AJAs 2017 Finalists
Attachments
| Slug/Label | Motherhood |
|---|---|
| Date Aired or Published | May 3, 2023 |
| Media outlet where first aired or published: | The Telegram |
| Name of Program: | N/A |
| If co-produced, list partner: | N/A |
| Location: | St. John's, NL |
| List awards, grants: | N/A |
| Running time (TV/Radio): | N/A |
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Short explanation of the story and how it developed: It was Tuesday morning, May 2, 2023, and I had just dropped our toddler off at her dayhome. I turned on the radio as I drove across the city to start my day covering the provincial legislature. I tuned in as a psychologist spoke about World Maternal Mental Health Day coming up on May 3. She talked about how postpartum mental health problems are still taboo. I noticed it to be especially true in Newfoundland and Labrador. Unfortunately, that means less attention on the issue, and less support for people. I felt compelled to use my voice to at least share my story. I hoped that it would help others feel acknowledged during that too-often lonely postpartum world, and to shine a light on the issue. Feeling a sense of urgency with the timeliness of the topic hinging on the fact that the next day was World Maternal Mental Health Day, I pulled to the side of the road and wrote about my experience using the Notes app on my cell phone. After about an hour, I fired it off to my editors before heading to the legislature. I filed two other stories that day, but neither of them received near the same outpouring of response from women in our community. “Your article made me cry as I experienced the same thing, but said nothing to anyone as society says that you are supposed to be so happy with the birth of a child, and I didn't know why I was so unhappy. Thank you for letting me know that I didn't suffer alone. Thank you for writing this article,” one woman wrote. “Just want to say how courageous you are for writing about your conflicted experience of early motherhood. I worked at the Janeway Children’s Hospital for a couple of years in women’s health and very few people understand how difficult life can be after childbirth, made even more cruel by a pandemic that isolated so many new moms,” wrote another. “I thought the piece you wrote about motherhood was excellent, and though it must have been difficult for you to write about your personal situation, I am sure it was a great help to many young women, especially those who have been indoctrinated with the idea that pregnancy and childbirth and parenthood are like a perfect fairy tale. I am also sure it helped other women who have had a difficult experience feel validated,” said a reader. “Thank you for writing such a beautiful, honest piece on motherhood. You’re a good Mom, and so am I,” said a mother. I think the feedback indicated how important it was to highlight the issue so that it doesn’t stay taboo; so that new parents who are struggling will feel empowered to seek help; and so that our institutions might be prodded into better resourcing postpartum health supports. |
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Resources of the newsroom (money and time) available to complete the story: Very little resources used; just about an hour of my time, and the Notes app on my cell phone. |
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