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Why Maternal Mental Health Week is so important

With Maternal Mental Health Week approaching, it's more important than ever to highlight mental health during pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood. However, for those facing maternity-related mental health challenges, it's not just one week, it's their daily reality. Maternal mental health refers to the mental and emotional wellbeing of individuals during pregnancy and up to 12 months after childbirth, including a range of mental health concerns such as; postnatal depression, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder and postpartum psychosis. 

Discussing mental health in any capacity, let alone the office, can often leave people feeling uncomfortable, not knowing what to say or do to advocate for themselves or support others going through it. This can be especially the case when it comes to maternal mental health, especially postpartum depression, which is having a devastating impact, with suicide being the leading cause of maternal death in the UK within a year after childbirth.

Women face multiple reproductive health challenges (including managing their maternal health), all of which can take a major physical and mental toll. Symptoms of postpartum depression and poor maternal mental health are:

• Persistent feelings of sadness and low mood
• Lack of enjoyment or interest in the wider world
• Fatigue and insomnia
• Difficulty looking after yourself and your baby
• Severe anxiety
• Distressing thoughts, in some cases, even hurting your baby

When it comes to motherhood, women are expected to “make it work" when balancing their professional life and parenting, often causing depression, anxiety and other serious mental health challenges. This needs to change and the answer is simple: employers need to offer better support for working mums. It truly is a win-win, with working mothers feeling more supported to reach their ultimate personal and professional potential, businesses will see a ROI with increased employee retention.

Providing and supplying support for such a sensitive issue can feel overwhelming - that’s where we come in. We have made a simple 5 step guide to show how employers can enhance their support for working mums.

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Strong policies

A strong maternity leave policy is an essential part of supporting working mothers, especially those who are facing mental health challenges following childbirth or during pregnancy. In the UK, statutory maternity leaves includes up to 52 weeks (statutory pay is available for up to 39 weeks and is based on the employee's weekly earnings.) Typically, the first 6 weeks are paid at 90% of the average weekly earnings and the following 33 weeks are paid at that same rate or lower.

To make your policy stand out, you must recognise that no two families are the same, and inclusivity for all family structures is essential (regardless of marital status, sexuality, gender identity or however they choose to build their family.) With 1 in 5 mothers having left their job following a negative or discriminatory experience, fostering an environment where mothers not only feel safe but supported is crucial to avoid attrition.

You must also provide support beyond the basics, by acknowledging that they may require assistance when returning to work through flexible working options and breast-feeding facilities in the office. You have to address maternity discrimination head on, ensuring that your policy includes zero tolerance for unfair treatment or discrimination. Employees should always feel confident in the knowledge that their maternity leave will not negatively impact their employment or their career progression.

These are just a few key steps, to learn more about maternity policies, read our article here on what makes a great maternity leave policy and why every company needs one.

Flexible Work Hours & Remote Work Options

Balancing personal and professional life can feel impossible, especially without the right support. 41% of single mothers request flexible working after returning to work. Although lots of companies have adapted to flexible and remote working since COVID, trusting employees to manage personal commitments while meeting professional goals, many companies still haven’t embraced this approach or are reverting to strict return to office policies. This lack of support continues to negatively impact employees' mental health. The physical and mental toll of childbirth should not be underestimated. Flexible working is essential in easing the return-to-work process, and it is what mums want. In fact, mothers are twice as likely as fathers to request flexible working after returning from parental leave.

Flexible working is especially important for new mums returning to work after maternity leave. With up to 1 in 3 birthing parents saying their birth experience was traumatic, offering support during this transitional period can reduce stress and improve performance. When mothers feel supported upon returning to work, they are more likely to thrive, leading to both successful employees and a successful business.

Offering working mums flexible work options directly benefits both their mental health and their physical health. It allows them to stay close to their baby, and breastfeed comfortably at home, all whilst feeling valued by their employer. This support encourages them to contribute more to their role and boosts employee retention.

Paid Parental Leave

It is integral to provide, as part of your maternal policy, substantial paid parental leave. This paid leave is for parents to receive after the birth or adoption of a child, provided by their employer. It is essential for working mums to have the time to recover physically and mentally, bond with their newborn, and adjust to parenthood without the stress of losing their income.

The financial stress tied to becoming new parents is huge and takes a toll on mental health, sometimes causing people to feel pushed to come back to work before they are ready, with a quarter of new mothers returning to work earlier than they want to because they have been told that they cannot apply for the ‘free’ hours.

Some companies stand out by going that extra step, offering more than the statutory 52 weeks of maternity leave, and providing additional weeks of paid leave to support new parents through recovery and bonding. This commitment to employee wellbeing not only attracts top talent but also boosts retention, productivity and loyalty. Policies that also support fathers and secondary caregivers help shift entire family responsibilities away from women, easing the mental load on mothers and promoting a fairer distribution of duties.

Mental Health & Wellness Programmes

To ensure the wellbeing of your employees' mental health, it's important to create a working environment where employees feel comfortable being open about their mental health and know who they can speak to if needed.

Poor mental wellbeing costs UK employers an estimated £42 billion to £45 billion annually due to presenteeism, sickness absence, and staff turnover. Implementing effective mental health and wellness programmes can help employees access support when needed. For example, 'Luminate' is a workplace wellbeing workshop designed to equip employees with the tools to manage their health and wellbeing more effectively. With around 600,000 new mothers in England each year, and research showing that perinatal mental illness affects up to one in five of them, providing mental health support at work is essential. It is the very least a company can do to combat the stigma around maternal mental health and support female employees who are balancing motherhood with their professional responsibilities.

Mental Health First Aiders are a relatively new addition to the professional world, where designated colleagues (clearly identified to everyone) are trained to recognise signs of mental health issues and provide initial, appropriate support. Companies can also establish mental health Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), which are employee-led groups that foster contact with women who have shared lived experience, community support, education, and an inclusive workplace culture. Additionally, employers should make it clear where and how new mums can access mental health services. For new mothers returning to work, it’s crucial to know that others understand what they may be going through and, more importantly, how they can offer help if needed.

Implement Reproductive Healthcare benefits

Reproductive healthcare is often misunderstood as only pertaining to support during conception, when in fact it covers a wide range of challenges and conditions such as; endometriosis, PCOS, in/fertility and family planning, pregnancy, sexual health, men’s health and women’s health. Here at Fertifa, we cover all of the above and also provide neurodivergence support as we know that health challenges are not solely physical. This is another reason why we take maternal mental health so seriously and ensure that all Fertifa patients have access to best-in-class clinical support from our in-house clinical team. They understand that childbirth goes beyond the physical experience and the mental toll can often be more long lasting and harder to manage.

Through our reproductive benefits package, employees have access to specialised webinars and resources. Recently, we hosted a pregnancy loss webinar led by our Head of Clinical Services, which saw over 500 sign-ups. This highlights the significant need for support and guidance in navigating the challenging experiences that come with maternity.

The bottom line is, working mums face significant maternal mental health challenges, and the support they need is often lacking during this difficult time. Employers must recognise that maternal mental health is not just a women's issue to be addressed during maternity leave, it has a profound impact on people's working lives. Providing comprehensive mental health support through policies that promote flexible working, along with thorough mental health advice and guidance, is essential. To learn more about how to implement a women's health policy that supports maternal mental health and positively influences attraction and retention, download our policy template.

From all of us at Fertifa, we extend our support this Maternal Mental Health Awareness week, and every week, to anyone suffering with their mental health. We understand that this isn't just a week to you, this is your reality and it can feel incredibly overwhelming and isolating to balance work with motherhood, but you are not alone. We are committed to ensuring employers, in every sector, are enhancing their maternal health support in the workplace.