A New Mother’s Day Proclamation: Balancing the Care(er) Continuum

A New Mother’s Day Proclamation: Balancing the Care(er) Continuum

Across the world, according to the World Health Organization, about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who had just given birth experienced a mental disorder, primarily depression. (In developing countries, those stats rise to 15.6% and 19.8%, respectively). The actual numbers might be much higher because of poor screening by health providers and stigma related to mental health disorders. Today, working mothers give more time and attention to their children than they did in the family-oriented 1960s. Sixty years ago, mothering advice might have come via a well-meaning grandmother or a sister or perhaps via a few books like those by the famous Dr Spock. Today, a new mother eager to do her best will find many parenting approaches, from the Ferberizing “crying it out” sleep training to gentle parenting — and everything in between.