
Book tackles mental health issues in motherhood
The Arabic edition of 'This Is Postpartum' has been launched in the UAE coincide with Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, a global campaign dedicated to creating conversations and changing attitudes towards mental health challenges in motherhood. The book is a translation of the English title which was first published in 2020 and authored by Tilda Klumpenaar, a therapist specialising in prenatal and postpartum depression (PPD) and is published by Dubai-based publisher The Dreamwork Collective. Born out of her own experiences of postpartum depression, Klumpenaar's book is a fuss-free compilation of real-life stories and tried-and-tested tips to help parents get their life back, and feel more confident, happy and balanced in their new role. Explaining her motivation for writing the book, Klumpenaar said, 'When I went through postpartum depression I felt so guilty and ashamed. I wondered how other moms were doing all of this. I felt so lonely all the time. When I finally got mental help through an amazing therapist, she told me most women don't talk about it, that all moms feel ashamed and guilty when they have PPD and that's the reason I had never heard of it. When I finally started to feel better, I decided to write down everything that I found helpful. If I could help just one mom to get out of her isolation during PPD, the book would be a success for me.' Speaking about her journey in creating the book, she said, 'The writing process was effortless for me. I loved writing it so much because I was ready to break the taboo around maternal mental health issues. I wanted to keep the book very real, which is why I also share stories of others, besides my own. I felt a sense of humour should also be in there, because PPD is such a serious topic. I wanted to keep it light too.' Having published the English edition of the book almost five years ago, Klumpenaar already knows how the subject resonates with mothers, and believes that it is important to extend these critical conversations into Arabic-speaking families.
Irish Independent
30-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Independent
New campaign will focus on care for mums after giving birth
The campaign advocates for year-long, comprehensive support for mothers following childbirth, addressing a critical gap in the current healthcare system where care often ends just six weeks after birth. Year of Care will officially launch on Saturday, May 10th at 7.30pm at Salt and Soul inStrandhill. The Year of Care campaign, founded by maternal mental health advocate Aolish Gormley is driven by personal experience and backed by a growing community of supporters, the campaign aims to address serious gaps in Ireland's postnatal healthcare system ensuring that no mother feels unsupported, unseen, or unheard. The launch event will feature two guest speakers: • Ailbhe Smyth, renowned activist, feminist and campaigner • Tracy Holmes, author and maternal mental health advocate Both will join Aolish Gormley to share their insights and experiences, highlighting the urgent need for systemic change in Ireland's maternal healthcare system. The launch event is free to attend, but RSVP via eventbrite is essential to secure a place. The evening will offer a warm, welcoming space for discussion, connection, and collective action. The launch coincides with Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (May 5–11, 2025), a global initiative to shine a light on the often-invisible struggles mothers face after birth. 'Postnatal care shouldn't end at six weeks,' said Gormley. 'The first year after having a babyis a time of huge transition. Our healthcare system needs to meet mothers where they are with compassion, ongoing support, and real investment in their mental and physical wellbeing.' For more information about the campaign or to RSVP for the launch event, visit
