Celebrating Maternal Mental Health and Community Connections This Mother's Day

Mother's Day is a special time to honor the many roles women play in motherhood and beyond. This year, it also coincides with Mental Health Awareness Month, offering a unique opportunity to focus on maternal mental health. Mothers come from diverse backgrounds and experiences, whether they are new moms, single parents, neurodivergent, empty nesters, or women hoping to become mothers. Each story matters, and building community connections can make a significant difference in their mental well-being.

Recently, Moms Gone Mental hosted its first neighborhood picnic in Midtown with one clear goal: to bring mothers together in person and foster meaningful connections. This gathering highlighted the power of community and shared experiences in supporting maternal mental health.

The Importance of Maternal Mental Health Awareness

Maternal mental health often goes unnoticed or misunderstood. Many mothers face challenges such as postpartum depression, anxiety, or the stress of balancing multiple roles. These struggles can affect any mother, regardless of her background or circumstances. Often times these emotions are followed with shame, "I shouldn't be feeling this way, I should be more grateful and happy".

Raising awareness during Mental Health Awareness Month helps break the stigma and encourages open conversations. It also reminds us that mental health is just as important as physical health. When mothers receive support, they can better care for themselves and their families.

Building Community Through In-Person Connections

In today’s digital world, it’s easy to feel isolated, especially for mothers juggling busy schedules. The Midtown picnic showed how powerful face-to-face interaction can be. Mothers connected over shared experiences, exchanged advice, and offered emotional support in a casual social setting.

The event also welcomed momtrepreneurs, book writers, small business owners, stay-at-home moms, and working moms. This mix of backgrounds created a dynamic environment where women could learn from each other’s journeys.

Stories That Inspire

One new mom found comfort in meeting others who were going through challenges, stating how she desired connection within her own neighborhood. A neurodivergent mom spoke about how overstimulating motherhood can be. Two moms connected on how to start your own business, and the realistic path it's taken them there including rejection sensitivity. Another spoke of losing her mom and shared her journey of being a caregiver to a loved one with Alzheimer's. There were laughs when a mom asked "what would you be doing in your life if you didn't have kids, in an alternative universe", with another mom quickly jumping in to state "but in this universe you love your kids very much and don't want to leave". Yes, we need that disclaimer. You can want to run away sometimes and also really love your kids.

We laughed playing Moms Gone Mental Bingo with some slots that were so relatable including:

1. Said leaving in 5 minutes, but that was a lie

2. Overstimulated

3. Doom piles

4. Created a reward system that created more work

5. Reheated coffee

6. Took a guilty shower

7. Mystery sticky substance on my shirt

8. Yelled and apologized, then yelled again

9. Laundry is my kryptonite

10. Unloading the dishwasher is my kryptonite

Momtrepreneurs talked about balancing business goals with family life, while stay-at-home moms discussed the value of carving out time for self-care. One mom mentioned the recent anger podcast episode, and how she used it to explore her own feelings, normalizing anger as an experience for others.

A highlight of the day was ironically a women walking by the picnic with a shirt that said "CHILD FREE AND CRUSHING IT", but it was quickly balanced by one of the moms wearing a shirt that said "M.O.M- Keeping Kids Alive". Not planned, by the way.

These stories highlight the importance of creating spaces where mothers can openly share, support one another and laugh together.

photo courtesy of Lin Johnson, mom, realtor

How to Support Maternal Mental Health in Your Community

Building connections like those at the Midtown picnic can happen anywhere. Here are some ways to support maternal mental health locally:

• Organize or join neighborhood meetups for mothers.

• Create online groups that encourage in-person gatherings.

• Partner with local organizations to offer workshops on mental health and parenting.

• Encourage open conversations about mental health without judgment.

• Talk openly about your own experience to foster a safe environment for another mom.

• Consider joining Moms Gone Mental as an ambassador to create this space in your own community.

  
  

Small efforts can lead to stronger communities and healthier mothers. Let's get back to how raising kids use to be, and create our own village.

Moving Forward Together

Mother's Day and Mental Health Awareness Month remind us that motherhood is a journey filled with many emotions and challenges. Celebrating mothers in all their diversity and fostering community connections can improve mental health outcomes and create lasting support networks. It's okay to not have it all together, none of us do.

If you are a mother or someone who supports mothers, consider reaching out to local groups or starting your own gathering. Sharing experiences and building friendships can make a profound difference.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, you are CRUSHING IT.

Warmly,

Joy