Today is Mother's Day. There's no shortage of flashy marketing campaigns that feature a smiling mom wearing an expensive bag, jewelry, or skincare products.
But for all the breakfasts and bouquets and scented candles and boxes of chocolates, not a single consumer product brand I've come across mentions the mother's mental health.
"It's become a consumer celebration. Moms want more than a pretty candle or necklace," said Davida Lederle, founder of Healthy Maven.
Another mom, Lederle, shares real-life stories with her son in weekly newsletters on her website. She recently talked about how stressful Mother's Day is, which echoes my sentiments.
"A lot of people don't feel comfortable celebrating something they can't celebrate. Whether it's the loss of a child or infertility or a mother, it's a difficult day, and let's not talk about how difficult it is," says Leder. We will buy a necklace, I do not appreciate the lack of sympathy.
He added: “The email attack is not helping.
It has become such a celebration of consumption. Moms need more than just a pretty candle or necklace. David Lederle, Founder of Healthy Maven
Mother's Day is reportedly the third-largest retail holiday in the U.S. behind winter break and back-to-school, with consumers spending billions on gifts. While companies are happy to promote and promote tailored Mother's Day campaigns, few people use their platforms to broadcast what's important to moms and why this holiday is especially difficult for many.
According to the 2023 survey, 49% of mothers feel exhausted by motherhood and 46% seek treatment for anxiety, depression, relationship and postpartum problems. Research shows that one in five mothers suffer from mental health problems such as postnatal depression, which can have a debilitating effect after giving birth. Mother's Day is painful for people who are unable to have children, who have experienced miscarriage or infertility.
"I went through a major pregnancy loss, so I know what it's like to sit [on the other side] on Mother's Day," Lederle said. Lederle says it's hard to feel joy in the run-up to Mother's Day, recalling the anxiety she felt during her pregnancy because she was so afraid she wouldn't be able to give birth right away.
"That's what people don't understand about abortion... What you lose with a baby, you lose the ability to have a stress-free pregnancy... Even little pockets of joy are robbed... I kept reminding myself of everything: motherhood is lost, and it's so hard."
I went through a major pregnancy loss, so I know what it's like to sit [on the other side] on Mother's Day. David Lederle
Although Lederle now celebrates Mother's Day, she says it's a "silly holiday" that doesn't fully embrace motherhood and what mothers need all year long.
"I feel like [a mother] and our safety doesn't matter," she said. "It was really nice to live in a community that appreciates and understands mothers."
While May is Mother's Day, it's also Mental Health and Mental Health Mother's Month. Although we've come a long way in talking about mental health, maternal mental health is still not an easy conversation.
Maternal Mental Health Month aims to raise awareness and fight the stigma and stigma faced by women struggling with mental health wherever they are on their motherhood journey. According to data released by the Blue Dot Project, less than 15 percent of mothers with maternal mental health problems receive care.
As a mother who struggles with childbirth, PTSD, and postpartum mental health, and whose well-being, worth, and energy are often overlooked by society year-round, I wonder who celebrates Mother's Day. A tired mother trying to take a break from her mental burden, or brands pushing a Mother's Day campaign?
Because I definitely don't see myself in them. Although Mother's Day is considered a holiday, for many mothers it is a reminder of depression, grief, loss, trauma, grief and stress, which is exacerbated by the lack of compassion, understanding and inclusion that surrounds the holiday. None of this will ever be reflected in endless marketing campaigns.
Who Really Celebrates Mother's Day? A tired mother trying to take a break from her mental burden, or brands pushing a Mother's Day campaign? Because I definitely don't see myself in them. Good morning.
While I understand that consumer product companies need to cash in on the holidays, May is a great opportunity to raise awareness of maternal mental health and give back to Mother's Day marketing campaigns. I wish more brands would use this holiday to think about our well-being by donating to charity or using the platform to create a conversation around the importance of maternal mental health.
Lederle thinks you deserve attention.
"Some brands send emails to opt out of Mother's Day emails, and I think there's compassion in that," she says. "It is understood that today is very difficult for people."
Even if he understands that we can't celebrate Mother's Day, at least he's okay with it. "I understand that it is not easy for many people."
"Most people don't think about it."
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