Maternity leave can be a real mishmash of emotions, with a huge learning curve while you have responsibility of a new human.
For some women it is an enjoyable time of new friends and activities, a welcome time out from work. For others it is a lonely and isolating time. Not everyone enjoys the social side of maternity leave, some groups can feel cliquey, there is no mum tribe and the days can be long.
Partners can work long hours or work away or you may be doing this on your own without a partner.
On one hand it can be fantastic to spend this time with your baby, watching them grow and develop. It can be magical.
But mixed in with that can be the long days, always learning how to meet the needs of your baby, always being on-call for your baby and it can feel like ground-hog day. And there are the days when your baby just needs to cling, when your baby is unsettled and when you are all out of ideas and energy.
And then there’s also the judgement and comments that can come with motherhood, the comparisons, the guilt, the worry about getting it wrong.
It’s no wonder that some mums on maternity leave can also feel low and anxious.
Maternity leave can be a real mix of ups and downs, even if your baby is ‘easy’.
This can be the reality of maternity leave and as a postnatal practitioner I am passionate about providing ongoing support and reassurance for mums on maternity leave.
My postnatal sessions are about having a safe place to talk and ask questions, to be listened to, to share, to offload and to be boosted. I run am informal weekly session for parents across Tyneside but I am also introducing a weekly Zoom session for mums everywhere.
And please do read and take part in the Being Mum project, a collection of anonymous experiences about pregnancy, birth and being a mum.
an antenatal and postnatal specialist
My face-to-face consultations are ideal for parents across Newcastle & Tyneside. With Zoom sessions, I work with parents and families everywhere.
How can I help you?