Why America is Failing New Mothers—And How We Can Fix It
The Ugly Truth About Postpartum Support
You’ve seen it before glowing pregnancy announcements, baby showers filled with gifts, and “Welcome to the World” posts when the baby arrives. But what happens after that?
The truth is, once a baby is born, the mother often disappears.
She’s healing from birth, running on no sleep, struggling with anxiety, and navigating a completely new life—yet, society expects her to “bounce back” almost immediately. Meanwhile, other countries offer months (even years) of paid maternity leave, postpartum home visits, and wraparound support.
But here? Here, we give moms six weeks (if they’re lucky), a pat on the back, and an unspoken expectation to “figure it out.”
1. New Moms Are in Crisis—And No One is Talking About It
1 in 7 women experience postpartum depression, yet many suffer in silence.
The U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country.
More than 25% of new mothers return to work just two weeks after giving birth.
Let that sink in: Two. Weeks.
Most moms are still bleeding, barely sleeping, and struggling to feed their newborns, yet they’re expected to clock in like nothing happened.
2. The Lies We Tell New Mothers
“You’ll have so much help!” → Reality: The visitors come for the baby, not the mom.
“Motherhood is instinctual.” → Reality: There’s no manual for healing from birth while keeping a tiny human alive.
“You should enjoy every moment.” → Reality: The guilt of struggling can be crushing.
New moms don’t need more pressure. They need support.
3. How We Can Do Better—Starting Now
Stop asking to hold the baby—ask how Mom is doing instead.
Bring a meal, fold some laundry, or simply listen without judgment.
Support organizations (like KindNest) that provide real resources for new moms.
Because when we support mothers, we’re not just helping them—we’re building stronger families, healthier children, and a better society.
References
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2018). Optimizing postpartum care (Committee Opinion No. 736). ACOG. https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2018/05/optimizing-postpartum-care
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Pregnancy-related deaths: Saving women’s lives before, during, and after delivery. CDC. https://www.cdc.gov/hearher/pregnancy-related-deaths/index.html
Cheng, C. Y., Fowles, E. R., & Walker, L. O. (2006). Postpartum maternal health care in the United States: A critical review. The Journal of Perinatal Education, 15(3), 34–42. https://doi.org/10.1624/105812406X119002
Kozhimannil, K. B., Vogelsang, C. A., Hardeman, R. R., & Prasad, S. (2016). Disrupting the pathways of social determinants of health: Doula support during pregnancy and childbirth. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 29(3), 308–317. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2016.03.150300
March of Dimes. (2023). Postpartum care and why it matters. https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/postpartum-health
National Institute of Mental Health. (2022). Postpartum depression: What you need to know. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/postpartum-depression
World Health Organization. (2022). Postnatal care for mothers and newborns: Highlights from the WHO 2022 recommendations. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240045989
