The contraception app Natural Cycles has announced a campaign in partnership with Postpartum Support International (PSI) to raise awareness of maternal mental health problems.
The collaboration aims to shine a spotlight on the maternal mental health crisis, encourage “meaningful” conversations and introduce necessary support provided by Natural Cycles and PSI.
The campaign, Natural Cycles says, asks the often forgotten question – “Is Mommy Okay?” – in an unconventionally glamorous video that premiered on YouTube.
Viewers are transported to a 1950s sitcom-esque world, where they are met with a satirical yet meaningful message about the postpartum experience.
The vintage aesthetic is a stark contrast to the often dark postpartum reality that generations of mothers have faced. The audience is reminded of how far society has come and how far it still has to go when it comes to supporting women’s postpartum care.
“While most people associate Natural Cycles with preventing pregnancy, we are deeply committed to going beyond birth control and providing solutions for other unmet needs within women’s health,” Dr Elina Berglund Scherwitzl, co-founder and CEO of Natural Cycles, explained.
“Our goal with NC° Postpartum is to provide every mother with a supportive resource that I and many others lacked during this crucial time.
“While we aim to raise awareness using star power, the real stars are all the mums out there who often put their own needs aside. It’s time we give them the support they deserve.”
Through this “bold” campaign, Berglund said, Natural Cycles, PSI and their cast of high-profile mothers, including actress Halle Bailey, actress and mental health advocate Ashley Tisdale, plus-size model Tess Holliday, Disney star Stephanie Beatriz and activist Elaine Welteroth, seek to make a powerful effort to destigmatise maternal mental health.
The campaign coincides with the launch of NC° Postpartum, an experience within the Natural Cycles app designed to help guide women recovering physically and mentally from childbirth.
NC° Postpartum features include daily mental and physical health check-ins and additional trackers such as postpartum bleeding, breastfeeding, sleep and pain.
Tess Holliday, said: “There is so much information about how to care for a new baby, but what about the mum?
“Society needs to do a better job of attending to her needs, especially during those early months when the transition is so mentally and physically tough.
“That’s why I gravitated towards this campaign. It so beautifully paints the picture of what I was feeling. I’m proud to be a part of a campaign like this with Natural Cycles and Postpartum Support International, who fearlessly drive postpartum care forward.”
High School Musical star, Ashely Tisdale, added: “My postpartum journey was such a blur.
“I didn’t feel like I had the support or guidance that I craved as a new mom who was just trying to figure it out, so I feel very fortunate to be part of the ‘Is Mommy Okay?’ campaign to highlight the struggles new mums face and to raise awareness for important resources like the Natural Cycles app and Postpartum Support International.”
Wendy Davis, executive director of Postpartum Support International, shared: “We are excited to partner with Natural Cycles on this groundbreaking campaign, as it presents a unique opportunity to shine a greater light on perinatal mental health.
“At least one in five women experience depression or anxiety during the perinatal period, so our hope is this campaign will raise greater awareness about the prevalence of perinatal mental health disorders and empower individuals with knowledge, support, and resources, ensuring that no one faces these challenges alone.
“To all mothers suffering, we see you. You are not alone. This is temporary. With help, you will feel like yourself again.”
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The post Natural Cycles launches campaign to raise of awareness of maternal mental health problems appeared first on FemTech World.
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