Mother’s Day is just one of the many reasons to celebrate women each May. May is also Women’s Health Month, and Women’s Health Week falls next week, May 14-20. Additionally, May is Maternal Mental Health Month. Join Maryvale in shouting out the mamas and girls in our community and raising awareness to help women and girls live happy, healthy, positive lives.
How To Observe Women’s Health Month
Women deserve to make their health a priority. When we protect the health of women and girls, we create more resilient communities. After all, most childcare workers and early childhood educators are women – as a culture, we rely on women to play an active role in supporting families.
Women – especially those with stressful lives – are at risk for various uniquely female issues, such as cervical cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, complications related to menstruation and pregnancy, and autoimmune diseases. Heart disease, hypertension, high stress, depression, and anxiety are also issues that are common among women. The first step in addressing healthcare issues is awareness. See a medical professional immediately if you, your sister, mother, or aunt display symptoms of a women’s health issue. If you are not experiencing symptoms, let Women’s Health Month be your inspiration, and make an appointment for a women’s health checkup. Throughout a woman’s life, various screenings and health exams can detect serious issues early. Don’t miss these – they might just save your life.
Women’s Health Month is also a great time to assess your diet and stock up on healthy foods. Are you and your family eating enough whole grains, vegetables, and fruits? The better you eat, the better you’ll feel. Balance your diet with healthy physical activity to counteract your risk of heart disease. Don’t overthink it – exercising doesn’t require a gym or access to special clothing or equipment. Keep it simple by taking a brisk walk, dancing to your favorite songs, or playing with your children.
Observing Maternal Mental Health Month
Maternal mental health is primarily concerned with issues around perinatal mental health, or the mental strain and disorders that occur for mothers before, during, and after childbirth. Mothers face a unique set of stresses throughout pregnancy, childbirth, and raising children. Many mothers suffer emotional distress during pregnancy while needing to show up at work and save money. Mothers who face severe physical or psychological trauma while giving birth are often confused by their experience and do not receive the postnatal care they need. Mothers caring for infants can feel exhausted, fearful for their baby’s wellness, and overwhelmed by postpartum depression.
After the rush of postnatal hormonal fluctuation calms down, a woman is typically and completely expected to feel some intermittent sadness. These mood swings are called the “baby blues” and can be erratic feelings, difficulty sleeping, or irritable outbursts. Because baby blues are so common, the more severe mental health condition, postpartum depression, does not always get the attention it needs. Postpartum depression is a significant mental health upset for new mothers and can interfere with their ability to care for their newborns properly. A mother suffering from postpartum depression may have difficulty feeling close to her baby and may feel overwhelmingly tired, sad, or hopeless. It is not unusual for women with postpartum depression to get lost in thoughts about self-harm or harming the baby.
Whether a new mother is suffering from a brief period of baby blues or a more severe case of postpartum depression, it is critical for her to rest, seek support from family and friends, have conversations with other new mothers, and steer clear of alcohol and drugs. Healthy meals with plenty of iron, protein, and vitamins will help restore a new mother’s hormones. Mothers with postpartum depression can experience relief through psychotherapy and, in some cases, medication.
Trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder are even less frequently discussed disorders associated with childbirth. Birth is an intense, messy process that puts both a woman and her baby through an intense physical experience. Women undergo tremendous physical pain during childbirth - this alone might contribute to trauma. When a mother gives birth to a baby with a physical condition that needs medical attention or is premature, she is likely to experience birth trauma. Labor and delivery are complicated and do not always go according to plan. Many women spend nine months preparing themselves for a specific outcome only to suffer from complications during birth. When that happens, the experience takes an emotional toll.
A woman with birth-related PTSD might obsess about the birth after the fact or experience nightmares, flashbacks, paranoia, and panic attacks. Reminders of the birth experience – the medical staff present or the site of the birth, for instance, might trigger extreme anxiety. Women who are at risk of suffering from birth-related PTSD should seek emotional support and therapy as soon as possible.
At Maryvale, we care about women’s health and wellness and have programs specifically designed to support mothers. Learn more about how our planned housing services will provide life-changing care to the women and families who need it most.
