May is Maternal Mental Health Month, and it’s a theme that resonates with me. We tend to think of maternal mental health as being a challenge specifically for those who are about to, or have just given birth. This is a time of psychological transition, of huge physical changes and challenges, and naturally of vulnerability. Through it we need support, we need not only the medical community, but more importantly our own loved ones, be they family or beloved friends.
And yet, the mental health challenge does not end as our child reaches their first year. Parenting can bring many and varied challenges, exacerbated by other life events, for example relationship break ups, sick relatives, work challenges and financial pressures. Giving birth opens up in us a vulnerability that I sense doesn’t go away, the love and protection of our young is an ongoing responsibility that shifts our perspective on pretty much everything.
So, this maternal mental health month spare a thought for those embarking on the path of parenthood. Help them celebrate the high points, and hold them through the tough times. And don’t stop. Keep doing it as their children grow and life moves on. They say it takes a village to raise a child for good reason. Who’s villages are you a member of?
