How Latina women navigate an overlooked phase of motherhood: The postpartum experience

For many Latina women, the postpartum period is a defining chapter of motherhood, yet it continues to receive insufficient attention across social, healthcare and economic systems.

According to the provisional data from the National Center for Health Statistics it indicates that, for the 12-month period ending in March 2025, the U.S. maternal mortality rate averaged 18.3% deaths per 100,000 live births. Racial and ethnic disparities remain significant: Black women   have the highest rate, at 47.4 deaths per 100,000 live births, followed by Asian women 15.3% and White women 15.2%, while Hispanic women have the lowest rate, with 11.1% deaths per 100,000 live births.

Historical trends from 2017 to 2019 show that more than half of all pregnancy-related deaths occur within the first year after childbirth. “These figures highlight the urgent need for continuous  and comprehensive care that considers the physical, emotional, and social well-being of mothers,” says Lizeth Cuara, CEO of Misty Phases. “We must strengthen support networks, ensure adequate leave policies, and facilitate access to essential products for a dignified recovery.”

Candy Cerezo, a 27-year-old mother, shared with CALÓ News that giving birth to her first child was a life changing experience for her. “I had to adjust to a whole new daily routine, which included raising a new baby. Going through my postpartum recovery, I learned that it’s a life altering experience physically and emotionally that most women face in their life,” she said. “Your body goes through changes after birth, which in my case affected my self-esteem tremendously.”

A 2024 study published in Frontiers in Public Health found that postpartum fatigue affects between 45% and 95% of new mothers, and is closely associated with postpartum depression and breastfeeding difficulties. Persistent physical pain, whether in the back, from incisions or in the perineum can also interfere with mother–baby bonding and delay recovery.

Cerezo, who was only 14 years old when she had her first child, explained that becoming a mother as a teenager brought significant barriers and challenges along her journey. “Financially, I did have the support in raising my baby. However it was mentally challenging due to poor family dynamics within the household and having to navigate my baby’s upbringing in an unhealthy household environment. Through these circumstances it gave me motivation to break a family cycle and the ability to have empathy for others,” Cerezo said.

According to the Maternal Child and Adolescent Health Division, in 2018 Latina women in California experienced perinatal symptoms of depression almost twice as often as white women –17.1% compared to 9.5% – yet are much less likely to access mental health treatment.

“After delivering my firstborn I did experience postpartum depression. Some of the symptoms I experienced, for example were, high and low moments, feeling sad and loneliness. I was able to overcome this moment in my life with the help of family and friends, who are my greatest support system,” Cerezo said.

Veronica Garcia, a mother of two experienced postpartum depression when she had her second child. “I was not aware that postpartum was happening, but after a couple of days, I started realizing that I was not feeling myself. I was very angry at myself but also felt a distance between me and my daughter and I didn't understand what was going on. It was very difficult due to that, breastfeeding was hard for me because I wasn't producing enough milk and I was just not well,” she said.

After two weeks Garcia’s husband had to return to work but she eventually asked him to stay the rest of the month to help with the recovery process because she felt like she couldn’t do it alone.

“I know it's sad to say this, but I didn't even want to see my daughter sometimes and now that I'm thinking and sitting back and remembering, I feel very guilty of not wanting to have my daughter around, and I wasn't mentally there,” she said. “It was very hard, I wish I would have gotten help maybe through therapy, but unfortunately, these things are very hard because when you have very low resources, therapy can be a bit expensive, but I think it would have helped me a lot.”

Cuara strongly believes that the main needs of the fourth trimester include:

·         Physical recovery: pain management, pelvic floor rehabilitation, rest, nutrition and medical follow-up.

·         Mental health: psychological support, emotional validation and peer networks.

·         Breastfeeding: guidance, flexibility, and specialized products.

·         Mother–baby bonding: skin-to-skin contact and time free from external pressures.

·         Social support: postpartum communities, family education and accessible resources.

·         Work and economic equity: adequate leave and flexible reintegration policies.

“We are entering a new era of corporate responsibility,” Cuara shared. “Supporting postpartum recovery not only improves mothers’ health, it strengthens families, communities and the economy.”

Additionally, a Misty Phases survey of 638 pregnant and postpartum women revealed that only 11% allocate between 26% and 50% of their preparation budget to postpartum recovery products. More than 54% spend less than 10% on their own care. And 58% consider it “very unlikely” to receive postpartum care products as gifts, compared to 42% who expect baby items.

“This shows that maternal recovery remains socially invisible to both industry and family,” explains Cuara. “All the attention goes to the baby, when there should be a 50/50 balance. A healthy mother ensures a healthy baby.”

Economic data also recently revealed a striking imbalance in how society values maternal versus infant care. According to the Dimension Market Research, in 2024 the U.S. baby products market reached an estimated $87.2 billion, while the postpartum care market totaled only $704.7 million, a 123-fold difference.

Although spending on baby products naturally extends over several years, Cuara points out that “the gap should not be this wide. Postpartum is often mistakenly perceived as a brief or secondary phase, when in fact, neglecting it can leave long-term consequences for mothers’ health.”

She emphasizes, “Postpartum recovery is not a luxury, it’s public health. Companies have both the responsibility and the opportunity to drive meaningful change in support of maternal well-being.”