Launched on World Mental Health Day on 10 October, Mama Mio’s new #BehindTheBump campaign aims to raise awareness of maternal mental health
Pregnancy skincare brand Mama Mio is well known for its thought-provoking campaigns – we loved its #ExpectingChange campaign from earlier this year that discussed the perils of public transport when you’re pregnant.
And now, coinciding with World Mental Health Day on 10 October, the brand has launched its #BehindTheBump campaign to raise awareness of maternal mental health in new and expectant mothers, showing them they are not alone in the challenges they face.
Nevertheless, despite these issues affecting women all over the country, a study has estimated that 85% of localities did not have specialist perinatal mental health services to the level recommended in NICE guidelines, whilst another found that over 40% of women claimed their health visitor or midwife never asked about depression.
Starting the conversation, mums Rachel Adedeji, Lauren Luxton, Maria Redfern and Jessica Jones have opened up about their experiences and challenged facts surrounding mental health, from postpartum depression and anxiety to distressing experiences such as miscarriages and traumatic births.
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Singer and actress Rachel Adedeji: “I didn’t even know what the ‘baby blues’ were until the day I gave birth… and when I was still sad after two or three weeks, I thought there was something wrong. But once I started reaching out to other mums, I realised, “this is OK – I’m allowed to feel like this!
Blogger Lauren Luxton: “I think the fact I didn’t see or feel him come out is the reason I was feeling so emotional and so down. I do feel like your birth experience has a huge impact on how you feel during the early stages of life as a mum.”
Social Media Manager Maria Redfern: “With Sebastian, the pregnancy was so positive. I was exercising all the time, really excited, happy, just carrying on as normal. But then that happened [Sebastian was still-born], so with Gabriel I was so anxious the whole time. I was scared to exercise, I just sat on the sofa worrying. But the Clinic [St Mary’s RainbowClinic] was absolutely amazing… I don’t know how I would have done it without them.”
Blogger and writer Jessica Jones: “The more I talk about it [tokophobia – a severe and disabling fear of childbirth] the more support I’m going to receive… because people can’t help if they don’t know what’s wrong.”
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