042: We need to talk about mental health for moms

From the Salem witch trials to modern-day treatments for PPD, Cassie explores perinatal mental health in a breakout feature for Women’s Health magazine

Cassie’s feature appears in the January/February issue of Women’s Health, on newsstands now. Artwork by Niege Borges.

Welcome to Two Truths, a bestselling newsletter & media brand exploring the many truths of motherhood from journalists & perinatal health advocates Cassie Shortsleeve of Dear Sunday Motherhood & Kelsey Haywood Lucas of Motherspeak. Two Truths is rooted in the healing & affirming principle that two (or more) things can be true. It’s a “best parenting Substack” according to Motherly; also seen in The Skimm, Vox, The Bump, Popsugar & more.

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This summer, after the Food and Drug Administration approved zuranalone, the first oral medication indicated to treat postpartum depression (PPD)¹, I emailed my editors at Women’s Health. I was hoping they’d want to cover the news in a big way. After all, this news felt big. This news made The New York Times’ front page online and was splashed all over social media. Moms of all ages and generations read this news and asked each other: Have you seen this?

Too often, “mom topics” are seen as niche; they’ve historically been (and still often are) reserved solely for publication in parenting periodicals or for conversations in mom groups amongst mom friends. (Of course, and thankfully, this tide is changing — but change is slow.)

The piece I wound up writing for Women’s Health was different. Recently published in the January/February issue of the magazine, out now, it’s an 8-page spread (!!) with the title, ‘We Need to Talk About Mental Health for Moms.’

And we do. 

If you’ve been here a while or follow our work at Chamber of Mothers², the non-profit Kelsey and I are both co-founders of, you know perinatal mental health isn’t just a mom issue. Maternal health impacts everyone and everything around it: children, partners, workplaces, and society at large included. 

author

CASSIE SHORTSLEEVE | Dear Sunday Motherhood on Instagram: “Follow me — Cassie Shortsleeve, journalist & maternal health advocate of @dearsundaymotherhood — for pregnancy, postpartum, & early motherhood writing, support, & education. Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: The health of the mother is directly tied to the health of the baby. When the mother is supported & mothered herself, everyone thrives. —
#matrescence #postpartumsupport #fourthtrimester #thefourthtrimester #newmama #newmamalife #maternalmentalhealth #maternalmentalhealthawareness #maternalmentalhealthmatters”

February 2, 2024

My Women’s Health piece explores that idea. 

It also explores this: If perinatal mental health disorders are the leading complications of childbirth in this country, and if they’re highly treatable (and even sometimes preventable) conditions, then why are rates so high in the U.S.?

Why do moms still get missed?

Why do so many of us still wonder: Am I the only one?

And how can we make things right? 

Let’s discuss.