Motherhood is always a balancing act, but for military moms, duty, parenting, and personal well-being intersect uniquely. Military moms navigate the demands of early motherhood while managing the responsibilities of military life – whether they are enlisted personnel considering or navigating a return to work, or a military spouse. It is estimated that military moms experience maternal mental health challenges at 2-3 times the rate of the civilian population.
At Emulait, we know that caring for moms has broad ripple-on benefits beyond the family’s beating heart. Maternal mental health impacts on the wellbeing of the baby, the family unit, the military community and even operational readiness. This Memorial Day we honor military families, and the mommas that hold the fort.
Challenges That Military Families Face
- Returning to work: Military moms usually get 12 weeks of paid parental leave, before returning to duty (this leave can be taken at any time during the first year). Deployment is usually deferred for 12 months. For nursing mothers, they may be eligible for a year-long extension if their duties are typically ‘away from home’ (deployments, mobilizations, etc.) and traditional lactation accommodations can’t be provided.
- Being a military spouse: Military family life can be lonely and stressful. Long deployments or frequent relocations are all part of the experience. For those with partners on active duty, the stressors are profound, especially for those stationed in combat zones. The reality and fear of loss is always looming, as is the impact of PTSD in military families. This can increase the risk of postnatal mental health challenges, especially for mothers who feel isolated and alone.
- Holding the family fort: Military families are resilient and proud of their special identity, but they grapple with a complex interplay of living as individuals and families, while being part of a collective with a critical mission. The demands of military life require a unique approach to parenting, taking into account the impact of absence, uncertainty and combat exposure on mothers and children. Parenting always demands emotional availability, but military families are exposed to non-conventional challenges and conversations. Alongside the difficulties, there are elements of military family life which build resilience too.
- Mental health struggles: Military families are more likely to experience anxiety, depression, PTSD and substance disorders. There is also a higher rate of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) amongst soldiers and veterans. Complex care needs impact on the family unit. When transitioning back into civilian life, many of these issues can be exacerbated.
- Navigating support systems: Equipped with greater understanding of military family challenges over time, advocates have succeeded in improving the support available to these families. One advantage of military life is the sense of community, however military culture does not always encourage help-seeking behavior, and the stigma of mental health challenges persists. Also, frequent relocations are a feature of military life – which means that people constantly need to rebuild their support system, especially in the absence of family support.
- Breastfeeding challenges: Returning to work is a challenge for many moms, but military moms may encounter additional barriers and logistical challenges. The conditions of service will influence the mother’s choices around feeding. Rigorous physical training demands and stress can impact milk production. Irregular schedules, lengthy separations, limited access to clean, private spaces, and lack of refrigeration for expressed milk, can all pose barriers to pumping. In male-dominated units, breastfeeding and pumping may be viewed as a lack of commitment.
While moms are entitled to lactation supports and accommodations in military life, it's critical that they know their rights and advocate for themselves in order to support their chosen feeding journey. Emulait is committed to supporting families on their feeding journey. For moms faced with hard decisions about balancing responsibilities to their family and to the military, Emulait can take one load off by offering a way for moms to combination feed or exclusively bottle feed in the healthiest and most natural way possible.
Advocating for Systemic Change
In 2024, bipartisan legislation Maintaining our Obligation to Moms who Serve Act (The MOMS Act) was passed to support the mental health needs of military moms, during and after pregnancy. The bill requires the military health care system to provide clinical and non-medical resources to prevent and treat maternal mental health conditions, from the outset of pregnancy and up to a year post-partum. The program requirements include:
- Mental health screen, counselling, treatment and parental support
- Ensuring military families have access to information about these supports
- An awareness campaign about the program
Other organizations advocating for and support military families include:
The Military Birth Resource Network and Postpartum Coalition was created to provide a supportive network for military families with a full spectrum of pregnancy and postpartum support. They have a directory of military-friendly services – doulas, lactation consultants, health professionals and even photographers. Their podcast, Military Birth Talk, is a platform to share birth and parenting stories.
The National Military Family Association works with families to identify and solve the challenges of military family life. They offer many programs, but one that caught our eye is their military spouse scholarship program. Recognizing how hard it is to maintain academics and employment amid relocations and solo parenting, the NMFA offer scholarships to help pay for GEDs, professional licenses and certifications, college degrees, business and entrepreneurial expenses, continuing education and more.
The Defence Department provides a New Parent Support Program, to help parents navigate the competing demands of family and military life, create strong bonds with their children, build support networks and access community support. It is a free and tailored program for families with infants and young children, administered by visiting professionals. Other Defense Department programs are available for parenting older children.
How You Can Support Military Families
- If you have military moms in your life, just checking in and listening without judgment can be the best way to offer support. Encourage them to seek help if you think they are struggling or invite them along to a mothers’ group. Read up on the challenges faced by military families and become familiar with organizations that support them.
- Follow the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce. They post regularly about military spouse entrepreneurs. Buy your gifts from these businesses throughout the year, use their professional services and share their posts to spread the love! Entrepreneurship offers flexible employment to families who often need to move around and juggle many demands.
- Last year, Emulait collaborated with Operation Shower, an organization whose mission is to host baby showers, or deliver shower boxes, for military families. With an eye to easing the stress of having a baby, Operation Shower also celebrates and honors the service of these families.
- For families of fallen military personnel, a variety of charities exist to support their family members. One example is Angels of America’s Fallen, a charity which supports kids who have lost a parent, by providing meaningful goal-oriented activities and case management, and peer support programs to widowed spouses.
At Emulait, We Send All our Love to Military Moms
Military moms embody resilience and dedication, balancing two full-time roles with grace and strength. At Emulait, we celebrate military moms and their families, and we know that every bit of help counts. For this reason, we offer a year-round military discount and are always thrilled to collaborate with organizations who support military families. If you know a military mom, share this article with them! We’d love them to know that we care.
