These Iowa women are creating social outlets for moms who feel isolated

• "You get to that point, you're just overwhelmed, you're tired, you're exhausted and you don't really feel like you're going anywhere," Merritt says.

How it started: The idea sparked after both women knew moms who died by suicide last year.

• O'Connor learned about a former student who died by suicide and was seven months postpartum.
• Merritt's neighbor died by suicide, as well as the mother of her daughter's preschool best friend.
• "It was all happening within a year," O'Connor says. "We just thought, 'This can be prevented.'"

State of play: O'Connor joined Merritt, a nutritionist and personal trainer, in starting TogetHER last year.

• The goal is to give moms a space to make friends and find support, whether they're in crisis or just need to vent.

Zoom in: TogetHER hosts free events, including monthly park meetups, family-friendly hikes and moms-only yoga and kickboxing.

• They also invite guest speakers to lead on topics like postpartum depression and birth trauma.

What's next: People interested in attending an event can find their social calendar on Facebook or Instagram.

The big picture: They acknowledge facing some hurdles, especially when it comes to encouraging mothers to leave their kids for a little bit or going solo to an event.

• But they want moms to take time for themselves
• "You're still a whole person even though you're a mom," Merritt says. "Outside of being a mom, what is your purpose, what's driving you, what's filling up your happiness cup?"

Also, the CDC offers mental health resources for moms, including calling or texting 988, a crisis line.

• You can also call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA, a confidential hotline for pregnant women and new moms.