Support group for mums – pregnancy and the first year after birth

The perinatal period is the biggest psychological upheaval in a woman’s life: hormones, lack of sleep, a new identity, a changing relationship with her partner, the pressure to be a “good enough mother” – all at once. Up to 8 in 10 mums experience the baby blues, and around 1 in 5-7 develop postnatal depression. Even so, most women suffer in silence, because “surely I should be happy”.

A support group led by a psychologist combines two things: professional help (recognising when tiredness is still normal and when it is the start of depression; techniques for coping with anxiety and overload) and an honest community of mums with whom you can say “forbidden” things out loud: that it is sometimes boring, that you miss your old life, that you do sometimes get angry with your baby. This honesty heals.

You can bring your baby to the in-person sessions. The group does not replace treatment for postnatal depression – if the initial conversation shows a need for it, we will also help arrange an individual or psychiatric consultation.