‘No Country for Mothers’ screening sparks conversation about motherhood at Riverdale Neighborhood House

Mothers and women’s health advocates gathered at Riverdale Neighborhood House Nov. 5 to discuss the challenges of motherhood, from the rising cost of child care and limited support systems to the physical and emotional demands placed on women nationwide.

Organized by local mother Gina Baranski, the event featured a screening of the documentary “No Country for Mothers,” followed by a panel discussion on the societal expectations, economic pressures and health disparities affecting American moms.

For Baranski, a mother of two, the evening was also an opportunity to address the isolation that can accompany raising children.

“Motherhood can be really lonely,” Baranski said. “Often you’re pumping in a closet or at a party, you’re breastfeeding your baby away from everybody because your baby can’t handle the commotion of the party, and so you miss out on so many moments.”

Directed by Raeshem Nijhon, “No Country for Mothers” follows activist Reshma Saujani as she examines the lack of structural support for mothers in the United States. Through interviews and historical footage, the documentary explores how decades of political and cultural debates have divided women over traditional gender roles, often framing motherhood as a choice between professional ambition and raising children at home.

Saujani argues that those divisions distract from challenges shared by mothers across the political spectrum, including inadequate paid family leave, unaffordable child care and the unequal distribution of household responsibilities.

The panel discussion following the screening also addressed the physical and emotional toll of motherhood, including women’s health concerns that often receive little attention.

Rosana De La Cruz, a holistic endocrinologist and founder of the Riverdale Holistic Center, said mothers’ medical needs are frequently overlooked, particularly as they navigate hormonal changes throughout their lives.

“I would say the biggest change I would want to see in women’s health is the care for the woman,” De La Cruz, whose practice focuses on reproductive health, said. “A lot of us go into motherhood depleted of nutrients, and then we’re expected to grow a whole human for nine months, so support before, during and after.”

She said those concerns do not end after childbirth. Women who have children in their late 20s or early 30s may begin experiencing perimenopause by the time their children reach adolescence, bringing additional tolls on body and mind.

Conditions such as endometriosis, fibroids and heavy menstrual bleeding can also compound the physical demands of motherhood, she said, underscoring the need for greater awareness not just among healthcare providers, but employers setting paid family leave policies too.

Desi J. Robinson, a doula community liaison with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, said improving maternal care also requires addressing racial and economic inequalities.

Robinson, who teaches community and public health, pointed to the disproportionate challenges women of color face in accessing maternal healthcare, arguing that efforts to improve outcomes should prioritize historically marginalized communities.

“If we look at who is suffering the most, who has been the most marginalized, who suffers from economic despair, who suffers from redlining and Jim Crow, and all of the things that are really stains on this country, we would begin to heal,” Robinson said.

The emotional impact of motherhood was another concern raised, particularly the pressure women face to balance their responsibilities without sacrificing their personal wellbeing.

Mothers often struggle to find time for themselves amid the demands of parenting, work and managing a household, said Holly Culbreth, a Los Angeles entrepreneur and founder of the nonprofit Greener Thumb. Her organization offers free relaxation exercises designed to help women incorporate brief moments of mindfulness into their daily routines.

Culbreth described a familiar scenario — a mother takes her child to the playground but remains mentally occupied with a long list of tasks, dinner preparations, household chores and unanswered emails among them.

“We all need to take that little bit of time every single day to show up the way that we want to, as moms, as women, as CEOs, as community members,” Culbreth said.

She also encouraged women to respect the different choices mothers make about their careers, families and personal lives, rather than judging those whose circumstances or priorities differ from their own.

While the documentary called for broader policy changes, particularly universal child care and longer paid family leave, panelists emphasized that supporting mothers also requires stronger community connections, beginning with everyday interactions that help women feel less isolated.

De La Cruz encouraged women to check on one another beyond the usual questions about children, work and family responsibilities.

“Sometimes, just connection at the same park we bring our kids,” she said. “That’s one of the biggest things I believe is missing. Just really having the community.”

For Baranski, putting on gatherings for others like her has already become a source of purpose and connection.

“Organizing these events for moms in our community has given me a new lease on life myself,” she said.