In its annual State of Motherhood survey, Motherly states that more than 2,000 U.S. mothers have shared that the pressures of caregiving, economic uncertainty, and balancing career have intensified. “Childcare costs continue to soar, with over half of all mothers now finding care barely affordable or entirely out of reach. Workforce participation remains tenuous due to ongoing caregiving burdens. Additionally, mothers feel their voices go largely unheard by policy-makers as they struggle to prepare their children for an uncertain economic future.”
Add the ever-increasing cost of living, postpartum depression, steep medical bills, sleep deprivation, isolation, loneliness, physical pain, residual COVID ramifications, and societal expectations, it’s not surprising that mothers are overwhelmed.
The director of sales and marketing for Green Island Companies and host of “This Week on MV,” Emmalyn Reid, spent nearly three years producing the documentary “The Reality of Motherhood in 2025.” It will be screening at the Strand Theater in Oak Bluffs on August 30.
Reid says she created the documentary in part due to her own experiences of motherhood. “My ex-husband and I struggled with fertility. Then COVID hit, and we both lost our jobs. Three weeks later, we found out we were pregnant. Losing our jobs, moving in with family, and giving birth during a pandemic was hard.”
Reid says she also experienced postpartum depression and lingering physical issues after the birth of her son. “My pelvic floor was destroyed, and I had very little support with that,” she continues. “What should have been a joyous time was made much harder than it should have been. I felt strongly that I couldn’t be alone in my experiences, and when I talked to other moms who were struggling as well, they said, ‘What can we do about it?’ And I said, ‘I am going to yell and share these stories and fight for change so future generations of mothers won’t have to struggle.’”
The documentary covers a variety of challenges mothers face. Reid says that for many moms, societal expectations are one of the major issues. “I’ve heard over and over that it contributes to postpartum depression. It’s this concept that somehow all mothers have no job, or if you do have a job, you need to work like you have no children. Even if you stay home with your children and say it’s overwhelming, you’re told you’re ungrateful.”
Many mothers have also expressed that the six-week after-birth checkup isn’t comprehensive enough. “All it tells you is that you’re cleared to have relations in bed with your partner. That isn’t what we are looking for,” Reid states. “We need to know we’re OK. We are told to get a therapist without any recommendations for one. If you share that you’re in pain, you hear, ‘Well, you got a C-section. Talk to the surgeon. He says it’s OK.’” Reid also says that she believes pelvic floor physical therapy and mental health therapy should be provided to new mothers as a matter of course.
Some of the other people instrumental in getting the documentary off the ground include Chilmark’s Dr. Cetrulo, an OBGYN. “He helped my mom give birth to me 35 years ago,” Reid says. Other notables include Director of Photography Eric Snyder; entrepreneur and mother Dawn Kingston; Maternal Therapist Dr. Jane Wall, somatic healing coach at El Fort; the Courage Campaign founder Ashley Mitchell; Mental Load Coach Zach Watson; author of “Momlife Comics” Mary Catherine Starr; Boston Chamber of Mothers chapter members Lauren Hart Clancy and Anna Ferreira, and more.
Though support and services for mothers are lacking, there is a glimmer of hope — at least in Massachusetts. The Maternal Health Bill, which Governor Healey passed in 2024, promotes access to midwifery care and out-of-hospital birth options. The goal of this legislation is to overhaul maternal health practices in Massachusetts and expand coverage for midwifery, birth centers, doulas, and screening and treatment for postpartum depression, among several other initiatives to save lives.
“I think it’s a great step forward,” Reid says. “Especially in the Black community, who have the highest mortality rate. There is a need for someone to advocate for them in the birth room. Having insurance to cover these is a game changer.”
Fifty percent of ticket sales for the screening of “The Reality of Motherhood in 2025” will go to support Maria Droste counseling for maternal mental health. “I chose this nonprofit because their work was, personally, a guiding light through some of my darkest hours postpartum,” Reid says. “I firmly believe that every mother deserves this high level of support, and applaud their sliding-scale policy that leaves the door open for parents everywhere regardless of financial status.”
“The Reality of Motherhood in 2025” will screen at the Strand in Oak Bluffs on August 30. The evening will start at 5 pm with a cocktail party, red carpet photo shoot, and silent auction. From 6 pm to 6:30 pm, there will be a Q & A with Emmalyn Reid, moderated by CEO of Wicked Good Mom Meghan Block, and at 6:30 pm the film will premiere.
For tickets, visit https://emmalynreid.ticketspice.com/mommj-documentary-release.
Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiIuSvMTkFA.
