Our Mission
Faces of Postpartum is a catalog of words, images, films, and resources for and from all parents: biological, adoptive, surrogate, or those who carried a little angel.
It is a project that sometimes speaks of anxiety and distress, but also of great joys and small miracles.
The term postpartum deserves better than referring solely to depression. Being postpartum is a universal period shared by millions, with its unique and (im)perfect variations.
The objective of this project is to offer a safe space for every person who carried a child (to term or not), and/or adopted, to come together and open up about a wide variety of topics: parenthood, gender, race, class, sexuality, feeding, abortion, relationship, birth, adoption, near-miss experiences, disability, mental health, illness, and loss.
Because in the end, we are all in this together.
“ Being postpartum is a universal period shared by millions. Postpartum people deserve to be seen. They deserve to be heard.”
— Ariane Audet, Founder
Our Founder
Hi, I’m Ariane.
It’s me, over there in the picture.
I am a writer, documentary photographer, and the founder of Faces of Postpartum.
On my left is my first child, Lou. The project of Faces of Postpartum grew in my mind on one particularly challenging postpartum night, days before I checked myself into the Perinatal and Mood disorder psychiatric unit at UNC where I was treated for severe postpartum depression and anxiety.
There, I thrived with the help of wonderful doctors and amazing nurses. I finally had found a space where I could tell my story and be heard. When I was released, I embarked on a journey where I had to learn how to trust others and to care for myself. I was supported every step of the way by family, friends, and professionals.
Armed with the belief that storytelling can heal and change the world, I promised myself to one day create a community that would support and acknowledge postpartum people with the same respect and kindness that I had received as I was slowly learning how to become a mother.