BARRIE -- Two Barrie moms are raising awareness about the mental health of moms by sharing their stories.
’’As soon as my baby was born, I didn't even want to see baby,’’ Patricia Tomasi said.
For Jaime Charlebois, It began after suffering a gall bladder attack, three months following the birth of her daughter.
"I was extremely anxious. I was traumatized from my post-partum experience to the point that my husband and I decided not to have another child.” She said.
Both say there was a lack of support and mental health screening after giving birth, and they want that to change.
"There's a lot of research going on across the country and a lot of health care practitioners doing amazing work let’s bring all that together in a national strategy,” Tomasi said.
The moms want mandatory screening and better access to psychiatrists.
They are launching a petition to get support.
In Simcoe County, about 27 per cent of mothers reported mental health concerns in 2018
seven per cent more than the provincial average.
Tomasi and Charlebois say they will launch their petition Wednesday.
They need 500 signatures before it can be presented to the House of Commons.