March of Dimes, the leading organization fighting for the health of all moms and babies, today announced a week-long series of activities beginning May 3 through Mother’s Day that honors, celebrates and supports moms and moms-to-be. Together with Shawn Johnson East and supporting partners, March of Dimes It Starts With Mom will bring together moms, families and leading health experts through a multi-day effort across social media and a virtual live event to raise awareness of the changing role of motherhood and how communities can support them.
According to a Meredith Corporation Consumer Pulse survey in January, moms are more focused than ever on health and wellness, with 88% of them actively trying to work on their mental and emotional health, up 5% from Sept. 2020 to Jan. 2021. Additionally, 65% of moms are worried about becoming more anxious and depressed as the pandemic continues.
To better support the mental and emotional well-being of moms and moms-to-be, ItStartswithMom.org features information on postpartum depression and combating stress during and after pregnancy. The website also includes several online community groups women can tap to give and receive support.
“Mothers and moms-to-be are experiencing the past year’s changes in amplified ways. Increasingly important to both their physical and mental health is having access to resources that educate and empower them as they navigate their pregnancy journeys – from pre-conception through delivery and postpartum,” said Stacey D. Stewart, President and CEO of March of Dimes. “It Starts With Mom is intended to do just that, which is why we’re excited to expand our celebration of resilient moms this year and work to provide educational resources to empower and equip moms to become their own best advocates in their health care.”
In addition to the resources on the website, the second annual It Starts With Mom Live will take place on May 7 at 2:00 p.m. ET, presented by March of Dimes, and hosted by Shawn Johnson East, entrepreneur, author and former Olympic gymnast. The 75-minute virtual event will be live-streamed on the March of Dimes Facebook channel and include two panels: “Putting Moms’ Minds First – Prioritizing Mental Health and Wellness,” touching on the challenges of balancing work and home life and “Looking Ahead – Community Support for Resiliency,” which provides advice on navigating pre-conception, pregnant and post-natal challenges during our new normal. Julia Edelstein, Editor-in-Chief at PARENTS and Grace Bastidas, Editor-in-Chief at PARENTS LATINA and co-host of PARENTS’ That New Mom Life podcast, will moderate the panel discussions which will also feature Dr. Zsakeba Henderson, March of Dimes Deputy Chief Medical and Health Officer, model Hilary Rhoda and Jade Roper Tolbert, host of the Mommies Tell All podcast.
“I’m so excited to partner with March of Dimes for this year’s It Starts With Mom campaign. My daughter Drew is my top priority and I’m so excited to welcome baby number two this summer. But our parenting journey wasn’t always easy, and having a support system plus the care we needed was pivotal,” said Shawn Johnson East. “March of Dimes’ It Starts With Mom campaign is working to do just that for more mothers across America – provide moms and moms-to-be with resources and the community support they need to thrive throughout their entire pregnancy journey.”
March of Dimes is partnering with Macy’s, The Honest Company, EMD Serono, Nuk, Clearblue, Medela, PARENTS and PARENTS LATINA for the It Starts With Mom campaign. During the week leading up to Mother’s Day, and throughout the month of May, these partners are activating their customers and employees to raise funds and awareness for March of Dimes’ work to ensure the health of all moms and babies.
Concurrently, March of Dimes is rallying maternal and infant health supporters around the country for March for Babies: A Mother of a Movement™, a virtual awareness and peer-to-peer fundraising initiative that underscores the indispensable role of mom, who is at the center of our mission since she and her baby are intertwined. To join us, go to marchforbabies.org or your favorite app store to download the March of Dimes Charity Cloud app.
March of Dimes is there for women at every stage of the pregnancy journey, even when everything doesn’t go according to plan. Moms and moms-to-be can tap into our resources and be empowered to have the best possible start for themselves and their babies. Health and wellness information related to pre-pregnancy, pregnancy, and post-partum care is available at ItStartswithMom.org.