World Maternal Mental Health Day
Wednesday, 2 May 2018
Events
April 30
Online Prevention and Awareness Week – Czech Republic
Join the Online Prevention and Awareness Week at Šestinedělky FB page for free. Starting 30 April 2018, we will talk about essential elements supporting maternal mental health. Learn about how sleep, food, social support and relaxation promotes your wellbeing. Practise mindfulness with us. Discover exercises to become more optimistic. For more information see the promo poster in Czech.
May 1
Begin Before Birth Symposium – Canada
Join the Ludmer Centre for Neuroinformatics & Mental Health / McGill University in Montreal, Canada for World Maternal Mental Health Day to discuss perinatal mental health: from molecules to mothering and beyond. Registration, program and expert panelists on the Ludmer website. MMHM initiative lead: Ludmer Centre Research Dr Kieran O’Donnell. More information on the Symposium poster.
Family Encounter Support Network, Round Table – Murcia, Spain
The municipality of Molina de Segura, together with a group of health and wellness professionals, is joining the international initiative to declare May 2nd World Maternal Mental Health Day. Parents and caregivers who have an interest in MMH are invited to attend the activities organized (Roundtable, sport in the family and healthy lunch) which aims to develop the support network which is so necessary. For more information visit the event FB page.
Encuentro Familiar. Red de apoyo – Murcia, Spain
El Ayuntamiento de Molina de Segura, junto a un grupo de profesionales de la salud y el deporte, se suma a la iniciativa internacional de declarar el Día Mundial de la Salud Mental Materna, para comenzar a romper los mitos que existen en torno a la maternidad, que lejos de brindar los cuidados que las mamás y sus familias necesitan, los dificultan. Más información en el sociedadmarce web.
May 2
Bayrischer Rundfunk – Germany
Bayerischer Rundfunk, a public-service radio and television broadcaster, based in Munich, will publish a video about postpartum depression on their Facebook page. Furthermore, they will broadcast a 6 minute film about postpartum depression and its treatment an Tuesday, May 15th, 19 Uhr (Germany) in their programme “Gesundheit”. The radio Bayern 2 will broadcast a report about postpartum depression on May 2nd.
Broadcasting of the film “The stranger in me.” – France
Le Groupement Hospitalier de Territoire Pôle de psychiatrie (unité de maternologie et de Périnatalité), le Pôle Femme Mère Enfant, The Nivernais Perinatal Network Offers you: Wednesday 02 May 2018 at 5:45 p.m. at Renée Marlin Room, Hospital Center Pierre Bérégovoy
On the occasion of Maternal Mental Health day the film “The stranger in me” will be screened, followed by a debate on managing maternal suffering. Hosted by : DR CARLIER Doctor Head of Psychiatric Unit | MN. PERRIN Assistant manager Woman Mother Child Pole | S. BLAISE Nivernais Perinatal Networks Coordinator. For more information see the flyer SOIREE film-débat.
Seelisch gesunde Mütter und Väter um die Geburt sind uns wichtig!- Frankfurt, Germany
Mutter werden ist nicht immer „Mutterglück“. Wenn es so ist – kommen Sie raus aus dem Schneckenhaus. Wir helfen! Die Veranstaltung richtet sich an Mütter, Väter, Hebammen, FrauenärztInnen, Psychiater- Innen, AllgemeinärztInnen, Mitarbeiter im Gesundheits- und Sozialwesen, politisch Tätige, Interessierte. Mehr information und das programme auf diesem poster.
Maternal Mental Health Day walk – Kitchener, Canada
Come join us for a stroller friendly (and just all round friendly!) walk and talk at Our Place @ourplacekw in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada – May 2nd, 10:30 AM. Check their website for directions and the flyer for more details.
Patient Education Programme – Istanbul, Turkey
Prof Dr Nazan Aydın and her colleagues are organising a ‘Patient Education Programme’ at 2 May 2018, Bakırkoy Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. The main theme of the programme is maternal mental health and MMHday. More information in Turkish on the Anne Ruth Sagligi website.
Maternity and Mental Health: Let’s talk about stigma and break the silence – Barcelona, Spain
With the aim of collaborating in World Maternal Mental Health Day (May 2, 2018), the Spanish Marcé Society of Perinatal Mental Health (MARES), in collaboration with the Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, has organized a roundtable about “Motherhood and Mental Health: Let’s talk about stigma and break the silence”. The event will be moderated by Dra. Lluïsa Garcia-Esteve, coordinator of the Unitat de Salut Mental Perinatal Clínic de Barcelona with the participation of Dra. Gracia Lasheras, chairwoman of MARES, the writer Gemma Lienas, a mother who will provide personal testimony and a group of expert mums who will present the WMMHD manifesto. Find out more on the Marce website.
Maternidad y Salud Mental: Hablemos del Estigma y Rompamos los Silencios – Barcelona, Spain
Con el objetivo de colaborar en la campaña de difusión del día internacional de la Salud Mental Materna (2 de mayo de 2018), la Sociedad Marcé Española de salud mental perinatal (MARES) en colaboración con el Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, han organizado una Mesa Redonda sobre “Maternidad y Salud Mental: hablemos del estigma y rompamos los silencios”. Será moderada por la Dra. Lluïsa Garcia-Esteve, coordinadora de la Unitat de Salut Mental Perinatal CLINIC-BCN y participarán la Dra. Gracia Lasheras, presidenta de la MARES, la escritora Gemma Lienas, una madre que aportará su testimonio, y un grupo de madres expertas que expondrán su Manifiesto. Más información en el sociedadmarce web.
Maternal Mental Health & Wellbeing Forum – Wellington, New Zealand
In support of World Maternal Mental Health Day the Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa, together with its partners, is holding one-day workshops at the University of Otago for community perinatal mental health providers including Midwives, CBE’s, GP’s, Obstetricians & Neonatal staff, Psychologists, Counsellors, Social Workers and those that work in the community with Pregnancy and early childhood. Parents and caregivers who have an interest in MMH are invited to attend the morning session. For more information see the poster or register here.
First World Maternal Mental Health Day in Quatar
Sidra Women’s Mental Health Team along with the Health Promoters team organized a number of activities to demonstrate how we at Sidra Medicine can support women with mental health concerns. We invite you to attend our event on 2nd May 2018 at the Sidra Hospital Auditorium from 1.30pm to 3.00pm to learn more about maternal mental illness and what our team are doing to help and support our women.
Walk & Talk for World Maternal Mental Health Day – Milton Community, Canada
Milton Community Resource Centre invites you to join us for a Walk & Talk for Maternal Mental Health Day. We will walk / stroller around Milton’s Mill Pond as we celebrate motherhood and talk about the importance of taking care of yourself, while increasing awareness of maternal mental health. We will have door prizes, giveaways and resources available. Hosted in partnership with the Halton Perinatal Mood Disorder Coalition, MCRC and The Mindful Living Centre. Wednesday May 2nd 10-11 am, Mill Pond. Meet at the Rotary Park Pavilion on Garden Lane and find more information on the Milton Community website.
MMHday Arizona – USA
The state of Arizona has proclaimed May 2 at Maternal Mental Health Day. Women’s Health Innovations of Arizona will honor this day with a celebration to inform, support and honor Arizona moms and families. More information on Women’s Health Innovations of Arizona Facebook page.
MMHday Walks – Canada
Georgetown, Ontario, Canada: Georgetown EarlyON Child & Family Centre invites the community to join them for a walk on Wed May 2nd, followed by refreshments and the chance to win prizes. Meet at 11:30 am at 8 James St, Georgetown. Wear your walking shoes and invite your friends, acquaintances, and family members (even four-legged ones) to join you!
Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Burlington Family Resource Centre & EarlyON Centre invites the community to join them for a walk on Wed May 2nd and talk starting at 1:00 pm. Meet at 1:00 pm at 710 Cumberland Avenue, Burlington. Wear good shoes for walking and invite others to join you! Refreshments and prizes included!
Oakville, Ontario, Canada: Oakville Child Care Centre & EarlyON Centre invites the community to join them for a walk on Wed May 2nd, followed by refreshments and the chance to win prizes. Meet at 9:30 am in front of 481 N Service Rd West – Unit #25.
For more information visit the Halton Parents FB page.
May 3
Centre Hospitalier Charles Perrens – Bordeaux, France
We are participating for the 3rd year. Every year, we have more events. This year we will have a whole day May 3rd in our psychiatric Hospital and at the Bordeaux University maternity and midwives school. Some of the activities include body awakening workshop with a midwife and psychomotor therapist, a prenatal singing workshop at the midwives school and a périnatal psychiatric intervention about the ELFE cohort study by Dr Anne-Laure Sutter. The hospital will tweet and inform the press. Find more information on the poster and the programme.
Symposium about Maternal Mantal Health – Istanbul, Turkey
The symposium is organised at Altınbaş Univeristy , Istanbul, Turkey at 3 May 2018. More than 10 speakers will present scientific and clinical experiences about maternal mental health. The priority and importance of maternal mental health will be announced again. More information on the programme in this flyer.
May 5
Maternal Mental Health Picnic – Kenya
Mothers, dads and mental healthcare workers meet and greet at a park. Topic – Maternal Mental Health Education & Screening for expectant and new moms/dads Date: 5th May 2018 Time: 12 pm to 2pm Venue: Karura Forest , Nairobi Kenya.
This event will encourage moms and dads to share their parenting struggles – emotional and mental struggles and offer an opportunity for mental health workers to educate them on risk factors for PMADs and the help available for them. Check our Facebook page or website for more information.
May 6
Maternal Mental Health Conference – Nigeria
World Maternal Mental Health Day Conference, themed ‘Looking beyond the Stigma’, seeks to draw attention to important mental health challenges that women face during pregnancy and after childbirth. 1 in 5 women will suffer postpartum depression and this event seeks to raise awareness about this condition and how women can get help.
The event will feature moms sharing real-life experiences on how they overcame PPD. It will also feature a panel discussion by experts on what more can be done to improve access to maternal mental health care. For more information follow Postpartum Support Network‘s Facebook page.
May 7
Maternal Perinatal Depression Conference – Israel
The National Insurance Institute is holding a conference on May 7th on “Perinatal Depression,” to include professional lectures and a play for all staff who are involved in mental health, disabilities, personnel committees, as well as members of national and regional councils of the and the NII executive. The final session will deal with proposals for official decisions regarding mental health disability payments for women suffering PMAD. For an overview of all events in Israel, see this flyer in Hebrew.
May 8
Special Parliament Session – Israel
Special Knesset (parliament) Committee will hold a session focusing on the various aspects of pregnancy loss. Find an overview of all events in this event calendar.
May 17
Open Day – Beer Sheva, Israel
There will be a special open day of activities at Ben Gurion University jointly sponsored by the Beer Sheva Municipality, Soroka Medical Center, BGU’s Center for Women’s Health Studies and Promotion, and Israel’s two major HMO’s—Clalit and Maccabi. There will be sessions on physical activity (mothers and strollers/carriages walks), and workshops on breastfeeding, prevention and treatment of PPD, parents as people, pelvic floor rehabilitation and sexuality after childbirth.
May 25
Maternal and Infant Mental Health Conference – Malta
Open Lecture – Israel
There will be an open lecture about PMAD at “Ima Adama” (translation “Earth mother), a private center for pregnancy, childbirth and parenting support. For more information visit their website.
May 30
City Council Sessions on PMAD – Israel
The Modiin City Council will hold a morning session for the public with presentations on the topic of PMAD on May 30th.
The Carmiel City Council is appointing a task force to suggest how to promote awareness and activities regarding PMAD.
Global Maternal Mental Health Awareness weeks
(Monday, April 30 – Sunday, May 6)
United Kingdom
This year’s theme is ‘Support For All’ with a focus on advocating for all families affected by Perinatal Mental Illness, to access the information and help they require to enable recovery. The Perinatal Mental Health Partnership (PMHP) is planning to run themed days on social media, each will have its own unique hashtag, which will be paired with other exciting events which you can access on their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter @PMHP UK
United States of America
TheBlueDotProject will host this year’s Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week in the U.S. and will have the theme #RealMotherhood #NoShame with the goal of taking apart the myths of motherhood that keep women judging themselves through an unrealistic lens. The campaign will work to dismantle some of our most inaccurate beliefs about motherhood that keep many women suffering in silence from an MMH disorder. MMH Week will host a 5-Day #RealMotherhood Challenge that will ask mothers everywhere to get real about motherhood by posting a picture or status post of #RealMotherhood moments from their lives each day. There will also be daily social media messages and images released throughout the week.
To learn more visit their website or follow them on Twitter @thebluedotprj on Instagram or on Facebook
Canada
Help promote World Maternal Mental Health Week April 30-May 4th 2018 by joining one of five Maternal Mental Health Stroller Walks in cities throughout North Simcoe Muskoka. Together with community agencies, advocates and families, we have planned a full week of activities with walks, information booths, refreshments, guest speakers and prizes. Together we can make an impact and bring awareness to maternal mental health issues #maternalMHmatters
Please like and share the links – help spread the word. Check out all the World Maternal Mental Health Week 2018 Stroller Walks in our region:
Collingwood event | Midland event |Barrie event | Orillia event | Alliston event
#ShoutieSelfie – Global
Help raise awareness and reduce the stigma of Post-Natal Depression and other maternal mental health issues this Maternal Mental Health week by posting a #ShoutieSelfie to show you support those who have, or are currently struggling with this awful disease. Take a quick selfie of you shouting, and post it on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook (or why not all three!) with #ShoutieSelfie and @MummyLinksApp to be part of the “Hall of Fame” on/after 30th April showing your support for anyone who has or is suffering. Feel free to add your personal experience, or why you are supporting the campaign.
Emily from MummyLinks will be kicking off the campaign first thing on the 30th April – you can copy her message or add your own! She ran the campaign for the first time last year (having finally recovered from 2 years of PND) and got #maternalMHmatters trending within half hour of launching and 1 million impressions! This year she has arranged for many celebs, organisations and charities to get involved, so please support this great campaign! Follow her to see the campaign unfold on the 30th and across the week! She is on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
2nd International Conference on Maternal Mental Health in Africa (ICAMMHA) 2018
Society for Pre and Post Natal Services (SPANS) is the organizer of 2nd International Conference on Maternal Mental Health in Africa (ICAMMHA 2018) in collaboration with Biomedical Research & Training Institute (BRTI) as the co-organiser. SPANS successfully held its inaugural International conference branded “1st International Conference on Maternal Mental Health in Africa” (ICAMMHA) in December 2016 in Harare. The conference aims to give participants the opportunity to network, to learn from one another and the chance to explore ideas. The 2nd ICAMMHA is planned to take place end of 2018.
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