'Postpartum depression (PPD) is a mood disorder affecting approximately 600,000 new moms in the United States every year. It's a condition that can appear days or months after a baby's birth and it can last for months if left untreated. Despite so many women experiencing PPD, few seek help because they do not recognize the symptoms, of feel ashamed. Postpartum Progress reports that only 15 percent of women with PPD actually get professional treatment, so it's critical more people have access to information about PPD.'

Source: A Plus

Furthermore, 'every day in the United States, more than 1,000 men become depressed after the arrival of a new baby'.

Source: Newsweek

What ideas are out there that could be a source of inspiration for helping new moms and their partners be better informed in recognizing their symptoms of postpartum depression and in identifying appropriate support?

• Mindnosis: 'a self-assessment kit for mental health to allow users to work out the type of help they need and where they might get it from. The creator of Mindnosis envisions the kits being offered through a social enterprise driven by people with experience of mental health, who can hold workshops to develop the tools offered in the kits and deliver peer support.'
  
  

Source: Metro

How might we help expectant and new moms and their partners identify their needs so that they can create their own unique support package?

• Fall prevention guide: a self-help, step-by-step guide that helps the elderly to identify risks within their own living environment. Then, the guide gives advice on how to adapt or change their environment to prevent falls.

How might we display information and guidance to make life easier for under-resourced and vulnerable new and expectant moms?

Check out this idea from our fall prevention challenge

• Postcard Prevention Pack: A pass-it-on mail out scheme that encourages sharing of a fall self-assessment tool and prevention information amongst older people

'The Postcard Prevention Pack is a postcard sized foldout booklet containing a simple fall self assessment tool and pragmatic guidance on fall prevention. At the back of each pack is a tear off postcard on which an older person writes the address of a friend and a short message. The postcard is sent to Postcard Prevention HQ and triggers the sending of a new postcard pack to the friend's address. The original postcard and message is copied on to the front of the new postcard pack to give a personal touch.'

This may be a bit intrusive for postpartum depression, but the principle of sharing information in a personalized-way may be worth investigating. 

How might friends and family support new and expectant moms and their partners suffering from postpartum depression through the sharing of information and guidance?

Check out this idea from our fall prevention challenge

• Health check stations in pharmacies: Promoting awareness and screening for falls risk in older adults at community pharmacies, leveraging health check stations where available.

This may be a bit intrusive for postpartum depression, but how might we help expectant and new moms and their partners identify their needs and the support available in a way that fits into their everyday life in a place where information about support may be available? Could this be applied to new and expectant mothers affected by a chronic disease  (e.g. lupus, diabetes or Crohn's disease)?

Check out this idea from our fall prevention challenge

I am unable to develop an idea for this challenge. I welcome anyone in the OpenIDEO community to use this as a source of inspiration to develop ideas of their own.