In honoring Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, today’s topic is mother burnout. It’s something a lot of us moms feel, but we often don’t recognize it until it’s too late. Let’s learn more!
Diana Spalding is Digital Education Editor at Motherly, along with being a certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three. She wrote The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama, which was just released. We’ll discuss what burnout means, why it’s important to pay attention, how to recognize the early signs, and what to do from there.
Show Highlights:
How Diana became interested in burnout
The facts: 85% of moms don’t feel supported by society
The “occupational phenomenon” of burnout, which is a diagnosable condition with real consequences
Characteristics of burnout: fatigue, exhaustion, negativism, cynicism, and not feeling like you’re doing a good job
Good mom, bad mom, and how we judge ourselves and each other
Contributing factors to mother burnout
How and when burnout begins
Why parents don’t trust themselves, and how we can empower them
How to recognize signs of burnout and be aware of your mental health
The importance of reaching out for help and finding connection
How certain factors related to the current pandemic contribute to burnout, like isolation, lack of support, and unreasonable demands
How our culture teaches us to deal with uncomfortable feelings
How our capacity for empathy and sympathy is stretched
Long-term effects of chronic stress
Diana’s book, a new resource with a holistic focus on mental health
Resources:
Motherly
Instagram: Motherly
Facebook: Motherly Media
The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey by Diana Spalding, Jill Koziol, and LIz Tenety
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