Flora’s Walk in Saskatoon bringing awareness to perinatal mental health
Global News
Flora's Walk, in memory of Flora Babakhani, during Maternal Mental Health Week happens in 40 different cities around the country.
Saskatoon residents walked in Rotary Park for Flora’s Walk to raise funds and awareness for perinatal health care in Canada on Wednesday.
Perinatal refers to the time between pregnancy and one year post-birth.
“Both my partner and I struggled after having our baby in 2018 with perinatal mental illness,” said Michelle Klatt, founder of non-profit Mother May I.
Mother May I is a Saskatoon organization that helps bring awareness to mental health issues post-birth.
“A few months into it, I found I had a lot of anger which I didn’t relate to it being perinatal mental illness because all I knew of that was not bonding with your baby and just feeling sad all the time,” Klatt said. “But what I felt was anger and slowly it got worse and worse.”
She said she went through a trial-and-error period with medication.
“Looking back, I definitely wish I would have sought help sooner and joined support groups, which is what we are trying to make aware of people struggling now, that there are resources,” Klatt said.
Forty-four-year-old Flora Babakhani gave birth to her daughter Amber in 2021. She took her own life on Jan. 14, 2022, due to undiagnosed postpartum psychosis, an illness that causes paranoia, hyperactivity, mood swings, delusions, and strange beliefs.