Being a mother is setting out on a complex yet beautiful journey of learning and unlearning not only as a woman but also as an individual, parent, and primary caregiver.
To many women, the news of motherhood brings about feelings of unbridled joy, anticipation, nervousness, and excitement for the new arrival. But this complex mix of emotions can sometimes become too intense and overwhelming.
Unexpectedly, the prospect of being a mother might cause you to feel fear and anxiety. Or, you might feel helpless and unable to connect with your baby. You might even be struggling to stay afloat with these newfound responsibilities.
If this resonates with you, know that you’re not alone. These emotions are more common than people realise, and certainly not a sign of failure.
I’m Dr Sonney Gullu-McPhee, a Clinical Psychologist, ISST-Certified Advanced Schema Therapist, and a mum who understands how truly overwhelming pregnancy, motherhood, and postpartum life can be. Offering support and a non-judgemental space for you to talk about your feelings, my therapy for mums can be conducted in person or online.
Join me as I explore the 6 ways therapy supports women going through various pregnancy, post-partum, and motherhood struggles.
The Multiple Motherhood Challenges Women Face
Motherhood and the road leading to it can be a struggle, and too many new mums face various challenges in pregnancy and after childbirth (post-partum) in silence.
These challenges include:
During Pregnancy
Dealing with Complications
For some women, pregnancy can be fraught with health complications, which can take a toll on them physically and mentally. Moreover, it’s especially challenging and stressful for women who have experienced a pregnancy loss earlier while managing their current pregnancy.
Physical Inconveniences
During pregnancy, women’s bodies undergo a significant transformation, causing physical inconveniences such as fatigue, back pain, swelling, skin conditions, morning sickness/ nausea and vomiting.
After Childbirth
Breastfeeding Challenges
Many new mothers struggle with breastfeeding their babies due to latching difficulties, low milk supply, and sore nipples. While these challenges may go away with time, they can leave new mums overly stressed.
Physical Recovery
Recovery from childbirth takes time, and most postpartum mothers have to deal with discomfort, healing wounds, and regaining strength. This can leave them overwhelmed along with the emotional challenges that come as a new mum.
Feeling Isolated
As a new mum, you’ll likely spend most of your time at home looking after your baby, inviting a feeling of loneliness and being cut off from the rest of the world.
Sleep Deprivation
You may feel perpetually sleep-deprived because of your newborn’s irregular sleep patterns and waking up for feeds multiple times during the night. While lack of sleep may seem like the norm for new mothers, without the right support, you may feel exhausted and overwhelmed with fatigue and irritability.
Common Struggles
Managing Emotions
Both pregnancy and postpartum periods can bring on a rollercoaster of emotions. During pregnancy, hormonal changes bring about mood swings and stress in mothers-to-be, while new mums feel sad, anxious and irritable with hormonal changes, fatigue, and the overwhelming responsibility of taking care of a newborn.
Coping with Unsolicited Advice
Whether you’re an expecting mum or a new mother, you can’t escape unsolicited advice on everything. While some advice can be helpful, others can seem unnecessary or overwhelming adding to your stress levels.
Managing Expectations
The realities of being a mum can be far different from expectations set by society and media, as every woman’s journey is unique. Often these expectations can weigh down on your mental health and well-being.
If you’re struggling through any of these challenges, remember that you’re most definitely not alone. Therapy can be your support and guide through each of these challenges.
How Therapy for Mums Can Help
Perinatal is the period from the time a woman becomes pregnant up to a year after giving birth. This time is crucial for mothers-to-be and new mums as it brings about physical and hormonal changes that can lead to unique mental health challenges, such as anxiety, depression, and chronic stress.
I’m a psychologist and a therapist for new mothers, offering the support you need through every key phase – from the emotional changes in pregnancy to the potential challenges of postpartum depression. Through my bespoke therapy for mums and mums-to-be, I can help you navigate through this overwhelming yet rewarding phase of your life.
Here’s what you can expect from my sessions:
1. A Safe Space to Speak Your Mind
Therapy can be a safe space for you to openly express your fears, anxieties, and concerns about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting. In my sessions, I invite you to speak freely and honestly about the feelings and emotions you’re experiencing without any judgment or fear. My therapy space is your safe space to speak the “unspeakable”.
2. Bond with Your Baby Better
Therapy during pregnancy can help you strengthen the bond between you and your baby. In my therapy sessions, I can prepare you for what emotions, feelings, and challenges lie ahead as a mother and a parent.
3. Processing Birth Experiences
If your birth experience didn’t turn out the way you wanted to and you need to process those emotions, I can help. My therapy for mums can help you develop effective ways to process the flurry of emotions during birth and the stress and helplessness brought about in those initial days with your newborn. I employ various mindfulness, deep breathing and relaxation techniques to help you stay grounded and manage your emotions.
4. Adjust to A New Life After Birth
Postnatal depression can leave you feeling disconnected from everything: your baby, your partner, and your emotions. My therapy for mums can help you process these feelings and gently transition into your role as a new mother and parent. You’ll learn how to manage the emotions, stress, and anxiety, and start to feel more like yourself.
5. Process Birth Trauma
I can help you process unaddressed birth trauma with therapy during pregnancy. Therapy with me can help you with ways to move on without affecting your next pregnancy.
6. Embrace Your New Identity
Learn to shun the internal critic that makes you feel like a failure. Whether you’re struggling during pregnancy or going through postpartum depression, my therapy sessions bring compassion and empathy to the parenting experience helping both you and your baby.
Contact Dr McPhee for Bespoke Therapy for Mums
As a psychologist and a therapist for new mothers, I can be your guide through embracing this life-changing journey of being a mother. Through my sessions, you receive the help and support you need to manage your anxieties, fears, and self-doubt that may come in the way of embracing motherhood to the fullest.
I am Dr Sonney Gullu-McPhee, a clinical psychologist with a doctorate in clinical psychology. I have extensive training and experience in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Schema Therapy, Compassion Focused Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Emotion Focused Therapy. As your therapist, I can guide you to weave through whatever motherhood challenges you face with complete confidence.
If you’re a new mum who needs help, feel free to reach out to me for a 15-minute free consultation by call, email, or by filling out a form.