2019-2020 WORLD MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH DAY

WORLD MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH DAY

Each year, advocates from around the globe have come together to raise awareness for moms and families during World Maternal Mental Health Day (WMMHD) which falls on the first Wednesday of May. The CPMHC leads walks in Canadian communities throughout the first week of May. Our walks raise awareness for perinatal mental health and the need for a Canadian perinatal mental health strategy.

In April 2020, we put out a call for videos from advocates telling us why maternal mental health mattered

#NowMoreThanEver during the pandemic.

Our campaign resonated and reached millions through Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We received over 100 videos from moms, dads, mayors, city councillors, MPPs, MPs, and celebrities (Workin’ Moms actors Juno Rinaldi and Sarah McVie, Author/Comedian Jessica Holmes, Author/Parenting Expert Ann Douglas) from all across Canada. We posted the videos daily during the month of April leading up to May 6th when we released a special compilation.

COVID-19:
Why Maternal Mental Health Matters

#NOWMORETHANEVER
WEDNESDAY MAY 6TH, 2020

Instead of awareness walks to mark the day like we have been doing in years past, due to COVID-19 and physical distancing, the walks were cancelled so we moved our efforts online.

Read our article in which we profile a pregnant mom and speak with leading maternal mental health experts:

We also wrote an article about moms in Saskatchewan who weren’t receiving perinatal mental illness screening at their infants’ immunization appointments

COVID-19:
Why Maternal Mental Health Matters #NOWMORETHANEVER

WEDNESDAY MAY 6TH, 2020 WAS WORLD MATERNAL MENTAL HEALTH DAY (WMMHD)

Instead of awareness walks to mark the day like we have been doing in years past, due to COVID-19 and physical distancing, the walks were cancelled so we moved our efforts online.

Read our article in which we profile a pregnant mom and speak with leading maternal mental health experts: https://cpmhc.ca/2020/04/22/covid-19-why-maternal-mental-health-matters-nowmorethanever/

We also wrote an article about moms in Saskatchewan who weren’t receiving perinatal mental illness screening at their infants’ immunization appointments: https://cpmhc.ca/2020/04/28/covid-19-these-moms-say-they-arent-being-screened-for-perinatal-mental-illness-in-saskatchewan/

Live Facebook Event

We partnered with advocate @BonnieBurns of mombrain_n_spitstains (CPMHC Social Media Ambassador) on Instagram to create one live event for World Maternal Mental Health Day Wednesday May 6th from 10:00 am – 12:30 pm. We gathered an impressive list of speakers for our event – Patricia Tomasi and Jaime Charlebois of CPMHC, Genevieve Desrochers, person with lived experience/Doula, Dr. Simone Vigod of WCH, Reproductive Life Stages Program, and Dr. Danielle Watson, Naturopath. We also included a beautiful and soothing one-hour free yoga session with Ann Schreppers all the way from Nicaragua!

Giveaways

The prize donations we received from businesses within Toronto, Barrie, Orillia, and Collingwood for the walk we rejigged to an online contest and the winners were announced on WMMHD on our event page – https://www.facebook.com/events/496897740950570/

Proclamations

The CPMHC reached out to the following cities and towns who responded by proclaiming the first week of May in 2020, World Maternal Mental Health Week:

Ontario:

Town of Bradford West Gwillimbury, City of Newmarket, Town of Innisfil, Town of New Tecumseth, City of Orillia, City of Pickering, Town of Midland, City of North Bay, Town of Whitby

Alberta:

City of Calgary, City of Red Deerhis: