HELENA — May is Maternal Mental Health Month, which raises awareness of mothers' emotional well-being during pregnancy and postpartum.
In Montana, one in five women experiences depression during pregnancy, and just over thirteen percent experience postpartum depression, according to DPPHS. And here in Helena, a new resource is being unveiled to help provide maternal support.
"I just think that the biggest support can be the awareness that these resources are out there," Mandi Zanto, the Title V director for the state of Montana, says.
Montana mothers who need help, support, or are struggling with depression can be connected to a nationwide maternal mental health hotline.
The hotline offers encouragement, emotional support, and resources to mothers, pregnant patients, and families.
It is the third year Montana has offered the service, which provides free, confidential support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
So far this year it has already fielded of 54-thousand calls nationwide.
"Access is limited to Montana moms sometimes, whether it be because of the rurality of where they are living or the amount of providers they can access from where they are at," Zanto says. "It is really important to highlight that there is help out there for moms when they need it."
There is also a new resource in the Helena community for new mothers and mothers of young children.
The Lewis & Clark Library unveiled a brand-new Mamava lactation pod, an innovative, private, and welcoming space for parents.
"It can get really noisy and distracting in the library, so sometimes that is not a good feeding environment, or even just being around town and providing that access," says Molly Hudson, the children's services librarian.
The pod was funded by the Helena Early Childhood Collaborative in an effort to provide an inclusive and family friendly space for mothers.
"Being a parent can be very isolating, and we know at the library that is one of the goals that we have, providing that connection and just also providing the resources like a lactation pod or we provide diapers," Hudosn says.
If you, or someone you know, is facing a maternal mental health challenge, you can call 1-833-TLC-MAMA or 1-833-852-6262.
