Nature-based support for mothers during the first year postpartum

Celia Santos Tapia

Institut de Salut Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Spain

The transition to motherhood can bring stress, anxiety, loneliness, emotional distress and exhaustion, even without a diagnosable mental health disorder. Although many mothers need support during this period, current care often leaves a gap between general maternal services and specialised mental health support. This project aims to co-create and evaluate a nature-based programme to improve women’s well-being and mental health after childbirth in urban settings.

A team with expertise in public health, urban health, participatory research and implementation science will co-develop the intervention with mothers, healthcare professionals and community stakeholders. This will ensure that the programme reflects the realities of postpartum life, including caregiving demands, lack of time, social isolation and unequal access to support. The researchers will then assess whether this approach reduces stress and improves emotional well-being and is feasible and acceptable in healthcare and community settings.

The results could offer accessible, scalable support for mothers during a critical life stage, improving the health of mothers and children as well as promoting equity in maternal care systems.

• Elena Codina, Fundació Privada per a la Recerca i la Docència Sant Joan de Déu, Spain

• Hospital Sant Joan de Déu, Spain

NATURE4MOTHERS: Nature-Based Therapy for Postpartum Mental Health: Evidence Generation for Scalable Public Health Implementation

€300,000.00