I am a mom of two, and I know what it feels like to be in postpartum depression and not recognize yourself anymore. I have had days where I am bawling out crying, feeling stressed, full of anxiety, and trying to prep my brain just to step foot outside and check the mailbox. For me, even leaving the house started to feel impossible. And when you are slipping into depression and starting to have thoughts you never thought you would have in your life, that is not something any mom should have to carry alone.

Postpartum can be one of the loneliest things a person can go through, especially when you feel like you do not have anybody. So many moms are doing everything for their babies while completely losing themselves. We make sure the baby is fed, changed, bathed, and safe, but meanwhile we are not eating right, not showering, not sleeping, and not asking for help. People love to talk about the baby, but not enough people check on the mother who is trying to survive every minute of the day.

That is why I am asking healthcare leaders to require real postpartum mental health screening and direct therapy referrals for every new mom after birth. Not just a quick checkbox or a rushed question, but actual follow-up, actual information, and actual access to support when a mother says she is not okay. Moms should leave appointments knowing who to call, where to go, and how to get help before the anxiety, isolation, and depression get worse.

If you have ever felt yourself disappearing in motherhood, or if you love someone who has, please sign this petition. We need a system that treats postpartum mental health like the urgent, real, life-changing health issue it is.