Generation Start-up: how a UAE mental health app plans to ease ‘supermum’ pressures – The National

Generation Start-up: how a UAE mental health app plans to ease ‘supermum’ pressures – The National

Yasmine El Mouallem talks to many new mothers in her role as a breastfeeding counsellor, on everything from caring for a newborn to managing sleep deprivation, but she noticed one glaring absence: they rarely speak about their mental well-being.

Many of her clients are often so engrossed in discussing the baby or trying to live up to impossible standards of being a perfect mother, that they barely pause to reflect on their mental state, let alone acknowledge potential issues, Ms El Mouallem says.

The Covid-19 pandemic further compounded the challenges of becoming a new mother, making it more mentally and emotionally taxing. During labour, many women had to go without the support of their spouses, family members or doulas, while others were separated from their newborns and were not allowed to breastfeed if they were Covid positive, she says.