Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.

Healthy attachment between a mother and her baby helps lay the foundation for a child’s long-term well-being, and it matters just as much for mom. When a mother feels supported, regulated, and emotionally well, connection comes more naturally. But when mental health challenges show up, that attachment can feel harder to access.

That’s why caring for a mother’s mental health in the postpartum period is just as important as supporting her physical recovery.

Between 60–80% of new moms experience what’s often called the “baby blues," a period of mood swings, tearfulness, and irritability in the first two weeks after birth. This is common and typically resolves on its own. However, about 15–20% of mothers go on to experience postpartum depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges that need additional support.

Here are some signs that a mom may be struggling beyond the baby blues:

• Feeling persistently overwhelmed or unable to cope

• Difficulty connecting with the baby

• Ongoing sadness that doesn’t lift

• Intense irritability or anger

• Excessive worry about the baby’s well-being

• Trouble sleeping beyond what’s typical with a newborn

Some of these experiences can show up in the early days for many moms. But if they last longer than a couple of weeks, intensify, or begin to interfere with daily functioning, it’s important to seek support sooner rather than later.

Postpartum Support International offers accessible resources for both moms and their loved ones, including education, support groups, and connections to local providers.

So how can we support moms during this time?

Start with the basics; they matter more than people think. Sleep, nutrition, and connection are essential for both physical and mental recovery from pregnancy and childbirth.

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If possible, share nighttime responsibilities so mom can get longer stretches of rest. Encourage naps during the day without guilt. Set up a meal train or prepare freezer meals ahead of time to reduce daily stress. And just as importantly, help her stay connected to friends, family, faith or cultural communities, or other moms who understand what she’s going through. Support doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to be consistent and intentional.

Moms deserve care, too, not only because it benefits their babies, but because they are worthy of that care in their own right.

This Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, check in on the moms around you, and check in with yourself. Attachment shapes a child’s world, but a mother’s well-being matters just as much.