Today is Mother’s Day.

But it’s also the 3rd annual Mother’s Day Rally for Moms’ Mental Health.

Today, 24 open letters to pregnant and new mothers are featured on Postpartum Progress, on the importance of maternal mental health.

All of the letters are written by survivors of and experts on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, including postpartum depression and postpartum anxiety, as well as others who care about the emotional well-being of moms and moms-to-be.

Nearly 1 million women each year suffer from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in the United States alone.  In fact, postpartum depression is the most common complication of childbirth, yet only 15% of women are ever treated.

Postpartum Progress and its eponymous non-profit were established to improve awareness of these illnesses and create better services and support for the women who need and deserve them.  It is also the most widely-read blog on postpartum depression and other mental illnesses related to pregnancy and childbirth.

Read the beautiful letters, written by some amazing women and bloggers including Becky Harks from Mommy Wants Vodka, Janice Croze from 5 Minutes for Mom, Casey Mullins from Moosh in Indy, Kristen Howerton from Rage Against the Minivan, Sharon DeVellis from The Yummy Mummy Club…

And me.

I’m very proud to be a part of this Mother’s Day Rally for Moms’ Mental Health.  Here is my letter.

Thank you to Katherine Stone of Postpartum Progress for inviting me to contribute.