Child Health
4 Ways to Promote Positive Maternal Mental Health
(Family Features) The joys of raising and nurturing a baby are practically endless for new parents, yet there remain challenges to overcome. While it may be natural to focus attention and energy on caring for a new baby, it’s equally important for mothers to maintain their own mental health.
According to Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, maternal mental health (MMH) is often negatively affected by the belief that there is only one “right” or “best” way to feed a baby. Mothers are exposed to this message through peer-to-peer communication, social media, health care providers and more.
To combat negativity, Malkani promotes the importance of family, friends, online communities and others contributing a positive impact toward MMH by recognizing all babies are different, acknowledging there’s no one “right” way to feed a baby, refraining from parent-shaming and judgement, and remembering caregivers have personal feeding decisions to make based on a variety of factors.
The saying “it takes a village” is as applicable today as ever, which is why Plum Organics and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health partnered to share resources and information mothers can use to find support in their communities. Consider these ways moms can nurture their little ones along with their own mental well-being.
Understand the Signs of Mental Health Conditions
Depression and anxiety are the most common complications in pregnancy and postpartum, affecting 1 in 7 women, according to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health. If you feel any of these symptoms, seek help from a health care provider: overwhelmed, weepy, anxious or nervous, angry, scared by your thoughts, like you’re not yourself, guilt, regret or shame.
Engage in Self-Care
Spending your time thinking about baby is natural, but it’s important to take care of yourself, too. Watch a movie, socialize with friends, meditate, rediscover hobbies – whatever you enjoy doing, prioritize making it part of your life again.
Join a Supportive Movement
Creating a “village” is a key step toward positive mental well-being for moms as it allows them to build support systems showing they’re not alone in their struggles. To continue efforts to destigmatize mental health challenges for moms and deliver research and support, Plum Organics and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health are asking mothers (and their loved ones) to sign a “Pin-tition,” wherein a pin is placed on the U.S. map to indicate where participants want to build a village of support.
The movement encourages participants to put a pin on the map if:
- You think moms suffering from postpartum depression should have access to a professional trained in MMH disorders
- You think moms suffering from MMH disorders should have access to mental health providers within driving distance
- You think moms should be screened for MMH disorders during prenatal and postpartum periods
- You think OBGYNs should discuss mental health at the beginning of pregnancy
- You think mental health care is health care
- You think providers should be reimbursed by insurance for MMH care
Prioritize Physical Health
Taking care of yourself includes physical health as well as mental health. Doing yoga, walking or working out 15-30 minutes a day and nourishing your body with nutrient-rich foods can help restore your sense of balance and provide a boost in self-esteem.
Find more information and drop a pin to shed light on your area by visiting PlumOrganics.com.
Mapping Out Maternal Mental Health
Intended as a resource for policy action, funding drivers and strategic planning, the Maternal Mental Health Risk Factors and Resource Maps developed by Plum Organics and the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health revealed these findings:
- The highest risk factor levels were concentrated in the Deep South with severe conditions identified in the Mississippi Delta region, Gulf Coast, greater Appalachia, New Mexico and Arizona.
- Higher risk factor levels tend to be associated with rural and less-populated regions. Conversely, most major metropolitan areas in the U.S. tend to have comparatively moderate or lower risk factor scores.
- More than 600,000 mothers will suffer from a MMH disorder in the U.S. every year. Left untreated, these disorders can have devastating impacts on a mother’s health and functioning, the baby’s health and development, and overall family stability.
Photos courtesy of Getty Images
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Plum Organics
Women's Health
From Pregnancy to Parenthood: How Medicaid Supports Women Across the Maternal Health Journey
When women are planning, expanding or raising families, access to healthcare is a vital source of physical and mental support. For millions of women and families across the U.S., Medicaid provides that support, enabling parents and children to access the reproductive, maternal and pediatric healthcare they need to thrive.
(Feature Impact) When women are planning, expanding or raising families, access to healthcare is a vital source of physical and mental support. For millions of women and families across the U.S., Medicaid provides that support, enabling parents and children to access the reproductive, maternal and pediatric healthcare they need to thrive. It’s there for anyone who needs it, from working adults to families navigating unemployment or disability.
To learn about how Medicaid supports growing families through every stage of the parenthood journey, consider this information from the maternal health experts at Community Catalyst.
Making Family Planning Possible
When people are able to plan and prepare to welcome children into the world, it can remove a lot of stress, uncertainty and complication from their journeys. Medicaid family-planning coverage may include reproductive health counseling, pre-pregnancy screenings, many forms of FDA-approved contraception and other preventive services. Comprehensive access to birth control allows women and couples to make their own decisions about pregnancy timing or spacing between siblings.
Supporting Healthy Pregnancies
Pregnancy is no small endeavor, and a woman with a healthcare team at her side is better prepared to face whatever challenges may arise. Pregnancy often requires frequent appointments for ultrasounds, laboratory testing and monitoring – all of which are made possible and affordable through Medicaid. Since 1 in 4 Medicaid recipients are women ages 15-49, this care can make a difference during their childbearing years.
Covering Labor and Delivery Costs
Labor and birth can be unpredictable, but being able to afford them shouldn’t be. Without Medicaid, which finances approximately 41% of U.S. births, based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics, the cost of hospitalization and delivery could be financially devastating to young families. Coverage for labor, delivery and NICU care, if needed, gives parents the ability to focus on their new babies instead of overwhelming medical bills.
Providing Postpartum Care
The need for maternal healthcare doesn’t end when mother and child are discharged from the hospital. Physical recovery takes time, especially if there were any complications during the pregnancy or delivery. Beyond that, postpartum women may need mental health support, treatment for chronic conditions, contraception renewals and other health services that Medicaid can provide. Currently, 49 states plus Washington, D.C. have extended postpartum Medicaid coverage to 12 months, which helps new mothers get continuous care without worrying about insurance lapses.
Caring for Growing Kids
Nearly half of all Medicaid recipients in the U.S. are children ages 0-18 – and sometimes kids qualify for Medicaid even when their parents don’t. The program can help new parents stay up to date with well-child visits for infants, immunizations and ongoing preventive care throughout childhood.
To learn more about access to essential services at every stage of life, visit communitycatalyst.org/maternalhealth.
Filling Gaps in Pregnancy and Postpartum Care: Kayla and Tru’s Story
When Kayla found out she was pregnant at 24 years old, she had no idea how she was going to afford all the costs that were coming. Despite having part-time employment and primary insurance through her mother, she faced gaps in coverage for pregnancy care.
Qualifying for Medicaid changed everything. Not only did it cover Kayla’s prenatal visits, labs, ultrasounds and delivery, but once her son Tru was born, both mother and baby required an extended hospital stay. Medicaid made it possible for Tru to get the care he needed in the NICU while Kayla recovered from birth complications.
Afterward, the program continued to cover Kayla and Tru for follow-up appointments and well-child visits. She’s grateful it was there during her time of need and has one simple message to share: If you qualify for Medicaid, apply.
“You never know what’s going to happen,” she said. “I didn’t expect to be in the hospital as long. I didn’t expect for him to be where he was. But it was definitely needed and helpful.”
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock (mother leaning over hospital bassinet)
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Lifestyle
P.F. Chang’s Partners With Starlight Children’s Foundation for New “Spirit of the Zodiac” Giving Campaign
P.F. Chang’s launches Spirit of the Zodiac, a giving campaign supporting Starlight Children’s Foundation with Bao plush purchases and in-restaurant donations.
P.F. Chang’s Launches Spirit of the Zodiac Campaign to Support Starlight Children’s Foundation
P.F. Chang’s is launching a new annual charitable initiative designed to bring comfort to children during hospital stays. The Scottsdale-based restaurant brand announced Spirit of the Zodiac, a giving program inspired by the Chinese zodiac, with its inaugural campaign—Year of the Fire Horse: Spirit of Strength—benefiting Starlight Children’s Foundation.
What the campaign supports
Starlight Children’s Foundation serves more than 800 children’s hospitals nationwide, providing programs such as toy deliveries, hospital gowns, gaming stations, and other experiences intended to help kids feel more comfortable, connected, and supported during medical care.
How guests can participate (Sept. 2–Sept. 30)
From September 2 through September 30, 2026, guests can purchase Bao, a limited-edition horse plushie, for $10 through dine-in transactions at participating P.F. Chang’s restaurants (while supplies last). For each Bao purchased, P.F. Chang’s will donate an identical Bao plushie to Starlight for distribution through its hospital network—up to 20,000 donated plushies.
Guests can also support the campaign by rounding up their checks or making a direct donation in restaurant. The overall effort aims to raise $500,000 to support Starlight’s work with children and families.
Bonus offer for donors
P.F. Chang’s says guests who purchase Bao or make an in-restaurant donation of $10 or more to Starlight will receive an offer for a complimentary appetizer with the purchase of an entrée on a future dine-in visit, valid through October 31, 2026 (restrictions apply; participating locations only).
A story component for families
The campaign also includes a storytelling element: Bao’s journey will be featured in a digital story and an original children’s book by author Jenny Liao and illustrator Adriane Tsai, expected to publish later this month.
What to watch for
P.F. Chang’s and Starlight plan to continue the partnership beyond September, including in-hospital catering and plush deliveries in early October.
For more information, visit www.pfchangs.com/offers/spirit-of-the-zodiac. To learn more about the partnership, visit starlight.org/pfchangs.
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Child Health
Pediatric Cancer Goes Beyond a Victory Bell: How Research and Innovation Improve Survivorship Rates
(Feature Impact) For every tear-jerking video found online of a child ringing a bell that signifies a cancer journey victory, there are dozens, if not more, people working behind the scenes. From leading minds in cancer research to doctors, nurses and support staff, a vast network of people and decades of medical advancements make those moments possible.
In fact, in the last 10 years, the FDA approved 10 new immunotherapies and 20 molecularly targeted therapies to treat pediatric cancers, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. Those breakthroughs – and the children they impact – come with a cost, which is why Hyundai Hope on Wheels has served as a pioneer in increasing survival rates by investing $303 million in pediatric cancer research over nearly three decades.
Those funds have supported more than 1,600 grants to 210 institutions, leading to new insights into cancer biology, clinical trials and new drug development while bringing hope at all stages of a child’s cancer journey.
However, there remains work to be accomplished. According to a survey conducted by Atomik Research on behalf of Hyundai Hope on Wheels, 46% of U.S. adults believe that a child ringing a hospital bell after cancer treatment signifies the child is cancer-free and their medical journey is largely over. The reality is more nuanced than that. In fact, more than one-third of respondents said they’re not familiar with the term cancer survivorship or they have heard the term but don’t fully understand what it means.
Many health care organizations define survivorship as beginning at the time of diagnosis and continuing through treatment and beyond. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, children who survive cancer face several long-term physical and psycho-social challenges due to their cancer and treatment, including planned surgeries, additional rounds of radiation or other forms of medical treatment to address common physical challenges stemming from chemotherapy.
Survival rates continue increasing with scientific and technological breakthroughs, up from 75% to 85% in nearly three decades, representing roughly 40,000 more children surviving their diagnoses. More than 3 in 4 U.S. adults are encouraged by that progress.
For survivors, treatment is just the beginning. Research, follow-up care and long-term funding determine what comes next, and every grant funded and every survivorship program backed means more children reaching adulthood.
According to the survey, more than 80% of adults said they’re more likely to support organizations that fund survivorship services, creating opportunities to fund crucial research and support for children facing pediatric cancer. Collaboration among leading minds, made possible by funding from organizations like Hyundai Hope on Wheels, has led to the development of comprehensive approaches to help children thrive during life after cancer, including enhanced medical records, AI integration, socioemotional support and combatting long-term side effects.
Find more information and ways you can join the fight by visiting HyundaiHopeOnWheels.org.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock
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