'Flora's Walk' raises money and awareness around maternal mental health

As many as one-in-five new mothers experience some type of perinatal mood and anxiety disorder—a condition that impacts both mom and baby.

That’s why people across the country took part in “Flora’s Walk” on World Maternal Mental Health Day in an effort to raise awareness and money for the cause.

“You’re not alone,” said Rebecca McLeod, a postpartum nurse and new mom who joined the walk in Halifax through Point Pleasant Park. “There’s people that are going through this with you.”

McLeod said she experienced the “baby blues,” something she noted a lot of women go through.

“As a postpartum nurse, I thought I knew what it was going to feel like but I didn’t. It was a lot more intense,” she said.

Samantha Allen, a mother of two, was walking with her youngest child.

“This is my second,” she said, referring to son with her. “But with my first, I definitely experienced quite a bit of postpartum anxiety.”

Allen got assistance at the IWK where she saw a therapist who she said helped her understand her feelings were normal.

“But it wasn’t actually that easy or accessible. I had to wait quite a bit of time to do that. So I think it’s really important for it to be accessible to people in a faster manner for people who are postpartum,” Allen said.

Perinatal psychiatrist Dr. Tanya Tulipan noted that even though there’s less stigma around maternal mental health, more work still needs to be done.

“We still know that too many women are not getting the help that they need, just like Flora did not get the help in time that she needed,” said Tulipan.

Canadian Flora Babakhani died by suicide last year after she experienced postpartum psychosis.

Her story encouraged women to start Flora’s Walk to raise awareness and money.

“Postpartum depression happens in about 15 per cent of birthing people,” said Dr. Tulipan. “Postpartum anxiety happens even more, about 20 per cent.”

“I think there’s awareness but there’s a lack of resources and supports dedicated to helping people with this issue,” said Jennifer Jollymore, a clinical nurse specialist at IWK in the birth unit and co-chair of Flora’s Walk in Halifax.

As of noon on Wednesday, Jollymore said the group in Halifax has raised more than $2,000 and the Canada-wide pot is upwards of $100,000.

Ottawa announced nearly $900 dollars for maternal mental health. Much of it will help develop national clinician guidelines for perinatal mood disorders

“I think it’s a great start and a step in the right direction. Is that amount going to fix everything? No. But I think it’s a start,” said Sheila Mills, a prenatal nurse specialist at IWK who is also a co-chair of Flora’s Walk.

A communications specialist with the IWK said reproductive mental health has seen increases in demand and complexity, requiring more case management support.

“The wait from intake call to attended new assessment appointment between January and March 2023 was 51 days on average,” she said.