Motherdom is a social enterprise and a registered Community Interest Company.
It’s been created by mum-of-two and journalist Anna Ceesay, who went through low mood and anxiety during her second pregnancy. Thinking there wasn’t enough media coverage of maternal mental health issues, she created this platform after receiving therapy through the NHS.
Motherdom’s new website includes:
- stories and podcast episodes on maternal mental health and wellbeing
- a new membership scheme for maternal health and wellness practitioners
- a searchable directory for parents seeking help
- a ‘creative coaching’ service (delivered by Founding Editor Anna Ceesay)
- reviews of books relevant to parents’ and childrens’ mental health and wellbeing
Covid-19 has presented unique challenges for parents’ mental health.
According to Motherdom, new mums’ mental health has suffered with the UK’s cycle of lockdowns. Pregnancy, giving birth and having a newborn baby have all changed dramatically. A recent study from the Journal of Psychiatric Research reported huge increases in levels of depression and anxiety in new mums.
A UK-wide research team examined the psychological and social experiences of over 600 women with babies between birth and 12 weeks old during the first lockdown. Based on the completion of mental health questionnaires, the researchers found that 43% of the women met the criteria for clinically relevant depression, and 61% met the criteria for anxiety. To put this into perspective, the usual rates of depression and anxiety after birth in the UK are around 15%. These sobering numbers demonstrate that we need to talk about mums’ mental health, now more than ever, say the publishers.
Motherdom’s Founding Editor and Executive Director Anna Ceesay says: “I’m an unlikely entrepreneur and had zero experience in business before launching Motherdom. I just knew I had to do something to help other mums who might feel like I had: alone, isolated and scared. And that’s more important now than ever, given the pressures of the pandemic. I’ve been working on the project for over three years and spent much of lockdown learning the ropes of business planning and financial forecasting. Excel spreadsheets are not my natural territory; words are my preferred currency! But I’m delighted to have secured a small amount of social investment from Resonance. Their support and belief in Motherdom means that we’re now able to reach so many more parents.”
Leila Sharland, Senior Investment Manager at Resonance says: “What stood out for me with Motherdom is their commitment to putting sometimes difficult issues out front, but doing so in an accessible and supportive way. So many mums and dads feel alone, and struggle in those first few precious weeks, months, and years with a baby. So, it’s important we let them know that there are resources and help available, and they won’t be judged. Making an investment to help Motherdom grow was therefore an easy decision to make.”
Motherdom received a launchpad loan from Resonance’s Health & Wellbeing Challenge Fund.
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