Stronger Together: Maternal Mental Health in Bali

Dear Friends,

The past 3 months marked important progress in strengthening maternal mental health care at Bumi Sehat. Two community workshops were held focusing on maternal depression and anxiety, reaching approximately 40 women and their husbands. These sessions provided practical information, encouraged open discussion, and helped reduce stigma around mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Including partners was an important step in building family-level understanding and support.

We also formalized a new Memorandum of Understanding with Ubud Care Clinic, significantly expanding access to specialist care. Under this partnership, a psychiatric specialist now visits Bumi Sehat to deliver educational sessions for mothers and provide targeted training for our midwives and nurses. This collaboration strengthens our team’s ability to recognize early warning signs of maternal mental health challenges, offer compassionate first-line support, and refer women who need advanced care.

Maternal mental health remains an under-recognized issue in Bali, despite high rates of anxiety and depression reported among mothers. By combining community education with professional training and referral pathways, this project is building a sustainable model of early detection, support, and care—helping mothers, babies, and families begin healthier, more resilient futures.

With love & gratitude, 

Ibu Robin & Team Bumi Sehat