MamaMode

A late-night text from an exhausted mom, reaching out for assistance
An immediate response from MamaMode that acknowledges her exhaustion, reassures her, and offers simple, safe next steps.

Inspiration: At 3 a.m., when a baby is crying, and you have not slept in days, you are not looking for an app. You are not looking for a login screen or a long article to read. You just want someone to say, “You’re doing okay. Take a breath with me.”

Perinatal depression affects about 1 in 7 birthing people, yet so many struggle quietly. Between exhaustion, stigma, and the overwhelming amount of information online, reaching out for help can feel like one more impossible task.

So we asked a simpler question:

What if getting support felt like calling your mom?

MamaMode is a voice and text companion that you can reach in the middle of the night. No accounts. No setup. Just a number you can text or call. It listens. It reassures. And when needed, it gently points you toward real, local postpartum support.

Because when everything feels overwhelming, reaching out for support should not be.

What It Does:

MamaMode allows new moms to: Text a number and receive compassionate AI responses Call and hear a calming voice respond in real time Receive location-based postpartum resources Get both emotional validation and practical help It combines emotional intelligence with real-world retrieval, not just chatbot responses.

How We Built It:

MamaMode is a multimodal AI agent powered by:
Gemini 2.5 Flash for triage and conversational response generation
Twilio SMS and voice call handling
ElevenLabs realistic text-to-speech voice output
Snowflake structured postpartum resource database
Node.js + TypeScript + Express Backend orchestration

Tech Flow: 1) User sends SMS or calls. 2) Input is sent to Gemini for triage. 3) If resources are needed, a Snowflake query retrieves relevant local support. 4) Gemini synthesizes emotional + informational response. 5) For voice calls, ElevenLabs generates speech. 6) Twilio delivers the response back to the user.

Challenges We Faced:

Handling Gemini rate limits and quota errors
Snowflake IP access and token security configuration
Designing prompts that balance empathy with safety
Preventing voice calls from ending prematurely
Orchestrating multiple APIs in real time without latency issues

Why It Matters:

When you are exhausted, overwhelmed, or barely holding it together, even small steps can feel impossible.

Looking up resources. Filling out forms. Creating accounts. Explaining your story again. Support should not feel like work.

MamaMode exists to make that first step easier. No setup. No pressure. Just someone there when you need to talk and guidance when you are ready for it.

Because when everything feels overwhelming, asking for support should not.