Understanding starts with awareness: maternal mental health and the military

Guest blog by Lyndsay Spencer, Director and co-founder, Dandelion Military Families

This Armed Forces Day, Dandelion Military Families (DMF) and the Maternal Mental Health Alliance (MMHA) are taking the opportunity to spotlight the maternal mental health needs of those living within, and shaped by, military life.

As the nation pauses to celebrate our Armed Forces community, we want to take a moment to reflect on the sacrifices behind service; the quiet, emotional labour carried out by military connected mothers every day. Whether a serving mum, veteran, or partner of someone in service, these experiences matter, and deserve to be seen and supported.

Many military-connected mothers are:

• Giving birth far from family, or familiar healthcare systems
• Solo parenting while a partner is deployed, on exercise or training, and any point in the antenatal or postnatal period
• Serving ourselves and returning to duty before we're emotionally or physically ready
• Living with the long-term impact of service-related trauma or transition stress
• Making birthing decisions based on whether deployed partners can make it home in time
• Facing uncertainty in maternity care, not knowing what support will be available in each new posting
• Experiencing pregnancy or baby loss while geographically or emotionally isolated from support networks
• Navigating fertility treatments on rigid timelines, often with fragmented access due to postings, operational demands, or lack of continuity in care.

This is not an exhaustive list; military and family life are complex. However, it offers a glimpse into a reality where military life does not pause for parenthood or the emotional toll it can take.

The barriers to help

Despite progress in maternal mental health awareness, many military-connected mothers continue to struggle in silence. Why?

Several barriers contribute to this reality. Health professionals may lack understanding of military life and its unique challenges, and/or frequent relocations force mothers to start over with new healthcare teams, disrupting continuity of care. In some locations, access to perinatal mental health services is limited, leaving mothers without the specialist support they need. Additionally, the fear of being perceived as "unfit" for service, parenting, or potentially harming a partner’s career can discourage military families from seeking help. Civilian services may also feel culturally unfamiliar or unrelatable.

Addressing these challenges requires compassion, collaboration, and partnership.

Stronger together: DMF x MMHA

Together, DMF and the MMHA are advocating for 5 things:

1. Increased access to high-quality, culturally competent perinatal mental health care for all mothers, including those who serve, have served, or support those who do.
2. Better training for healthcare professionals on the unique experiences of military families.
3. Policy changes that ensure no military-connected mother falls through the cracks.
4. Robust, UK-specific research into the maternal mental health of military-connected mothers; reflecting the unique demands of British Armed Forces life and the complexities of accessing care within the NHS.
5. Open conversations that reduce stigma and build solidarity.

This Armed Forces Day, let’s honour the whole story

Sacrifice in the name of Service takes many forms. On Armed Forces Day, let’s honour not only the uniform, but the emotional weight of service and motherhood in everyday life.