By Rhiane Kirkby
Maternal mental health was, until recently, a subject few people discussed. Talking about anything that took the magic away from motherhood was totally taboo.
Thankfully, not anymore. Mums and dads have finally started to open up about their struggles and, in doing so, are making others see this is nothing to be ashamed of and they are not alone.
Official figures show that more than 140,000 mums each year suffer mental health issues in the perinatal period (before and after giving birth). But with maternal mental health being an underdiagnosed and undertreated public health issue, the figures are likely to be much, much higher.
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Charities, the media and the government have started to act. Progress is being made, but there’s still a long way to go. That’s why one group of mums—who also happen to be some of the country’s leading experts in this field—are stepping in to help. They’ve come up with a new app called Nourish. Their aim: to make good health and wellbeing accessible to all mothers and to make mental health as much a priority as physical health.
Sara Campin came up with the idea after her own experience of becoming a mum, which took a toll on her mental health. “The realities of modern motherhood totally floored me and my mental health really suffered. I found this hard to admit, even to family and close friends. It took four years before I realised the importance of looking after myself and my needs. I strongly believe that having access to affordable, relevant support would have made a huge difference to me and my family.”
Sara’s determined to help other mums in the same situation and has spent a great deal of time and effort researching and designing the app. She has a strong team of experts behind her—psychologists, psychiatrists, happiness coaches, mindfulness experts and yoga teachers—and they’re all equally as passionate about the cause.
Their app will offer a wide range of resources including practical guides, relaxation techniques, yoga and mindfulness exercises. Through it, they want to show women the importance of looking after themselves as well as their families and “to revolutionise the motherhood journey by supporting, motivating and inspiring all mothers to thrive.”
To launch this social enterprise and kick start their crowdfunding campaign, the Nourish team will be holding two events in London this June. The first takes place in Waterloo on Wednesday the 6th of June from 7:45 to 9:30pm at the Health Foundry; the other event will be on Thursday the 21st from 8 to 10pm at Artisan in East Sheen. Tickets cost £10, and there’ll be inspirational speakers, goodie bags and a glass of prosecco or two.
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“We’ve got an important mission, heaps of passion and a fantastic team of experts,” explains Sara, “but we do need more cash to build the techy bit and make this dream of mine a reality. If all goes well, we hope to get the app ready to download by the end of the year and start helping more mothers find greater joy in their journey.”
Information about the project and the launch events, including how to book, can be found on the Nourish website: nourishyourmindapp.com.
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