Many Mothers

A Journey of Growth, Marissa Visscher Becoming a father is one of life’s most rewarding experiences, but it can also bring unexpected emotional challenges. New fathers often face stress, exhaustion, financial pressures, and the responsibility of caring for a growing family. While much attention is given to the well-being of mothers, it’s important to recognize that fathers can struggle too. Many experience anxiety, depression, and feelings of isolation during the transition to parenthood. In fact, about 1 in 10 new fathers experience paternal perinatal depression, most often between 3 to 6 months after birth. Symptoms may include feeling “checked out,” irritability, fatigue, and increased aggression. Many fathers describe feeling invisible, unnecessary, overwhelmed, forgotten, inadequate, excluded, confused, trapped, or helpless. This…

There Is a Voice | Marissa Visscher 1 in 5. That’s how many new and expecting parents experience a perinatal mental health condition.  Not 1 in 100. Not rare. 1 in 5.  And yet, most people don’t know where to turn – or even that what they’re feeling has a name. Too many parents navigate this in silence.  May is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month, and Many Mothers is here to help raise awareness, combat shame and stigma, and provide education and support.  From Bump to Baby is a workshop hosted at The Family Center for expecting parents and those who have recently welcomed a baby. Participants will learn about the warning signs of Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) and the different avenues of support available.  We are here to help…

With nothing less than gratitude and love in our hearts, Many Mothers celebrated our team of wonderful volunteers last week, April 20th – 24th, for Volunteer Appreciation Week and National Home Visiting Week. Each day, our volunteers show up to support the families in northern New Mexico in ways that have lasting impacts. The appreciativeness we feel knows no bounds or time frame, but as this week of celebration comes to a close, a few of our volunteers share reflections from their previous home visiting matches. “I feel honored that I got to be a part of this family’s life. Watching the single mama of three stabilize and blossom into her new roles post-birth was incredibly inspiring.” “This match was particularly…

May is more than Mother’s Day – it’s a time when blood donations often slow. Mothers are among those who rely on blood every day, during childbirth, surgeries, cancer treatment , and emergencies. In fact:   Pregnancy-related complications require blood transfusions for 1 in every 83 deliveries in the U.S. Obstetrics and gynecology are among the top 10 medical specialties that need the most blood for patients. About 205,000 units of blood are used in the U.S. each year for OB/GYN patients. Many Mothers is proud to be partnering with Vitalant New Mexico to host the Donate for Mothers Blood Drive. Come to the Santa Fe Place Mall on Saturday, May 2nd, from 11 AM – 3 PM. You’ll find us near the fireplace in front of Dillard’s mall entrance. One donation can…

Spring is in the air, and so is a giveaway! To kick off the spring season, we’re here to share that Many Mothers is giving away THREE Osprey hiking backpacks. To enter, if you haven’t already, follow us on Facebook and Instagram, and leave a comment on our pinned posts on Facebook and Instagram! The winner will be contacted on April 22nd through social media.

Embracing the Fourth Trimester Together How Community Can Make a Difference By Kai Shenandoah Forsley | Tumbleweeds You’ve prepared the nursery, read all of the books, and taken all of the classes. Or not. Either way, the time has come. The baby is finally here. While pregnancy and adoption journeys can feel like a whirlwind of research, appointments, and activity, the “welcoming baby home” phase can feel like falling off a cliff into the unknown. Through all of the happiness and elation, things like sleep deprivation and uncertainty began to take center stage. Welcome to the fourth trimester: that critical period just after the baby arrives, when many parents become overwhelmed as they are suddenly thrust into the role of…

Motherhood and the holidays can be a beautiful mix of joy, laughter, and love — often seasoned with a dash of overwhelm and burnout. Many mothers feel pressure to live up to society’s expectations of creating the perfect, blissful holiday season — smiling on the outside while juggling the many stressors that come with it. Every family is doing their best, especially as we navigate unprecedented challenges this season. No matter how your family celebrates, one thing we can all share is gratitude. Practicing gratitude can support mental health during the holidays by reducing stress and anxiety, boosting happiness, and building resilience. Gratitude can be found in life’s simple moments — a hug from your child, a warm meal, or…

October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month. Many Mothers honors the fighters and survivors of breast cancer, and lovingly remembers those who we lost. We want to take the opportunity this month to highlight that one of the many benefits of breastfeeding is that it reduces the risk of breast cancer. Decades of research and numerous studies confirm that the longer you breastfeed, the greater your protection can be, and that breastfeeding for longer than 12 months can decrease your risk by 26%. The protection is provided by multiple factors, including the hormonal shift that happens during breastfeeding, changes in breast tissue during lactation, and the development of immune-protecting properties in breast milk. Lifestyle factors as well as genetics also…

For caregivers, there is nothing more important than keeping their babies safe. October marks Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) Awareness Month, and this vital campaign is one that Many Mothers holds close to our hearts. This key time was created to share life-saving education that will support you and your babies. SIDS is the heartbreaking, sudden, and unexpected death of a baby under 1 year old that generally occurs during sleep and has no identifiable cause. While SIDS cannot always be prevented, there are proven ways to reduce the risk—and it starts with safe sleep practices. To reduce the risk of SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends the following: • Always place babies on their backs to sleep –…

Source: HumanKind.News A Soft Place to Land: How Many Mothers Is Building a Community of Care for New Families. For over three decades, this New Mexico organization has provided the essential support every perinatal family deserves, from diapers to deep human connection. The arrival of a new baby is often portrayed as a time of pure joy. But for many caregivers, it can also be a period of exhaustion, isolation, and overwhelming pressure. It was this gap between expectation and reality that inspired Anne McCormick to found Many Mothers more than thirty years ago. Believing that every parent of a newborn deserves support, McCormick developed “Muchas Mamas,” a volunteer-based program that provided free, hands-on help to families. It was likely…

“Being a part of the Many Mothers team means more than words could ever express. Having been born and raised in this beautiful state, I am thankful to be in a position that allows me to support Northern New Mexico’s youngest and their parents, while leaning into the creative side of work. My hope with every post and image is to reach families who may not know of us yet, so they too can access our support, and to aid in the continued growth of the organization.” – Sarah Raine Cheney, Grants and Marketing Coordinator   “Ser parte del equipo de Many Mothers significa más de lo que las palabras podrían expresar. Habiendo nacido y crecido en este hermoso estado,…

On Sunday, September 7, 2025, we celebrate Grandparents’ Day! Traditionally, we know grandparents to be kind, loving family members who serve as a strong connection to family history and traditions, while also playing key roles in a child’s upbringing. However, in many families, grandparents do more than simply support. In 2024, the LANL Foundation found that between 2017 and 2023, kinship care (grandparents and extended family raising children) rose from 30,000 children to 36,000. They also believe this to be a low estimate, knowing that for every 1 child being raised by family through the state’s foster care program, another 55 are being informally raised. With love and compassion for those who have taken on these roles, Many Mothers developed the Golden Caregivers…

“Breastfeeding is a natural, healthy choice for you and your baby, but so often, it is not easy for new mothers. While we see images and stories of perfectly plump babies and moms comfy and calm in a rocking chair, the reality is that many moms are suffering in silence with pain, confusion, frustration, and guilt. My goal as a lactation counselor is to meet moms early in their breastfeeding journey, ideally during pregnancy, to help them start strong and confident. Then if issues arise, together we can work through common challenges and questions such as pain, milk supply, and latching. My hope is for all mothers to enjoy this beautiful stage of motherhood. I invite our community of prenatal…

Many Mothers is proud to support and promote World Breastfeeding Week. The physical and emotional health benefits of breastfeeding for both moms and babies are powerful for advancing local, regional, and worldwide health, and all mothers deserve support and encouragement to achieve their breastfeeding goals. Research from around the world has shown that breastmilk is the perfect, natural food for babies, and with rare exceptions, all birthing mothers are able to breastfeed their infants. To learn more about the amazing benefits of breastfeeding, visit La Leche League, Office on Women’s Health, and the CDC. *Many Mothers recognizes that breastfeeding and the circumstances around it are very unique and personal. While we encourage and support breastfeeding, we respect any feeding choice. Many Mothers se enorgullece…

“Since racism is a part of all American life that deeply affects mental health, it’s important that African American and Black moms have a safe space to address racial stressors and historical trauma that impact their mental wellness during pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. In the coming months, in partnership with the Santa Fe Community Foundation’s Empower! Black Futures Community Fund, Many Mothers, and ILE IFE will be hosting a series of gatherings focused on a healing space for Black moms to rest, rejuvenate, have fun, and rediscover their passions.” – Kai Forsley, Executive Director   “Dado que el racismo es una realidad presente en todos los aspectos de la vida en Estados Unidos y afecta profundamente la salud mental, es…