COVID-19 has triggered an unprecedented global mental health crisis, and maternal mental health is no exception. A recent Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting survey of over 400 moms revealed that 57% have struggled with their mental or emotional health in the past year*. In addition, the CDC estimates that 1 in 8 experience symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD). Unfortunately, that number may actually be higher because many moms don't reach out for help with the parts of pregnancy and the postpartum journey that aren't as visible as a growing belly and beautiful new baby: stress, anxiety, and sadness. Instead, they dismiss their symptoms as typical baby blues. Even worse, they may feel guilty, embarrassed, or unsure where or how to get support.
To ensure no mother suffers in silence, BabyCenter, part of Everyday Health Group Pregnancy & Parenting, launched the #WeSeeYou campaign to de-stigmatize and raise awareness of maternal mental health and provide resources for moms struggling with PPD and postpartum anxiety (PPA). The global, multi-language, month-long campaign kicked off in advance of World Maternal Mental Health Day on May 4, 2022.
*Source: Everyday Health Group, Pregnancy & Parenting Talk to Moms™ Monthly Poll, April 2022, n=418
BabyCenter's vision is to create a world of healthy pregnancies, thriving children, and confident parents. Aware that 20% of women worldwide experience a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder, we launched the global #WeSeeYou initiative with localized content and messaging in five languages to support moms across nine sites (U.S., Canada, U.K., Latin America, India, Brazil, Australia, Duetschland, and Arabia).
Drawing from the insight and expertise of our global team of editors and Medical Advisory Boards, #WeSeeYou content focused on topics most important to moms and covered everything from pregnancy and postpartum mental health and recovery to the benefits of self-care and parenting through the pandemic. The initiative also included a multilingual social media campaign to drive awareness, discovery, and engagement.
On May 9, BabyCenter U.S. hosted a virtual postpartum mental health roundtable discussion sponsored by Baby Dove. BabyCenter Senior Health Editor Olivia DeLong led an honest and raw discussion with an esteemed and high-profile panel. Iffah A. Hoskins, M.D., president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and postpartum doula Mandy Major shared their perspective on recognizing the signs of PPD and PPA, ways to cope, and resources to find care and support. In addition, Jenn Davis, a mother of two and Chapters and Affiliates Director of Postpartum Support International, joined the conversation to share her journey and experience with PPD and PPA.
#WeSeeYou campaign pillars to drive awareness and discovery of editorial content and resources during the month of May included:
215 insights-heavy social media posts across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to over 9.4MM global followers
3.6MM stage-targeted emails sent to pregnant women and new moms
Mobile push notifications and in-app messaging delivered to 1.2MM pregnant women and new moms
BabyCenter community posts to reach 9MM+ worldwide members
Not only did BabyCenter’s global #WeSeeYou initiative raise awareness of postpartum mental health among the public, but it also provided valuable information and much-needed support to millions of moms struggling with a perinatal mood or anxiety disorder.
During May, #WeSeeYou sparked 58K social interactions and drove more than 4MM social and media impressions and 826K content impressions globally. In addition, over 3,000 moms registered for the May 9 postpartum mental health virtual roundtable discussion. To date, the archived video has racked up over 1,500 views.
Response to the social messaging campaign and roundtable discussion has been overwhelmingly positive. Post-roundtable survey feedback revealed that the information provided by our BabyCenter Senior Health Editor and panel of experts resonated with 95% of participants. In addition, the roundtable sparked positive and supportive conversations among the webinar attendees and many thanked BabyCenter for addressing PPD and PPA, sharing links to resources, and, as one mother commented, "…for reminding me that I am not alone."
On the heels of a successful inaugural campaign, BabyCenter stands firm in its pledge to bring global conversations around maternal mental health to the forefront and is committed to a second #WeSeeYou global campaign in May 2023.
