Shows
Perinatal Stories Australia47 | Rachel - pregnancy, depression, anxiety, medication, psychiatry, talk therapy, community mental health teamAs a paramedic, Rachel spent many years supporting others through medical and mental health emergencies. And although she was trained to recognise the signs of mental ill health in others, it was something she never imagined she would experience herself - that is, until she fell pregnant.
Known for being someone who doesn’t cry, Rachel was unexpectedly confronted by crippling anxiety, an overwhelming sadness, uncontrollable sobbing, and a paralysing sense of hopelessness that didn’t go away until her daughter was born. For the ‘helper’ who usually looks after others, she was left feeling disoriented.
In th...2025-07-0659 min
The Motherwhelm38 Ariane Beeston | Motherhood | author, postpartum psychosis survivor, perinatal mental health advocate, recovery, storytelling, creativity, identityIn the thirty-eighth episode of The Motherwhelm, I am joined by Ariane Beeston - a postpartum psychosis survivor, perinatal mental health advocate, trained psychologist, and author of the powerful memoir, 'Because I’m Not Myself, You See: A Memoir of Motherhood, Madness, and Coming Back From the Brink.'We talk about the unraveling and the rebuilding. The silence surrounding maternal mental illness. And how writing her memoir became part of the healing process - not just for her, but for the countless women who see themselves reflected in her story.This is a conversation ab...2025-06-121h 32Perinatal Stories Australia46 | Lisa - depression, PTSD, rage, insomnia, talk therapy, EMDR, IFS, meditation, neurofeedback, Maternal JournalTrauma isn’t always about what happened - sometimes it’s about what didn’t.
Lisa already felt anxious and lonely navigating pregnancy, birth, and postpartum in a new country without the safety net of family or maternity care in her mother tongue. But this sense of isolation was only compounded by the absence of safety, connection, and support when Lisa’s newborn was rushed away to the special care nursery without explanation, leaving her alone for hours.
With her concerns about her baby’s reflux dismissed for weeks, access to a mother’s group denied becau...2025-06-011h 01Perinatal Stories Australia45 | Amber-Lee - PTSD, anxiety, depression, rage, birth trauma, talk therapy, helplines, group therapy, breathwork, EMDR, Women's CirclesWhen Amber-Lee found herself unexpectedly pregnant, she knew life was about to change - but nothing could have prepared her for the profound impact that a complicated pregnancy, birth, and postpartum period would have on her mental health.
In this powerful episode, I’m joined by Amber-Lee from @thepowerofbirth and host of Can We Talk About This? who candidly shares her personal experience of perinatal mental ill health with unflinching honesty. From two unexpected pregnancies to the debilitating effects of hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), birth trauma, PTSD, rage, depression, and anxiety - no part of her experience is of...2025-05-181h 02Perinatal Stories Australia44 | Natalie - insomnia, anxiety, quasi-hallucination, CATT, medication, psychiatric ward, hypnotherapy, Hospital in the home (HITH), MBU, talk therapyJust when she thought the debilitating anxiety of her pregnancy was behind her, Natalie found herself pushed to the brink by insomnia. What began as ten sleepless nights quickly unravelled into terrifying hallucinations and inescapable panic that she would never be able to sleep again.
In this raw and deeply moving episode, we sit with Natalie for part two of her story as she reveals the emotional toll of sleep deprivation and divulges one of the most vulnerable moments of her life: the unexpected mental health crisis she faced in early postpartum.
With heart-wrenching honesty...2025-05-0455 minPerinatal Stories Australia43 | Natalie - pregnancy, anxiety, insomnia, quasi-hallucination, Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT)Like so many of us with antenatal anxiety, Natalie downplayed her symptoms and clung to the belief that she would find relief from the all-consuming worry and insomnia when her baby was finally in her arms. But instead of finding relief after birth, Natalie’s symptoms only grew stronger.
In this heartfelt episode, Natalie shares in excruciating detail the messiness of mental health during pregnancy and recounts how a flare of her pre-existing autoimmune disease and a ‘high-risk’ label only fuelled her tireless need for reassurance: fixating on the baby’s movements, counting down the days until the next...2025-04-2057 minPerinatal Stories Australia42 | Kristy - depression, birth trauma, anxiety, history of mental ill health, ADHD, medication, GP, talk therapy, psychiatryWhenever Kristy struggled with anxiety or depression in the past, she coped by keeping herself busy. Even when she endured years and years of IVF and ICSI, she coped by keeping herself busy. But when she experienced birth trauma and a sudden decline in her mental health during postpartum, none of her previous coping mechanisms could be relied on.
Instead of throwing herself into exercising three times a day, working on weekends, starting projects, learning a new skill, doing puzzles, building Lego, or reading, Kristy was confronted by the stillness of motherhood. Then, after nine months of...2025-04-061h 03Perinatal Stories Australia41 | Chloe - melancholic depression, anxiety, birth trauma, insomnia, history of mental ill health, MBU, ECT, medication, psychiatry, talk therapyIt’s nearly impossible to think about Chloe’s story without thinking about all the places where she navigated the worst of her anxiety and melancholic depression: the hospital where she was left parenting in a traumatised body after a retained placenta; the inner-city Sydney suburb where, shockingly, she could not access any maternity support services; her in-law’s house on the other side of Sydney where she moved to create a village but could not sleep; and the local esplanade where she pushed the pram and fought against her suicidal ideation every day. That’s not even mentioning the emer...2025-03-2352 minPerinatal Stories Australia40 | Dayna - birth trauma, PTSD, D-MER, anxiety, panic attacks, talk therapy, medicationDayna’s story really gives meaning to the phrase one thing after another.
When she birthed her son, there was no golden hour or newborn bubble, which is something she’s still grieving. Instead, there was an emergency c-section, a dystonic reaction, mistreatment from hospital staff, over 30 hours of separation from her baby, and a special care nursery admission, not to mention flashbacks, anxiety, panic attacks, rage, and hypervigilance.
More curveballs only compounded this trauma in the form of dysphoric milk ejection reflex (D-MER), ongoing physical pain, cow’s milk protein allergy, a six-month waitlist to see...2025-03-091h 20Perinatal Stories Australia39 | Chloe - postpartum psychosis, mania, insomnia, depression, medication, PIMHS, psychiatry, talk therapy, occupational therapy, FB support groups, virtual mum's groupWith a family history of postpartum depression, Chloe thought she knew what signs and symptoms to look out for when it came to perinatal mental illness. But, as she says, she didn’t know about the ‘opposite side’.
Immediately after birth, Chloe couldn’t sleep, and within five days, she was experiencing a psychotic episode - or what she calls, ‘the crash’. Like clockwork, the same thing happened within five days of her second birth.
In this episode, Tassie mum of two, Chloe, vividly recounts the insomnia, euphoria, mania, hallucinations, and delusions that consumed her early postpa...2025-02-2359 min
Navigating OCDRebeccas Story: Navigating Perinatal OCD & Maternal Mental HealthI’m so excited about today’s episode because it’s the first time I have a guest joining me—and it’s a really important conversation.
Today, I’m talking with Rebecca from Perinatal Stories Australia. Rebecca has created an incredible platform for sharing real and raw experiences of perinatal mental health struggles. We dive into her journey, the impact of perinatal OCD and what real support looks like for parents navigating these challenges.
This is such an important topic, and I can’t wait for you to hear our discussion.
If you’re looking for more support, you can sign up for...2025-02-231h 05Perinatal Stories Australia38 | Sophie - depression, psychosis, psychiatric hospital, MBU, medication, TMS, Circle of SecurityThere are SO many parts of Sophie’s story that I want to emphasise. Like how depression made Sophie feel so numb that she didn’t know what to say when a nurse asked her if she loved her daughter. Or like how intrusive thoughts made her feel so scared that she didn’t want to go near her baby. Or like how the symptoms of psychosis made her feel so confused that her husband had to write her detailed instructions to be able to shower. Or like how she panicked, instead of celebrated, when her ‘involuntary’ label was lifted in...2025-02-091h 07Perinatal Stories Australia37 | Sarah - anxiety, depression, insomnia, medication, social worker, PIMHS, MBU, Mum for Mum, FB GroupSarah put on a brave face for the first three months of Isla's life but behind closed doors, the all-consuming anxiety was only getting worse. It wasn't until her husband was home over Christmas that she could no longer hide the severity of the illness and she finally said 'I need serious help'.
Many things stand out to me about Sarah's story: the pervasive anxiety that invaded her early postpartum experience; the insomnia and inability to switch off that added to her stress; the eventual depression that overwhelmed her capacity to cope; and the challenges she faced...2025-01-261h 10Perinatal Stories Australia36 | Ariane - postpartum psychosis, hypomania, depression, MBU, psychiatric hospital, psychiatry, medicationFor over a year, Ariane hid the true severity of her symptoms and tried so hard to portray a choreographed image of the good, responsive mother who kept it all together. Motherhood was the performance of her life… until it wasn't.
The stage makeup and sparkles fell away when her symptoms escalated and she had to be admitted to a general psychiatric hospital. Ariane had to finally step out of the spotlight and allow her psychiatrist to take the lead, but this is when she was able to recover.
In this episode we discuss all th...2024-06-0252 minPerinatal Stories Australia36 | Ariane - postpartum psychosis, hypomania, depression, MBU, psychiatric hospital, psychiatry, medicationFor over a year, Ariane hid the true severity of her symptoms and tried so hard to portray a choreographed image of the good, responsive mother who kept it all together. Motherhood was the performance of her life… until it wasn't.
The stage makeup and sparkles fell away when her symptoms escalated and she had to be admitted to a general psychiatric hospital. Ariane had to finally step out of the spotlight and allow her psychiatrist to take the lead, but this is when she was able to recover.
In this episode we discuss all th...2024-06-0252 minPerinatal Stories Australia35 | Ariane - depression, postpartum psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, body image, medication, psychiatry, MBUWhen Ariane became a mother, it wasn’t just the sudden onset of delusions, hallucinations, and severe depression that haunted her early days of parenting. From body image triggers, the pervasive grip of perfectionism, the reluctance to seek help, and the fear of her son being forcibly removed, it was also Ariane’s complex history as a ballet dancer, case worker and registered psychologist that cast a long, dark shadow over her mental health in pregnancy and postpartum.
In this episode, I am joined by none other than Ariane Beeston, author of the newly released memoir Because I’m...2024-05-261h 05Perinatal Stories Australia35 | Ariane - depression, postpartum psychosis, delusions, hallucinations, body image, medication, psychiatry, MBUWhen Ariane became a mother, it wasn’t just the sudden onset of delusions, hallucinations, and severe depression that haunted her early days of parenting. From body image triggers, the pervasive grip of perfectionism, the reluctance to seek help, and the fear of her son being forcibly removed, it was also Ariane’s complex history as a ballet dancer, case worker and registered psychologist that cast a long, dark shadow over her mental health in pregnancy and postpartum.
In this episode, I am joined by none other than Ariane Beeston, author of the newly released memoir Because I’m...2024-05-261h 05Perinatal Stories Australia34 | Emma - OCD, depression, history of mental ill health, psychoeducation, talk therapy, medication
OCD had been part of Emma’s life for many years, although she just didn’t know it. Like for so many of us, her life-long OCD wasn’t picked up on until early motherhood, after two miscarriages and the birth of a premature baby during a pandemic lockdown.
In Emma’s words, “it awoke the OCD beast.”
This is one mother’s poignant story about the pain of loss, of experiencing depression and an OCD crisis in motherhood, the resulting shame and anger that came with the diagnosis, and the all-too-familiar lengthy and financial barriers encou...2024-05-1941 minPerinatal Stories Australia34 | Emma - OCD, depression, history of mental ill health, psychoeducation, talk therapy, medication
OCD had been part of Emma’s life for many years, although she just didn’t know it. Like for so many of us, her life-long OCD wasn’t picked up on until early motherhood, after two miscarriages and the birth of a premature baby during a pandemic lockdown.
In Emma’s words, “it awoke the OCD beast.”
This is one mother’s poignant story about the pain of loss, of experiencing depression and an OCD crisis in motherhood, the resulting shame and anger that came with the diagnosis, and the all-too-familiar lengthy and financial barriers encou...2024-05-1941 minPerinatal Stories Australia33 | Laura - birth trauma, PTSD, insomnia, panic attacks, Hospital in the Home (HITH), medication, talk therapy, occupational therapy, birth debriefAfter experiencing birth trauma and the isolation of becoming a first-time mother during the pandemic, Laura was both excited and determined that her next pregnancy, birth, and postpartum was going to be different. The experience with her daughter, Millie, was going to be her ‘redo’.
Unfortunately for Laura, re-experiencing fetal growth restriction (IUGR) and a precipitous labour broke her. Flashbacks, insomnia, panic attacks, and depression immediately hijacked her second postpartum and left her feeling more hopeless and alone than ever before - an undoing, rather than a redoing.
As Millie turns one, Laura and I sit...2024-05-1354 minPerinatal Stories Australia33 | Laura - birth trauma, PTSD, insomnia, panic attacks, Hospital in the Home (HITH), medication, talk therapy, occupational therapy, birth debriefAfter experiencing birth trauma and the isolation of becoming a first-time mother during the pandemic, Laura was both excited and determined that her next pregnancy, birth, and postpartum was going to be different. The experience with her daughter, Millie, was going to be her ‘redo’.
Unfortunately for Laura, re-experiencing fetal growth restriction (IUGR) and a precipitous labour broke her. Flashbacks, insomnia, panic attacks, and depression immediately hijacked her second postpartum and left her feeling more hopeless and alone than ever before - an undoing, rather than a redoing.
As Millie turns one, Laura and I sit...2024-05-1354 minPerinatal Stories Australia32 | Jess - OCD, anxiety, psychosis, medication, psychiatric hospital, EMDR, history of mental ill healthAfter a blissful experience with her first son, it never occurred to Jess that a subsequent pregnancy and postpartum could be any different - until she found out she was pregnant with twins.
From real and perceived health complications, Jess’s mental health rapidly declined with every intrusive thought and compulsion that took over her life. The increased caretaking demands of parenting multiples and a toddler only compounded the feeling that she wasn’t enough for her children. Despite being cared for by the local acute mental health team, Jess started to experience hallucinations and psychosis.
T...2024-04-281h 08Perinatal Stories Australia32 | Jess - OCD, anxiety, psychosis, medication, psychiatric hospital, EMDR, history of mental ill healthAfter a blissful experience with her first son, it never occurred to Jess that a subsequent pregnancy and postpartum could be any different - until she found out she was pregnant with twins.
From real and perceived health complications, Jess’s mental health rapidly declined with every intrusive thought and compulsion that took over her life. The increased caretaking demands of parenting multiples and a toddler only compounded the feeling that she wasn’t enough for her children. Despite being cared for by the local acute mental health team, Jess started to experience hallucinations and psychosis.
T...2024-04-281h 08Perinatal Stories Australia31 | Caitlin - depression, anxiety, ECT, psychiatric hospital, talk therapy, medicationAs a midwife with zero history of mental ill health, Caitlin didn’t expect to develop severe postpartum depression and anxiety at all, let alone after the birth of her second child.
She certainly didn’t expect to be wheeled through the same hospital where she worked down to the psychiatric ward for an eight-week admission.
And of course she never expected that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) would be part of her story to treat her treatment-resistant depression.
In this poignant episode, Caitlin takes us on her unexpected journey of experiencing mental ill health for...2024-04-1445 minPerinatal Stories Australia31 | Caitlin - depression, anxiety, ECT, psychiatric hospital, talk therapy, medicationAs a midwife with zero history of mental ill health, Caitlin didn’t expect to develop severe postpartum depression and anxiety at all, let alone after the birth of her second child.
She certainly didn’t expect to be wheeled through the same hospital where she worked down to the psychiatric ward for an eight-week admission.
And of course she never expected that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) would be part of her story to treat her treatment-resistant depression.
In this poignant episode, Caitlin takes us on her unexpected journey of experiencing mental ill health for...2024-04-1445 minPerinatal Stories Australia30 | Tessa - bipolar, MBU, medication, depression, psychiatry, talk therapyWhen Tessa was admitted to a mother-and-baby psychiatric unit during pregnancy, she made her unborn baby a promise that they’d never have to return. Unfortunately, the challenges of early postpartum and the pressures of perfection only compounded until she and her new born son were readmitted to her ‘little safe haven’ the MBU - not once, but twice.
This is one mother’s captivating story about finally accepting the need for additional support in its many forms, about letting go of shame and guilt, about coming to terms with a new diagnosis, and about the life-saving impacts...2024-03-3156 minPerinatal Stories Australia30 | Tessa - bipolar, MBU, medication, depression, psychiatry, talk therapyWhen Tessa was admitted to a mother-and-baby psychiatric unit during pregnancy, she made her unborn baby a promise that they’d never have to return. Unfortunately, the challenges of early postpartum and the pressures of perfection only compounded until she and her new born son were readmitted to her ‘little safe haven’ the MBU - not once, but twice.
This is one mother’s captivating story about finally accepting the need for additional support in its many forms, about letting go of shame and guilt, about coming to terms with a new diagnosis, and about the life-saving impacts...2024-03-3156 minPerinatal Stories Australia29 | Amelia - postpartum psychosis, mania, medication, psychiatry, talk therapy, helplinesAfter her dream physiological labour and birth, Amelia’s world was turned upside by a sudden postpartum haemorrhage that whisked her away from her husband and daughter.
From the moment she awoke from the surgery, Amelia was consumed by mania and insomnia. Over the next eight weeks, her postpartum psychosis escalated but Amelia was able to hide most of her delusions and hallucinations from her care providers. That is until finally she made the brave call to ask for help and present to her local hospital.
Three years on, Amelia is expecting baby number two an...2024-03-1736 minPerinatal Stories Australia29 | Amelia - postpartum psychosis, mania, medication, psychiatry, talk therapy, helplinesAfter her dream physiological labour and birth, Amelia’s world was turned upside by a sudden postpartum haemorrhage that whisked her away from her husband and daughter.
From the moment she awoke from the surgery, Amelia was consumed by mania and insomnia. Over the next eight weeks, her postpartum psychosis escalated but Amelia was able to hide most of her delusions and hallucinations from her care providers. That is until finally she made the brave call to ask for help and present to her local hospital.
Three years on, Amelia is expecting baby number two an...2024-03-1736 minPerinatal Stories Australia28 | Jessie - depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, helplines, medication, occupational therapyThis is a story that begins in November 2022 when I received a message from a new mum who wanted nothing more than to change the trajectory of her motherhood story.
This is a story about a mum who’d just been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, who was experiencing vivid intrusive thoughts and panic attacks, and who couldn’t stop crying.
This is a story about a mum who made the move back to rural NSW to be closer to her family for support, but who was now struggling to find the right professional support for...2024-03-0351 minPerinatal Stories Australia28 | Jessie - depression, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, panic attacks, helplines, medication, occupational therapyThis is a story that begins in November 2022 when I received a message from a new mum who wanted nothing more than to change the trajectory of her motherhood story.
This is a story about a mum who’d just been diagnosed with depression and anxiety, who was experiencing vivid intrusive thoughts and panic attacks, and who couldn’t stop crying.
This is a story about a mum who made the move back to rural NSW to be closer to her family for support, but who was now struggling to find the right professional support for...2024-03-0351 minPerinatal Stories Australia27 | Claire - birth trauma, PTSD, medication, talk therapy, birth debrief, anxietyBirth trauma permeated much of Claire’s story and it impacted her mental and physical health in ways she could never have imagined. This was only exacerbated by the border closures and a tumultuous feeding journey.
‘Failure to thrive’ was a label that was applied to her son, but ultimately became a label she applied to herself.
In this episode, Claire @mamahood.my.way talks about the anxiety and paralysis she felt when trying to conceive, a PTSD and Lupus diagnosis, a birth debrief with her hospital team to make sense of her experience, the power...2024-02-1850 minPerinatal Stories Australia27 | Claire - birth trauma, PTSD, medication, talk therapy, birth debrief, anxietyBirth trauma permeated much of Claire’s story and it impacted her mental and physical health in ways she could never have imagined. This was only exacerbated by the border closures and a tumultuous feeding journey.
‘Failure to thrive’ was a label that was applied to her son, but ultimately became a label she applied to herself.
In this episode, Claire @mamahood.my.way talks about the anxiety and paralysis she felt when trying to conceive, a PTSD and Lupus diagnosis, a birth debrief with her hospital team to make sense of her experience, the power...2024-02-1850 minPerinatal Stories Australia26 | Rebecca - pregnancy, history of mental ill health, anxiety, depression, insomnia, medication, talk therapyI really didn't think I'd be back here behind the microphone telling my own story again. I didn't think I'd have anything to share because I had many hopes that things would be different this time. I hoped that I would be different this time.
But here we are.
For many reasons, for so many of us, pregnancy is not always the most joyful time of our lives. Logically, we know it's temporary, but that doesn't necessarily make it easier. And I know I'm not the only one to hold conflicting emotions about pregnancy, both...2024-02-0438 minPerinatal Stories Australia26 | Rebecca - pregnancy, history of mental ill health, anxiety, depression, insomnia, medication, talk therapyI really didn't think I'd be back here behind the microphone telling my own story again. I didn't think I'd have anything to share because I had many hopes that things would be different this time. I hoped that I would be different this time.
But here we are.
For many reasons, for so many of us, pregnancy is not always the most joyful time of our lives. Logically, we know it's temporary, but that doesn't necessarily make it easier. And I know I'm not the only one to hold conflicting emotions about pregnancy, both...2024-02-0438 minPerinatal Stories Australia25 | Ashlee - pregnancy and postpartum anxiety, depression, medication, talk therapy, helplinesWhen Ashlee entered motherhood, she expected the transition to be easy from her many years of working with children. What she didn’t expect was the severe anxiety she experienced in her first pregnancy or the depression that overshadowed her postpartum. As a perinatal and infant mental health psychologist, she also didn’t expect to miss her own red flags.
Sleep, feeding, and health complications with her daughter also diverted any attention away from Ashlee’s wellbeing, and left her blaming motherhood and expecting her mental health to get better only when circumstances improved. Ashlee finally reached out fo...2023-12-041h 10Perinatal Stories Australia25 | Ashlee - pregnancy and postpartum anxiety, depression, medication, talk therapy, helplinesWhen Ashlee entered motherhood, she expected the transition to be easy from her many years of working with children. What she didn’t expect was the severe anxiety she experienced in her first pregnancy or the depression that overshadowed her postpartum. As a perinatal and infant mental health psychologist, she also didn’t expect to miss her own red flags.
Sleep, feeding, and health complications with her daughter also diverted any attention away from Ashlee’s wellbeing, and left her blaming motherhood and expecting her mental health to get better only when circumstances improved. Ashlee finally reached out fo...2023-12-041h 10Perinatal Stories Australia24 | Siobhan - anxiety, depression, psychosis, birth trauma, medication, occupational therapy, talk therapy, social workerWith a background in child development psychology and extensive experience working with thousands of babies, Siobhan was, what she thought, going to be off to a running start in motherhood.
That was until she was confronted by a traumatic birth and intense sleep deprivation at the height of the pandemic lockdowns.
Siobhan’s sense of self was challenged and her first postpartum experience was overshadowed by chronic anxiety and depression. With the development of hallucinations and suicidal ideation, Siobhan’s mental health deteriorated until she became unrecognisable to those who knew and loved her.
I...2023-11-051h 03Perinatal Stories Australia24 | Siobhan - anxiety, depression, psychosis, birth trauma, medication, occupational therapy, talk therapy, social workerWith a background in child development psychology and extensive experience working with thousands of babies, Siobhan was, what she thought, going to be off to a running start in motherhood.
That was until she was confronted by a traumatic birth and intense sleep deprivation at the height of the pandemic lockdowns.
Siobhan’s sense of self was challenged and her first postpartum experience was overshadowed by chronic anxiety and depression. With the development of hallucinations and suicidal ideation, Siobhan’s mental health deteriorated until she became unrecognisable to those who knew and loved her.
I...2023-11-051h 03Perinatal Stories Australia23 | Elyse - depression, rage, medication, psychiatry‘Are you feeding your baby?’ These are the words that confronted ICU nurse, Elyse, at a week postpartum when she was told her newborn son was starving, despite her strict three-hour feeding regime. In her words, a diagnosis of insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) or breast hyperplasia caused her world to fall apart.
For weeks, Elyse tried everything to increase her supply but was instead left enviously watching the bond between Patrick and her husband develop while she was crying and pumping alone for over six hours a day.
Although she finally stopped pushing herself to her...2023-10-2245 minPerinatal Stories Australia23 | Elyse - depression, rage, medication, psychiatry‘Are you feeding your baby?’ These are the words that confronted ICU nurse, Elyse, at a week postpartum when she was told her newborn son was starving, despite her strict three-hour feeding regime. In her words, a diagnosis of insufficient glandular tissue (IGT) or breast hyperplasia caused her world to fall apart.
For weeks, Elyse tried everything to increase her supply but was instead left enviously watching the bond between Patrick and her husband develop while she was crying and pumping alone for over six hours a day.
Although she finally stopped pushing herself to her...2023-10-2245 minPerinatal Stories Australia22 | Gemma - anxiety, depression, helplines, talk therapy, somatic counsellingIn this episode, I’m joined by Gemma - a recovering perfectionist, accredited social worker, perinatal counsellor, podcast host of @postpartumlikeaboss, and mum-of-two. From the moment she fell pregnant, Gemma experienced an immediate sense of identity loss and anxiety that lasted until postpartum.
While the anxiety and unknowns disappeared after birth, the relentlessness and challenges of early motherhood left Gemma at her lowest. Despite experiencing mental ill health in the past, Gemma found the transition to motherhood to be harder and riddled with more guilt because of the expectations to feel joy and fulfilment.
Finding an...2023-10-0849 minPerinatal Stories Australia22 | Gemma - anxiety, depression, helplines, talk therapy, somatic counsellingIn this episode, I’m joined by Gemma - a recovering perfectionist, accredited social worker, perinatal counsellor, podcast host of @postpartumlikeaboss, and mum-of-two. From the moment she fell pregnant, Gemma experienced an immediate sense of identity loss and anxiety that lasted until postpartum.
While the anxiety and unknowns disappeared after birth, the relentlessness and challenges of early motherhood left Gemma at her lowest. Despite experiencing mental ill health in the past, Gemma found the transition to motherhood to be harder and riddled with more guilt because of the expectations to feel joy and fulfilment.
Finding an...2023-10-0849 minPerinatal Stories Australia21 | Sarah - postpartum depression, psychiatric hospital, medication, MBUWhen Sarah was discharged from the mother-and-baby psychiatric hospital, she felt both refreshed and proud. Her recovery from postpartum anxiety and OCD became a badge of honour.
But that wasn’t the end of Sarah’s story with maternal mental ill health. Severe depression, a medication change, a presentation to the emergency department, and a second and third MBU admission filled pages of a book she thought she had already closed.
Join me for part two of Sarah’s story as she is once again forced to confront the way she sees mental health, recovery, and he...2023-09-241h 06Perinatal Stories Australia21 | Sarah - postpartum depression, psychiatric hospital, medication, MBUWhen Sarah was discharged from the mother-and-baby psychiatric hospital, she felt both refreshed and proud. Her recovery from postpartum anxiety and OCD became a badge of honour.
But that wasn’t the end of Sarah’s story with maternal mental ill health. Severe depression, a medication change, a presentation to the emergency department, and a second and third MBU admission filled pages of a book she thought she had already closed.
Join me for part two of Sarah’s story as she is once again forced to confront the way she sees mental health, recovery, and he...2023-09-241h 06Perinatal Stories Australia20 | Sarah - postpartum anxiety, OCD, medication, psychiatry, MBUWe’re all familiar with the adage ‘healing isn’t linear’ but we don’t often talk about the way a non-linear recovery ambushes the way we see, and feel about, ourselves.
This attack on her perceived sense of self is something Sarah was continuously forced to confront with every lapse that she encountered on her recovery from postpartum anxiety, OCD, and depression.
Postpartum progressively broke down any deep-rooted misconceptions Sarah held about mental health and slowly challenged the unspoken belief that our worth is inherently tied to the ups and downs of our recovery.
F...2023-09-101h 13Perinatal Stories Australia20 | Sarah - postpartum anxiety, OCD, medication, psychiatry, MBUWe’re all familiar with the adage ‘healing isn’t linear’ but we don’t often talk about the way a non-linear recovery ambushes the way we see, and feel about, ourselves.
This attack on her perceived sense of self is something Sarah was continuously forced to confront with every lapse that she encountered on her recovery from postpartum anxiety, OCD, and depression.
Postpartum progressively broke down any deep-rooted misconceptions Sarah held about mental health and slowly challenged the unspoken belief that our worth is inherently tied to the ups and downs of our recovery.
F...2023-09-101h 13
Can We Talk About This?Episode 46: Rebecca’s Story: Perinatal Acute Anxiety, Tokophobia, Postnatal Depression, OCD & PTSDRebecca bravely shares her experiences struggling with her mental health since childhood and how her experiences becoming a mother exacerbated her struggles. Rebecca openly shares about her very wanted pregnancy and how anxiety and tokophobia (clinical fear of childbirth) robbed her of any joy or excitement and how that impacted her birth decisions and immediate postpartum experiences. We chat about distinguishing anxiety, tokophobia and common fears of childbirth.
Rebecca shares about her birth and the acute psychological distress she experienced and how that impacted her postpartum which quickly took a scary turn. Rebecca was admitted i...2023-09-051h 32Can We Talk About This?Episode 46: Rebecca’s Story: Perinatal Acute Anxiety, Tokophobia, Postnatal Depression, OCD & PTSDRebecca bravely shares her experiences struggling with her mental health since childhood and how her experiences becoming a mother exacerbated her struggles. Rebecca openly shares about her very wanted pregnancy and how anxiety and tokophobia (clinical fear of childbirth) robbed her of any joy or excitement and how that impacted her birth decisions and immediate postpartum experiences. We chat about distinguishing anxiety, tokophobia and common fears of childbirth.
Rebecca shares about her birth and the acute psychological distress she experienced and how that impacted her postpartum which quickly took a scary turn. Rebecca was admitted i...2023-09-051h 32Perinatal Stories Australia19 | Mon - birth trauma, postpartum PTSD, talk therapy, group therapyMonique’s birth may have been quick, but its complications and long-term impacts were anything but. From a 3rd degree tear, prolapse, severe postpartum haemorrhage, a full levator avulsion on the right and a partial levator avulsion on the left, a near death experience, and a stay in the ICU, she paints a picture of the pain from her birth trauma and postpartum PTSD as a ‘storm’ - one that she is still weathering.
But thanks to talk therapy with her long-time psychologist, self-compassion, group therapy through the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA), and the support of her hu...2023-08-2058 minPerinatal Stories Australia19 | Mon - birth trauma, postpartum PTSD, talk therapy, group therapyMonique’s birth may have been quick, but its complications and long-term impacts were anything but. From a 3rd degree tear, prolapse, severe postpartum haemorrhage, a full levator avulsion on the right and a partial levator avulsion on the left, a near death experience, and a stay in the ICU, she paints a picture of the pain from her birth trauma and postpartum PTSD as a ‘storm’ - one that she is still weathering.
But thanks to talk therapy with her long-time psychologist, self-compassion, group therapy through the Australasian Birth Trauma Association (ABTA), and the support of her hu...2023-08-2058 minPerinatal Stories Australia18 | Gen - postpartum psychosis, psychiatric hospital, MBU, medicationAs a psychologist, Gen was familiar with psychiatric wards, but with no history of mental ill health or any risk factors she certainly never expected to be on the ‘other side’ - admitted as a patient to an acute ward shortly after the birth of her son, Arlo.
Following a relatively smooth pregnancy and delivery, Gen’s early postpartum was fraught with mastitis and the eventual development of sepsis. However, the life-threatening infection was surpassed by the rapid decline in Gen’s mental health, with warping clocks and the belief that she was famous, among many other delusion...2023-07-3054 minPerinatal Stories Australia18 | Gen - postpartum psychosis, psychiatric hospital, MBU, medicationAs a psychologist, Gen was familiar with psychiatric wards, but with no history of mental ill health or any risk factors she certainly never expected to be on the ‘other side’ - admitted as a patient to an acute ward shortly after the birth of her son, Arlo.
Following a relatively smooth pregnancy and delivery, Gen’s early postpartum was fraught with mastitis and the eventual development of sepsis. However, the life-threatening infection was surpassed by the rapid decline in Gen’s mental health, with warping clocks and the belief that she was famous, among many other delusion...2023-07-3054 minPerinatal Stories Australia17 | Jess - anxiety, depression, helplines, medicationWith a history of anxiety and depression, Jess and her care team went into pregnancy with a plan to protect her mental health during postpartum. Unfortunately, serious and sudden medical diagnoses for her son, Jasper, immediately after birth meant Jess’s mental health was neglected amongst relentless surgeries, a two-month NICU admission, and full-time caretaking for a sick baby.
The NICU experience cast a long shadow over Jess’s motherhood journey, leaving behind a trail of self-blame, overwhelm, uncertainty, and doubt. Through the support of caring helpline staff, changing medication, making mum friends, a GP that took her...2023-07-091h 01Perinatal Stories Australia17 | Jess - anxiety, depression, helplines, medicationWith a history of anxiety and depression, Jess and her care team went into pregnancy with a plan to protect her mental health during postpartum. Unfortunately, serious and sudden medical diagnoses for her son, Jasper, immediately after birth meant Jess’s mental health was neglected amongst relentless surgeries, a two-month NICU admission, and full-time caretaking for a sick baby.
The NICU experience cast a long shadow over Jess’s motherhood journey, leaving behind a trail of self-blame, overwhelm, uncertainty, and doubt. Through the support of caring helpline staff, changing medication, making mum friends, a GP that took her...2023-07-091h 01Perinatal Stories Australia16 | Emma - PTSD, anxiety, depression, MBU, medication, helplines, fertility challengesBetween a PCOS diagnosis, fertility struggles, and several rounds of IVF, it was not easy for Emma to bring her three boys into the world. Unfortunately, trying to conceive was only part of the mental and emotional battles she faced.
Serious health complications in pregnancy, antenatal anxiety, guilt about not loving pregnancy, and a traumatic birth with her first son, only compounded the mental health struggles that Emma was already facing from years of infertility. By the time her second son was born, Emma’s anxiety was tipped over the edge processing her grandmother’s passing and by a...2023-06-251h 22Perinatal Stories Australia16 | Emma - PTSD, anxiety, depression, MBU, medication, helplines, fertility challengesBetween a PCOS diagnosis, fertility struggles, and several rounds of IVF, it was not easy for Emma to bring her three boys into the world. Unfortunately, trying to conceive was only part of the mental and emotional battles she faced.
Serious health complications in pregnancy, antenatal anxiety, guilt about not loving pregnancy, and a traumatic birth with her first son, only compounded the mental health struggles that Emma was already facing from years of infertility. By the time her second son was born, Emma’s anxiety was tipped over the edge processing her grandmother’s passing and by a...2023-06-251h 22Perinatal Stories Australia15 | Taegan - bipolar, medication, psychiatric hospital, TMS, anxiety, depression, rageWhen mum-of-two and mental health peer worker, Taegan, was first diagnosed with bipolar mood disorder, she didn’t believe motherhood and her mental illness would mix. So in the lead up to starting a family, Taegan spent years preparing, learning, getting second opinions, asking questions, and researching - everything she thought to best navigate motherhood with her diagnosis.
After a manageable pregnancy and postpartum with her first daughter, Taegan expected herself to navigate any challenges that could arise with a second baby in the same way. Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared Taegan for a surprise postpartum depression di...2023-06-0453 minPerinatal Stories Australia15 | Taegan - bipolar, medication, psychiatric hospital, TMS, anxiety, depression, rageWhen mum-of-two and mental health peer worker, Taegan, was first diagnosed with bipolar mood disorder, she didn’t believe motherhood and her mental illness would mix. So in the lead up to starting a family, Taegan spent years preparing, learning, getting second opinions, asking questions, and researching - everything she thought to best navigate motherhood with her diagnosis.
After a manageable pregnancy and postpartum with her first daughter, Taegan expected herself to navigate any challenges that could arise with a second baby in the same way. Unfortunately, nothing could have prepared Taegan for a surprise postpartum depression di...2023-06-0453 minPerinatal Stories Australia14 | Sarah - anxiety, birth trauma, EMDR, IFS, medication, talk therapyLike many mothers, Sarah from The Pesky Placenta Society struggled to decipher whether her pregnancy symptoms were ‘normal’ or something more sinister. But with a pre-existing chronic illness, Sarah also had to confront her complicated relationship with health anxiety. Unfortunately, the concerns she raised were proven to be more than ‘just anxiety’ when at 35 weeks pregnant, Sarah nearly died from pre-eclampsia - or what she refers to as “her pesky placenta”.
This is a story about the challenges of navigating both mental ill health and physical ill health in pregnancy; about fighting to be believed and to believe your...2023-05-2159 minPerinatal Stories Australia14 | Sarah - anxiety, birth trauma, EMDR, IFS, medication, talk therapyLike many mothers, Sarah from The Pesky Placenta Society struggled to decipher whether her pregnancy symptoms were ‘normal’ or something more sinister. But with a pre-existing chronic illness, Sarah also had to confront her complicated relationship with health anxiety. Unfortunately, the concerns she raised were proven to be more than ‘just anxiety’ when at 35 weeks pregnant, Sarah nearly died from pre-eclampsia - or what she refers to as “her pesky placenta”.
This is a story about the challenges of navigating both mental ill health and physical ill health in pregnancy; about fighting to be believed and to believe your...2023-05-2159 minPerinatal Stories Australia13 | Jade - anxiety, insomnia, depression, baby loss, grief, colic, talk therapy, medicationAs Jade says, she has never shied away from sharing uncomfortable stories, and her story of bringing a baby earthside is no exception. While the birth of her daughter, River, seemingly gave her the ‘happy ending’ she so desperately wanted, her journey with uncomfortable stories did not end there.
Instead of the new-born bubble she envisioned for so long, Jade had to walk on eggshells around her baby who constantly screamed. The magnitude of her grief and anxiety was only compounded by River’s colic, causing a ‘crash’ that shattered her nervous system. After three years of back-to-ba...2023-04-161h 20Perinatal Stories Australia13 | Jade - anxiety, insomnia, depression, baby loss, grief, colic, talk therapy, medicationAs Jade says, she has never shied away from sharing uncomfortable stories, and her story of bringing a baby earthside is no exception. While the birth of her daughter, River, seemingly gave her the ‘happy ending’ she so desperately wanted, her journey with uncomfortable stories did not end there.
Instead of the new-born bubble she envisioned for so long, Jade had to walk on eggshells around her baby who constantly screamed. The magnitude of her grief and anxiety was only compounded by River’s colic, causing a ‘crash’ that shattered her nervous system. After three years of back-to-ba...2023-04-161h 20Perinatal Stories Australia12 | Nikolina - postpartum anxiety, depression, helplines, talk therapy, birth anxietyAs someone who had never experienced mental ill health, the bubbly and outgoing Nikolina was confronted by the sudden onset of perinatal depression and anxiety within her first few weeks of motherhood. From crying for no reason to not being able to sleep, her PNDA symptoms hit very hard and very fast.
Nikolina pushed through these symptoms for weeks, even using her son’s milestone photo cards as a countdown to the idealised six-week mark. But when nothing changed at six weeks as she had hoped, it was her husband who helped Nikolina realise that she wasn’t he...2023-04-0359 minPerinatal Stories Australia12 | Nikolina - postpartum anxiety, depression, helplines, talk therapy, birth anxietyAs someone who had never experienced mental ill health, the bubbly and outgoing Nikolina was confronted by the sudden onset of perinatal depression and anxiety within her first few weeks of motherhood. From crying for no reason to not being able to sleep, her PNDA symptoms hit very hard and very fast.
Nikolina pushed through these symptoms for weeks, even using her son’s milestone photo cards as a countdown to the idealised six-week mark. But when nothing changed at six weeks as she had hoped, it was her husband who helped Nikolina realise that she wasn’t he...2023-04-0359 min
Baby Baking & Kid RaisingEpisode 9: A Mum and Baby psychiatric unit, Rebecca’s storyIn todays episode we sit down with the Rebecca, an incredibly brave and beautifully spoken mother who walks us through her journey with mental health during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Rebecca was admitted to a mother baby psychiatric unit shortly after giving birth. Rebecca openly shares about this incredibly vulnerable, scary journey that her and her family went through. She has incredibly insightful knowledge about not only her own experience, but the process and services available for parents. Rebecca’s Instagram: @perinatalstoriesaustraliaRebeccas Podcast: Perinatal Stories Australia www.perinatalstoriesaustralia.comResources below:2023-04-021h 05Perinatal Stories Australia11 | Lauren - depression, birth trauma, medication, EMDR, psychiatric hospitalAs a self-confessed ‘flaming extrovert’, Lauren struggled with the isolating and all-consuming eat-play-sleep-bathe-repeat cycle of early motherhood. By six months postpartum, the newborn ‘love bubbles’ that she felt so intensely after both of her births became overshadowed by the onset of postpartum depression.
From IVF, miscarriage, severe pregnancy health complications, to two traumatic births, this depression was only the latest in a long line of anxiety and trauma that Lauren experienced on the journey to motherhood.
In this powerful episode, Lauren opens up about her mental health during her pregnancy and postpartum with both of her daug...2023-03-191h 06Perinatal Stories Australia11 | Lauren - depression, birth trauma, medication, EMDR, psychiatric hospitalAs a self-confessed ‘flaming extrovert’, Lauren struggled with the isolating and all-consuming eat-play-sleep-bathe-repeat cycle of early motherhood. By six months postpartum, the newborn ‘love bubbles’ that she felt so intensely after both of her births became overshadowed by the onset of postpartum depression.
From IVF, miscarriage, severe pregnancy health complications, to two traumatic births, this depression was only the latest in a long line of anxiety and trauma that Lauren experienced on the journey to motherhood.
In this powerful episode, Lauren opens up about her mental health during her pregnancy and postpartum with both of her daug...2023-03-191h 06Perinatal Stories Australia10 | Helen - PTSD, grief, traumatic pregnancies, baby loss, psychiatry, medication, art therapy"When Helen, a midwife and academic, describes her mental health in pregnancy and postpartum, she uses the word ‘blindsided’.
Despite her expertise, Helen was confronted by post-traumatic stress disorder following two traumatic pregnancies, a NICU admission, baby loss, grief, and the continued uncertainties of IVF. As a health clinician, she was also staggered by the prevalence and general lack of awareness of psychological trauma in the perinatal period.
In this episode, Helen takes us on her painful journey of trauma through pregnancy and postpartum, to her subsequent research and advocacy as a result of her expe...2023-02-121h 21Perinatal Stories Australia10 | Helen - PTSD, grief, traumatic pregnancies, baby loss, psychiatry, medication, art therapy"When Helen, a midwife and academic, describes her mental health in pregnancy and postpartum, she uses the word ‘blindsided’.
Despite her expertise, Helen was confronted by post-traumatic stress disorder following two traumatic pregnancies, a NICU admission, baby loss, grief, and the continued uncertainties of IVF. As a health clinician, she was also staggered by the prevalence and general lack of awareness of psychological trauma in the perinatal period.
In this episode, Helen takes us on her painful journey of trauma through pregnancy and postpartum, to her subsequent research and advocacy as a result of her expe...2023-02-121h 21
The Birth Trauma Mama PodcastEp. 20: Rebecca's Story: Tokophobia & Postpartum OCDRebecca, a perinatal mental health advocate, joins me to share her story of Tokophobia and Postpartum OCD. We discuss postpartum mental health, inpatient treatment, and the shortcomings of current care models in both Australia and the U.S. You can find Rebecca on Instagram at @perinatalstoriesaustraliaIf you or someone you know needs support in pregnancy or postpartum, please reach out to Postpartum Support International's Helpline: 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD)If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms of postpartum psychosis, this is an emergency. Please take them to the ER...2023-02-0944 minPerinatal Stories Australia09 | Jade - bipolar, anxiety, medication, psychiatry, talk therapy, helplines, women’s circlesIn this episode, I welcome Jade who shares her ongoing journey with mental ill health - a journey which is both three years old but new at the same time. After the birth of her son and the subsequent sleep deprivation, Jade’s mental health declined and she was (mis)diagnosed with postpartum depression.
Despite proactively and consistently seeking support from several psychologists and trying multiple anti-depressants across three years, Jade was still experiencing depressive episodes while all the mothers in her online community were in the enviable stages of recovery.
Thanks to the persistence of...2023-01-2950 minPerinatal Stories Australia09 | Jade - bipolar, anxiety, medication, psychiatry, talk therapy, helplines, women’s circlesIn this episode, I welcome Jade who shares her ongoing journey with mental ill health - a journey which is both three years old but new at the same time. After the birth of her son and the subsequent sleep deprivation, Jade’s mental health declined and she was (mis)diagnosed with postpartum depression.
Despite proactively and consistently seeking support from several psychologists and trying multiple anti-depressants across three years, Jade was still experiencing depressive episodes while all the mothers in her online community were in the enviable stages of recovery.
Thanks to the persistence of...2023-01-2950 min
Mothergroup The PodcastRebecca's story: OCD, PP anxiety, inpatient MBU stay, PTSD and creating a platform to honour our storiesIn today's episode Rebecca shares her story of developing worsening anxiety throughout her pregnancy. After the birth of her beautiful boy Rebecca then went on to experience an acute episode of OCD symptoms, insomnia, PTSD and eventually was admitted to an inpatient mother-baby unit. Rebecca has now gone on to create her own wonderful platform to share and honour stories of mental ill-health during the perinatal period. This is a beautiful episode and you can find Rebecca over on instagram at https://www.instagram.com/perinatalstoriesaustralia/ or her podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/perinatal-stories-australia/id16543530172023-01-291h 14Perinatal Stories Australia08 | Jess - pregnancy anxiety, postpartum depression, talk therapy, medicationLike everything else in her life, Jess had many plans for motherhood. As planned, she fell pregnant after completing her psychologist registration. But from the moment Jess saw the positive result on the pregnancy test, she was surprised that her once positive outlook was overshadowed by an all-consuming sense of dread and anxiety. Despite sharing this openly with her care providers, her severe anxiety remained undiagnosed.
To her relief, that relentless anxiety ended the moment her daughter, Charlotte, was born - 3 months early! Jess found that she coped better with the unexpected preeclampsia diagnosis, the emergency c-section...2023-01-151h 07Perinatal Stories Australia08 | Jess - pregnancy anxiety, postpartum depression, talk therapy, medicationLike everything else in her life, Jess had many plans for motherhood. As planned, she fell pregnant after completing her psychologist registration. But from the moment Jess saw the positive result on the pregnancy test, she was surprised that her once positive outlook was overshadowed by an all-consuming sense of dread and anxiety. Despite sharing this openly with her care providers, her severe anxiety remained undiagnosed.
To her relief, that relentless anxiety ended the moment her daughter, Charlotte, was born - 3 months early! Jess found that she coped better with the unexpected preeclampsia diagnosis, the emergency c-section...2023-01-151h 07Perinatal Stories Australia07 | Lisa - postpartum depression, talk therapyAs a public health researcher and implementation scientist who thought highly of her “ability to get shit done” Lisa assumed motherhood would be easy - especially compared to her prior achievements with study, work, and life.
To her surprise though, Lisa struggled with the transition to motherhood. From a gestational diabetes diagnosis, birthing a small baby, a NICU admission, and breastfeeding pain, to having a colic baby who had to be constantly held and who would not stop crying, Lisa was consumed by a feeling of failure.
At five months postpartum, she was diagnosed with depr...2023-01-011h 09Perinatal Stories Australia07 | Lisa - postpartum depression, talk therapyAs a public health researcher and implementation scientist who thought highly of her “ability to get shit done” Lisa assumed motherhood would be easy - especially compared to her prior achievements with study, work, and life.
To her surprise though, Lisa struggled with the transition to motherhood. From a gestational diabetes diagnosis, birthing a small baby, a NICU admission, and breastfeeding pain, to having a colic baby who had to be constantly held and who would not stop crying, Lisa was consumed by a feeling of failure.
At five months postpartum, she was diagnosed with depr...2023-01-011h 09Perinatal Stories Australia06 | Aimee - postpartum depression, PTSD, medication, traumatic pregnancyAt 18 weeks pregnant, Aimee suffered the unimaginable - her waters ruptured and for the next 20 weeks she lived every day on bed rest in uncertainty about whether her baby would actually survive. To the surprise of every doctor, Aimee’s waters resealed and at 38 weeks, Evie, a healthy baby girl, was born.
But her relief and joy vanished when suddenly she felt like she was living the worst case scenario she feared, rather than the happy ending she got. She thought she should just be grateful, not sobbing every day, so Aimee hid her suffering for weeks, un...2022-12-1847 minPerinatal Stories Australia06 | Aimee - postpartum depression, PTSD, medication, traumatic pregnancyAt 18 weeks pregnant, Aimee suffered the unimaginable - her waters ruptured and for the next 20 weeks she lived every day on bed rest in uncertainty about whether her baby would actually survive. To the surprise of every doctor, Aimee’s waters resealed and at 38 weeks, Evie, a healthy baby girl, was born.
But her relief and joy vanished when suddenly she felt like she was living the worst case scenario she feared, rather than the happy ending she got. She thought she should just be grateful, not sobbing every day, so Aimee hid her suffering for weeks, un...2022-12-1847 minPerinatal Stories Australia05 | Ella - depression, rage, medicationWhen Ella reflects on motherhood, she talks about two things: firstly, the dream of motherhood that she’d had her whole life, and secondly, the nightmare that she was confronted with when she actually became a mother.
Between not feeling the immediate bond to her daughter, the inability to communicate her feelings with anyone in her family, her husband working long hours, and the realisation that the reality of motherhood did not meet her expectations, Ella was overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness and worrying thoughts about her children being better off without her.
Unfortunately, being to...2022-12-1158 minPerinatal Stories Australia05 | Ella - depression, rage, medicationWhen Ella reflects on motherhood, she talks about two things: firstly, the dream of motherhood that she’d had her whole life, and secondly, the nightmare that she was confronted with when she actually became a mother.
Between not feeling the immediate bond to her daughter, the inability to communicate her feelings with anyone in her family, her husband working long hours, and the realisation that the reality of motherhood did not meet her expectations, Ella was overwhelmed by feelings of hopelessness and worrying thoughts about her children being better off without her.
Unfortunately, being to...2022-12-1158 minPerinatal Stories Australia04 | Kathryn - anxiety, OCD, medication, psychiatry, depression, postpartum planningA successful economist and accomplished career woman, Kathryn from MotherUp has always been the quintessential high achiever who needed certainty and control over every aspect of her life. Although, of course, when she had her little girl Liv, Kathryn learnt the hard way that perfectionism and motherhood do not mix.
She assumed the anxiety she felt during pregnancy would be alleviated when her daughter was safely in her arms, but after five relentless weeks of depression and compulsive behaviour, Kathryn had what she calls a “combustion”.
Kathryn shares a unique perspective about perinatal mental ill heal...2022-12-041h 05Perinatal Stories Australia04 | Kathryn - anxiety, OCD, medication, psychiatry, depression, postpartum planningA successful economist and accomplished career woman, Kathryn from MotherUp has always been the quintessential high achiever who needed certainty and control over every aspect of her life. Although, of course, when she had her little girl Liv, Kathryn learnt the hard way that perfectionism and motherhood do not mix.
She assumed the anxiety she felt during pregnancy would be alleviated when her daughter was safely in her arms, but after five relentless weeks of depression and compulsive behaviour, Kathryn had what she calls a “combustion”.
Kathryn shares a unique perspective about perinatal mental ill heal...2022-12-041h 05Perinatal Stories Australia03 | Tegan - anxiety, OCD, history of mental ill health, medication, MBU, psychiatryFor Tegan, mental ill health was nothing new. So naturally, a happy and mentally healthy pregnancy and postpartum with her first daughter, Addie, took everyone by surprise - including Tegan!
It was only after baby number two, Amelia, that Tegan was reacquainted with anxiety and OCD. Unfortunately, it was far from a happy reunion.
After weeks of being dismissed by medical professionals and the hospital, Tegan finally received the care she needed when she was admitted to an MBU (Mother and Baby Psychiatric Unit), all thanks to the help of an unlikely stranger.
...2022-11-271h 01Perinatal Stories Australia03 | Tegan - anxiety, OCD, history of mental ill health, medication, MBU, psychiatryFor Tegan, mental ill health was nothing new. So naturally, a happy and mentally healthy pregnancy and postpartum with her first daughter, Addie, took everyone by surprise - including Tegan!
It was only after baby number two, Amelia, that Tegan was reacquainted with anxiety and OCD. Unfortunately, it was far from a happy reunion.
After weeks of being dismissed by medical professionals and the hospital, Tegan finally received the care she needed when she was admitted to an MBU (Mother and Baby Psychiatric Unit), all thanks to the help of an unlikely stranger.
...2022-11-271h 01Perinatal Stories Australia02 | Rebecca - postpartum, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, insomnia, medication, MBUI spent most of my life imagining motherhood. I couldn't imagine anything else - not a career, not travel, not study - just motherhood.
What I didn't imagine, however, was a breakdown that sent me to a psychiatric hospital only days after my son's birth.
I’d never felt so scared or alone in my life. I’d never felt so ashamed.
But to my surprise, I was far more scared to be discharged than I was to be admitted - something I did not think possible when I sobbed through the hospital door...2022-11-2156 minPerinatal Stories Australia02 | Rebecca - postpartum, anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, insomnia, medication, MBUI spent most of my life imagining motherhood. I couldn't imagine anything else - not a career, not travel, not study - just motherhood.
What I didn't imagine, however, was a breakdown that sent me to a psychiatric hospital only days after my son's birth.
I’d never felt so scared or alone in my life. I’d never felt so ashamed.
But to my surprise, I was far more scared to be discharged than I was to be admitted - something I did not think possible when I sobbed through the hospital door...2022-11-2156 minPerinatal Stories Australia01 | Rebecca - pregnancy, anxiety, history of mental ill health, insomnia, tokophobiaWith a long history of anxiety, I had every intention of not letting anxiety get in the way of birth and parenting. In fact, I spent most of my pregnancy doing everything I thought was ‘right’ to plan and protect my mental health in postpartum. Unfortunately, I was so focused on postpartum that I couldn’t see the anxiety escalating throughout my pregnancy.
Welcome to Perinatal Stories Australia. In this first episode, I share part one of my own story and talk about what happens when, unfortunately like me, maternal mental ill health actually begins in pregnancy.
2022-11-1340 minPerinatal Stories Australia01 | Rebecca - pregnancy, anxiety, history of mental ill health, insomnia, tokophobiaWith a long history of anxiety, I had every intention of not letting anxiety get in the way of birth and parenting. In fact, I spent most of my pregnancy doing everything I thought was ‘right’ to plan and protect my mental health in postpartum. Unfortunately, I was so focused on postpartum that I couldn’t see the anxiety escalating throughout my pregnancy.
Welcome to Perinatal Stories Australia. In this first episode, I share part one of my own story and talk about what happens when, unfortunately like me, maternal mental ill health actually begins in pregnancy.
2022-11-1340 minPerinatal Stories AustraliaIntroduction + TrailerWelcome to Perinatal Stories Australia, a podcast holding space for the untold stories of maternal mental illness in Australia. By sharing the lived experiences of struggle and healing, I hope this podcast reduces stigma, informs listeners about supports available, and inspires those on their own journey. No medical advice provided.
FOLLOW the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @perinatalstoriesaustralia for more maternal mental health stories, education, advocacy, and community.
PLEASE leave a review or rating on your favourite apps or consider buying me a coffee (well, preferably a tea!) ;)
VISIT the website p...2022-11-1200 minPerinatal Stories AustraliaIntroduction + TrailerWelcome to Perinatal Stories Australia, a podcast holding space for the untold stories of maternal mental illness in Australia. By sharing the lived experiences of struggle and healing, I hope this podcast reduces stigma, informs listeners about supports available, and inspires those on their own journey. No medical advice provided.
FOLLOW the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @perinatalstoriesaustralia for more maternal mental health stories, education, advocacy, and community.
PLEASE leave a review or rating on your favourite apps or consider buying me a coffee (well, preferably a tea!) ;)
VISIT the website p...2022-11-1200 min