Flora’s Walk Ottawa and Maternal Mental Health Day
MMH Day in Canada
Approximately 1 in 5 women will experience mental health issues during the perinatal period, the time of conception up to 1 year postpartum. In some groups of women, such as people of colour, Indigenous women, and 2SLGBTQIA+ folks, their risk is even higher. Despite it being highly treatable, of those that do struggle with their mental health, research indicates that nearly two-thirds will not receive adequate support. This can have longterm consequences for mothers themselves, as well as their families and communities - it can impact parent-child bonding, lead to relationship problems, social and community disengagement, and productivity at work amongst others, as well as increase the likelihood of chronic mental health issues and suicide.
Today is the first Wednesday of May, meaning that it’s Maternal Mental Health Day, in Canada and around the world. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about maternal mental health issues, including perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). It aims to reduce stigma, increase understanding, and promote support for mothers who may be experiencing mental health challenges during pregnancy and postpartum. The day typically includes events, activities, and initiatives focused on educating the public, supporting affected individuals, and advocating for improved maternal mental health care. One of those events is Flora’s Walk.
Walking to Support Moms
Flora’s Walk began two years ago, in 2022, in order to help raise awareness and garner greater government support for perinatal mental health initiatives in Canada in response to the sudden and tragic death of new Mom Flora Babakhani. You can read more about Flora’s story, as well as the important work of the Canadian Perinatal Mental Health Collaborative here. This is the third year I’ve walked as a participant as this is a cause I care deeply about.
Thanks to organizations like the CPMHC and events like Flora’s Walk Ottawa, things are beginning to move in the right direction. Last year at the Flora’s Walk event in Ottawa, the federal government announced its commitment of over $850,000 to support three projects focused on developing a national standard on the prevention, identification and treatment of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. This standard is sorely needed to help medical and allied health professionals learn more about perinatal mental health, recognize it in their patients and help them. This indicates that things are moving in the right direction, however, more work needs to be done.
As of the time of this writing, Flora’s Walk Ottawa alone has raised over $165,000 that will go directly to local support organisations, such as Mothercraft in Ottawa. With over 30 other walks happening this month across Canada, this fundraising will have a tremendous impact helping Moms nationally get the care that they need.
This is a social problem. To be blunt, we as a society, as a community, do an astoundingly bad job of supporting mothers, supporting parents, supporting young families. If you are a mother reading this and feeling like you can't handle it all, please know: WE ARE NOT MEANT TO DO THIS ALONE. It's not you. It's not your fault. This beautiful gift of motherhood isn't meant to be a solitary endeavor. And while those babies and children you love and care for are important, you yourself, matter as well.
If you need support, please talk to your doctor and take a look at some of the resources linked below. You can also contact me and I’d be happy to help in what ways I can with providing therapeutic coping tools and empathic listening.
Postpartum Support International
