In the previous article we congratulated and noted the committed advocates who kept our initiative – the passage of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act - at the forefront of their national platform.
But there is no doubt that the momentum created and sustained by so many dedicated bloggers and participants in social networking was also a major force in getting the legislation passed!
You know who you are out there… you were sought after by many in the mainstream media and legislators because they knew your voices were heard! You CAN raise or lower the pulse of American women by your writings and advocacy encouragement!
The powerful communities utilized passionate, virtual microphones with consistent communications to women, healthcare professionals and organizations. Through social networking and blogging, unprecedented informational access was given to constituents all across America from the consumer and clinical worlds.
Many blogs and social networking sites offered links to key articles and emerging research, providing consumers with relevant information so they could make informed choices about support of the legislation.
Women have always been natural networkers but, the internet has provided an expedient lightening forum for these talented women to further educate and enlighten their readers. They've made a huge difference with the publication of each blog and the supportive clicks of the mouse they generate.
Bloggers and social networkers provided a galvanizing forum for the mother’s story of postpartum depression - without which passions and hearts remain untouched.
As the new stars of the internet phenomena, your passion and talent is sought after by traditional media outlets who bow to the size and scope of your audiences. Thousands of people follow you on Twitter and Facebook. Thousands of people bookmark favorite blogs, which become daily news outlets and sometimes replace traditional print media as preferred news sources.
No one can afford to ignore the power of the virtual soapbox anymore, especially when it comes to women’s issues! Those who seek an audience for their viewpoint, product or service must acknowledge and solicit leading bloggers and social networking sites to be sure their messages are heard.
How fortunate that postpartum depression legislation attracted the attention and power of many women on the forefront of this new context for communication!
This week, we honor YOUR efforts which led to furthering support and passage of the legislation and development of the petition which was regularly reviewed by legislators, advocates, decision makers and even Quinnipiac pollsters! A petition which will continue to grow and remain online until the bill is funded and implemented in every state! THANK YOU LADIES (and gentlemen).
By your sustained efforts you have helped create a new reality for women’s mental health!
If I have missed your blog or other online effort you made in support of The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act, please send it to me and I will gladly add it to the Honor Role of Blogs and Social Networkers who helped pass The Melanie Blocker Stokes MOTHERS Act!
Katherine Stone at Postpartum Progress
Sylvia Lasalandra at a Daughter's Touch
Tom Davis at Coping With Life
Brian Shanahan at MediSpin
Ivy Shih Leung at Ivy's PPD Blog
Theresa Borchard at Beyond Blue
Lauren Hale at Unexpected Blessings
Karen Kleiman at the Postpartum Stress Center
Cheryl Jazzar at her blog
Lisa Stone, Jory Des Jardins, Elisa Camahort at BlogHer
Kristin Davis at PPD Survivor
Shoshanna Bennett at Dr. Shosh!
And myself at www.perinatalpro.com/todaydblog.php on this website and at Empowher.
Listed below are others who participated in Blog Day for the MOTHERS Act and kept the issue alive in their forums! You can catch the live links to all these blogs on Katherine's site.
• So Sioux Me
• Dawn's Recipes
• Momsquawk
• Beyond Blue
• The Well Mom
• Flamingo House Happenings
• Parentopia
• Unexpected Blessing
• The Silent I
• Binary Blonde
• The Chronicles of Munchkin Land
• BlogHer
• The Maha Blog
• Pundit Mom
• Fertility Stories
• Kari's Couch
• Stella Family Update
• Ask Moxie
• Long Noodle
• You Shall Above All
• Been There
• Empty Wound Hopeful Heart
• Go-Go Mommy
• We All Fall Down
• DC Metro Moms Blog
• The Hatfields
• Adoptionblogs.com: Birth-First Parent Blog
• 5 Resolutions
• Viva La Feminista
• Chicago Moms Blog
• The Gus Stop
• Spin Me I Pulsate
• Welcome to My Brain
• Maternally Challenged
• Earth Change
• Postpartum Mental Illness Yahoo! Group
• SoCal Mom
• My Life With Mr. Rogers
• All of My Days
• Life Outside the Box
• The Integrated Mother
• The Mummy Chronicles
• Shelly Says
• Boogiemum
• Mom of 3 Girls
• Life After Baby
• Healthy Concerns
• Pop Consumer
• Ruta Nonacs: A Deeper Shade of Blue
• Surfette
• Growing A Life
• Central Sanity
• ShortWoman
• Women 4 Hope
• The Dana Files
• Center for Women's Mental Health Blog
• martinimade
• This Full House
• Motherscribe
• Don't Try This At Home
• Not Calm (dot com)
• Boston Mamas
• The Modern Woman's Divorce Guide
• Work It, Mom!
• PPD Survivor
• The Fish Pond
• Sofia's Diary
• The Online PPD Support Group
• Ask Dr. Manny (FOX)
• Amazing Instant
• Surrender, Dorothy
• Silicon Valley Moms Blog
• Sarah and the Goon Squad!
• Strollerderby
• Is America Burning
• Moms Speak Up
• Babylune
• Strollerderby: Armchair Activism
• The Postpartum Stress Center
• MamasInk
• Marriage, Stillbirth & Infant Loss Blog Directory
• Tough Like A Creampuff
• http://fasttimes.clubmom.com/fast_times/2007/10/blog-day-for-th.html
• Vevz
• My Om Page
• Mountain Momma
• My Scrapbook Life
• The Political Voices of Women
• Disguised Blessings
• The Toddler Reality Show
• The Huffington Post
• Roc Rebel Granny
• Renton Kidspot
• MacEwan
• O for Obsessive
• Pretty Babies
• Odd Time Signatures
• Mom's Tinfoil Hat
• A Girl's Gotta Spa
• Claire Bear
• Not That I Don't Love My Kids
• Silicon Valley Moms Blog: Beth B
• Silicon Valley Moms Blog: Mommaof1
• Skeet's Stuff
• ifferjen's blog
• Tumble Dry
• Coping With Life (follow up story)
• A Mile in My Berks
• Nickie's Nook
• Do the Yak
• Mrs. Flinger
• Club Mom: Mom's Daily Dose
• Amerimama
• Deep Muck Big Rake
• Blondie At the Bar
• Screamy Thing
• VDog and Little Man
• A Piece of My Mind
• hip Mama
• LaurieWrites
• The Happy Geek
• Wendy's Thoughts About Anything and Everything
• The Daily Court
• Missives from Suburbia
• Trenches of Mommyhood
• Daring Young Mom
• Kovixen
• I Hate Snaps
• Minivan Bohemian
• A Daughter's Touch
• Managing Life Transitions
Congratulations! Keep the pressure on until every state in the union implements PPD programs available to all mothers in their communities.