176: Mother Burnout

In honoring Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, today’s topic is mother burnout. It’s something a lot of us moms feel, but we often don’t recognize it until it’s too late. Let’s learn more! Diana Spalding is Digital Education Editor at Motherly, along with being a certified nurse-midwife, pediatric nurse, and mother of three. She wrote The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama, which was just released. We’ll discuss what burnout means, why it’s important to pay attention, how to recognize the early signs, and what to do from there. Show Highlights: How Diana became interested in burnout The facts: 85% of moms don’t feel supported by society The “occupational phenomenon” of burnout, which is a diagnosable condition with real consequences Characteristics of burnout: fatigue, exhaustion, negativism, cynicism, and not feeling like you’re doing a good job Good mom, bad mom, and how we judge ourselves and each other Contributing factors to mother burnout How and when burnout begins Why parents don’t trust themselves, and how we can empower them How to recognize signs of burnout and be aware of your mental health The importance of reaching out for help and finding connection How certain factors related to the current pandemic contribute to burnout, like isolation, lack of support, and unreasonable demands How our culture teaches us to deal with uncomfortable feelings How our capacity for empathy and sympathy is stretched Long-term effects of chronic stress Diana’s book, a new resource with a holistic focus on mental health Resources: Motherly Instagram: Motherly Facebook: Motherly Media  The Motherly Guide to Becoming Mama: Redefining the Pregnancy, Birth, and Postpartum Journey by Diana Spalding, Jill Koziol, and LIz Tenety