There’s fantastic news to mark the first anniversary of the You, Me, Baby program: a recent study has confirmed that the program effectively reduces symptoms of postpartum depression. The result of remarkable teamwork led by researcher Sylvana Côté, You, Me, Baby was launched in June 2024 and made possible by the generosity of donors.
A total of 510 women in Quebec who participated in You, Me, Baby took part in the study, sharing how the program affected their mental health. Their experiences were compared to those of a control group who received standard care.
The result was impressive. The women who took part in the You, Me, Baby program had significantly fewer depressive symptoms after giving birth than the group who received standard care. For mothers across Quebec, this is truly uplifting news.
An all-in-one program to support mothers’ mental health
You, Me, Baby was created through the collaboration of two institutions deeply committed to mothers’ mental health: CHU Sainte-Justine and the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’Île-de-Montréal, which continues to lead the program today.
Modelled after the Mothers and Babies program, You, Me, Baby combines proven tools for managing stress and emotions within one accessible program. Backed during its development by generous donors including the Rossy Foundation, You, Me, Baby aims to prevent postpartum anxiety and depression and gives mothers practical strategies to care for themselves and prepare for their baby’s arrival.
The program features 10 modules covering topics including communication, how thoughts affect mood, self-compassion and relaxation. The content is delivered in a lively, interactive format that includes videos, infographics and comics. According to Valérie Samson, nursing advisor and member of the You, Me, Baby development team, “This is basically an all-in-one program for taking care of yourself.”
“There wasn’t really a place or a guide that brought together all the techniques that have been proven to work to improve mental health specifically during the perinatal period: the months before and after a baby is born. That’s what we wanted to create with You, Me, Baby.”
Meeting urgent needs with compassion
The perinatal period is often filled with great joy, but it can also bring serious health challenges, including mental health struggles. “During pregnancy, about 1 in 5 women experience sadness, anxiety or symptoms of depression,” says Valérie Samson. Because the arrival of a baby can bring major changes—adjusting to parenthood, physical and hormonal shifts, relationship changes and more—a mother’s mental health can remain in a fragile state after birth. In fact, 10% to 20% of mothers go through a postpartum depressive episode. Considering that 77,000 babies were born in Quebec in 2024, this means that thousands of women are affected by postpartum depression each year.
For some women, symptoms appear gradually; for others, they come on suddenly. Mothers who had a smooth and happy pregnancy may be caught completely off guard by a shift in their mental health. Each mother’s situation is unique, as are her needs in terms of mental health support. To offer the most impactful help, the team behind You, Me, Baby focused on early action and prevention so mothers can access support as soon as they need it.
“You, Me, Baby is available online and in paper format, in French and English. It’s free and self-guided, so it’s very accessible. The program reduces barriers to mental health care for expectant and new mothers—barriers such as geographic distance and concerns about social stigma.”
So far, 34,000 people have turns to You, Me, Baby for support. Thank you for caring for the well-being of mothers by giving this transformative program and its dedicated teams the resources to make it a reality!
