The Power of Nostalgia: Unlocking Positive Memories to Improve Maternal Mental Health

By: Caitlin Stevens and Chelsea Bodie, known as Mamapsychologist

As Mother’s Day approaches, we can’t help but reflect on the rollercoaster ride that we call motherhood. From the excitement of planning for our first child to the challenges of postpartum depression, our journeys as moms are filled with highs and lows that have impacted our mental health. Fortunately, we aren’t alone in our struggles as baby blues, birth trauma, and postpartum depression are common experiences for mothers everywhere.

In addition to navigating the personal journeys as parents, as psychologists, Cailtin and Chelsea, the brilliant minds behind the Mamapsychologist account, have gained professional insights to guide mothers through their mental health battles, finding solace in using nostalgia to unlock mood-enhancing endorphins to help overcome these challenges.

In this blog post, Caitlin and Chelsea delve into maternal mental health and explore how photobooks can help mothers and families unlock the mental health benefits of nostalgia.

Maternal Mental Health

Mental health hits close to home for us. We’ve both had our fair share of struggles in our roles as mothers. Caitlin’s experience with postpartum anxiety came as a shock, leaving her feeling overwhelmed and uncertain how to cope. Similarly, Chelsea struggled with postpartum depression and dealt with the stress of her newborn being in the NICU for months.

However, our experiences aren’t unique, as these challenges are widespread at every stage of motherhood. Studies show that 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women in postpartum stages experience some sort of mental disorder. From the baby blues to postpartum depression, and the daily whirlwind of raising a child, motherhood presents an ongoing series of hurdles – and joys! - that can impact our mental well-being.

The Power of Nostalgia

In our professional practice as psychologists, we’ve encountered a variety of approaches to help mothers nourish their mental health. From seeking help through therapy or taking a more holistic approach, nostalgia is one method that can help unlock feelings of happiness and triumph. We know that reflecting on old memories helps bolster immediate feelings of happiness and has been shown to improve emotional wellbeing by stimulating feelings of gratitude. Incorporating the power of nostalgia into maternal care can offer mothers a quick serotonin boost to navigate the emotional challenges of motherhood, fostering resilience and envisioning brighter days ahead.

Unlocking Nostalgia with Photobooks

One of the simplest ways to indulge in nostalgia is by flipping through old photos that bring back cherished memories. Reconnecting with joyful moments from the past can boost serotonin production, leading to immediate feelings of warmth, comfort, and happiness.

Whether browsing your phone’s camera roll, pulling up photos from social media, or even leafing through bulky family photo albums from decades past, there are several options for reliving visual memories. We personally love creating custom photo books with Mixbook and sharing our unique stories as moms.

With the help of Mixbook, we’ve transformed our photos from family vacations, birthdays, weddings, and other milestone events into beautiful keepsakes that hold immense sentimental value and can be passed down through generations. Looking back at these happy moments unlocks the power of nostalgia providing he mood-boosting endorphins we sometimes need to get us through the occasional trials of being a mom.

While the task of creating a photo book might seem daunting, we've found that Mixbook makes it easy and fun! The easy-to-use mobile app simplifies the process, allowing you to effortlessly create a photo book with the photos directly from your phone’s camera roll. Whether you want to look back on a family road trip, your kids’ weekend sports tournament, or fun moments from your childhood, Mixbook streamlines the experience by providing recommendations for photo sizes, captions, text font, and more. And the best part? Making photo books is a creative activity that the whole family can get involved in.

Reflecting on Mental Health Awareness Month

The power of nostalgia and the different ways mothers can experience it are important topics year-round, but perhaps never as relevant as during Mental Health Awareness month in May. This is something near and dear to us, not only in our roles as psychologists, but also as individuals who have faced maternal mental health struggles. Often sacrificing our own wellbeing to care for others, it’s a subject that strikes a chord with us as moms, one of the most demanding jobs ever.

With Mental Health Awareness Month and Mother’s Day both occurring in May, we’re excited to do something special to celebrate mothers while advocating for the importance of mental health. We’re thrilled to partner with Mixbook and Postpartum Support International (PSI) to kick off “Moments of Motherhood,” to raise awareness and extend support to mothers and caretakers struggling with maternal mental health challenges.

Much like us, PSI is dedicated to promoting awareness, prevention, and treatment of mental health issues related to childbearing. We’re inviting mothers and families everywhere to share their unique stories through a special collection of 10 photobook templates, curated to inspire, recognize and celebrate the journey of motherhood and contribute to maternal well-being.

Simply visit Mixbook’s Moments of Motherhood, where 10% of profits from sales will be donated to Postpartum Support International to help those in need throughout the entire month of May.

Additional Resources for Moms in Need

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, remember that you’re never alone. Please reach out to the helpful resources below, dedicated to supporting those who need it the most:

• National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: Call or Text 1-833-852-6262
• Postpartum Support International Helpline: Call 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD)
• National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
• National Suicide Prevention Hotline: Call 988

For more information on maternal mental health, check out our comprehensive  course offerings or contact us (Mamapsychologist) today, to discover how to enhance your mental health through every stage of motherhood.