Devastating reason for new Mother's Day email trend

A mum’s devastating experience has highlighted the importance of a new trend that Aussies have noticed in the lead-up to this Mother’s Day.

A mum has shared her devastating story ahead of Mother’s Day.

An Aussie mum’s devastating experience after giving birth has highlighted the importance of a new email trend that Aussies have noticed for Mother’s Day this year.

In the lead up to May 12, a number of companies are now offering customers the option to opt-out of receiving email communications and reminders leading up to Mother’s Day.

The companies sending the emails say this is because it is aware some find receiving these reminders difficult to face.

This is because Mother’s Day can affect people in different ways.

Rochelle Evrard was 39 weeks pregnant when she gave birth to her baby girl, Milli Rose Remidy Evrard on July 14, 2023.

Ms Evrard and husband Dylan — who live on the Gold Coast — packed a pink fluffy jumpsuit into their hospital bag, excited to dress Milli in her first official outfit.

Rochelle describes her husband Dylan as " the baby whisperer" who's always "making everyone happy". Picture: Supplied.

“I birthed her in a planned caesarean and we didn’t know anything was wrong with her at first,” Ms Evrard said.

After she was born, Milli was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease, Nemaline myopathy (NM). It’s a condition that affects the development of skeletal muscles.

“So in utero, she didn’t grow muscles, essentially, and her bones didn’t strengthen, they actually broke both of her arms and both of her legs when they delivered her,” Ms Evrard said.

Praising the staff for their overall support and efforts, Ms Evrard said because Milli was undiagnosed at the time of birth, the delivery of her baby girl was not “super gentle”.

“The poor little thing, her whole body was like a little mummified body. It was all bandaged up and she couldn’t move,” she said.

The couple spent the next six days with their daughter at Mater Hospital in Brisbane, before taking her off life support.

“We would tickle her belly or her face and her little toes would move or her fingers would move,” she said.

In her final moments, the new parents were given time to have skin-on-skin contact with Milli.

New mum Rochelle Evrard was able to have skin on skin contact with her daughter before life support was turned off. Picture: Supplied.

First time parents, Rochelle and Dylan said they were not prepared to say goodbye to their baby daughter, Milli, six days after she was born. Picture: Heartfelt Organisation.

“They gave us one full day with her and we got to invite some family up from New South Wales. We got to have our first hold on that day, skin-to-skin,” Ms Evrard said.

New Mother’s Day email trend

Ms Evrard’s devastating story is one that is a painful reminder of what Mother’s Day means based on your lived experiences.

In the lead up to Mother’s Day this year, Aussies have noticed a number of companies who are now offering customers the option to opt-out of receiving email communications and reminders.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia, one of the nation’s most trusted conservation organisations, is among those leading the change.

Members of the charity were sent an email earlier this week, with the option to stop receiving emails in relation to Mother’s Day.

The email said anyone who chose to opt-out of the celebratory emails would still receive future correspondence from the organisation.

Companies have started asking whether customers want to opt out of Mother’s Day content.

The day is tough for some.

Head of Supporter Mobilisation at WWF Australia, Rachael Lance said part of her job is to create a space where supporters of the charity feel listened to and comfortable.

“Some of our supporters had shared that it (Mother’s Day) was a difficult time for them and they were finding receiving these reminders difficult to face,” she said.

Ms Lance said it was a way the WWF could help “personalise” people’s experience with the organisation.

WWF Australia trialled a similar move for Father’s Day last year and said it was successful.

It recorded almost 3,500 members choosing to opt-out of Mother’s Day communications and more than 6,000 for Father’s Day.

“It (the numbers) clearly demonstrates that it’s relevant for some people,” Ms Lance said.

Ms Evrard said the approach companies were taking is a welcomed one for some mums.

Rochelle Evrard holds her “Milli doll” that weighs the same as her daughter at birth. “Milli doll” is dressed in the pink jumpsuit. Picture: Wilde Collaborative Photography.

In her conversations with other mothers through support groups for those who are grieving the loss of a child, they still want to hear their child’s name and encouraged friends and family to not be “afraid to check in” on Mother’s Day.

“I think acknowledging their child is the biggest thing. We are thinking about our babies 24/7. They want their child’s name to live on and to know you’re thinking about them,” Ms Evrard said.

Ms Lance said WWF Australia has continued to receive a positive response from members, with many reaching out to thank them for their “empathetic and sensible approach”.

“I just wanted to say thank you for sending this email, and thinking about the fact that Mother’s Day (and Father’s Day) isn’t necessarily a happy time for everyone,” one WWF Australia member wrote.

“I just wanted to say that I really appreciated the email asking me if I wanted to be opted out of mother’s day. Thank you for having this sensitivity to others; it is a very hard time of year for me,” another member said.

Newly weds, Mr and Mrs Everard capture the moment they surprised friends and family at their wedding with a gender reveal when Rochelle was 22 weeks pregnant. Picture: Wilde Collaborative Photography.

Cyberpsychology and Digital Wellbeing expert, Jocelyn Brewer, said she believes the approach WWF Australia are taking is a “cool” one.

“There’s increasing awareness of how valuable a potential client’s email address is and the need to send intentional, relevant marketing material that is sensitive to the client/customers,” she said.

Ms Brewer said while this was the first time she had heard of the option to stop receiving emails for an occasion like Mother’s Day, she was in support of it.

“There’s a huge array of human experiences and our relationship to our parents, loss of our parents and relationship to being (or not being) a parent,” she said.

Ms Brewer also said she believes organisations are starting to listen to consumers’ feedback by no longer “spamming” people and respecting their inbox.