The Postpartum Season
Avsnitt

EP 26 | Hannah - Matrescence, Intrusive Thoughts, Grief & Letting Go of the Pressure to Perform Motherhood

The Postpartum Season
Dela

In this episode, Hannah shares her three postpartum experiences and reflects on how becoming a mother ultimately led her to her work as a perinatal counsellor.

We discuss:

  • Becoming a mum unexpectedly at 26
  • Preparing extensively for birth but very little for postpartum
  • Hannah’s first birth and the early postpartum period
  • Navigating postpartum with a partner who had to return to work after only a couple of days
  • Feeding difficulties, concerns about weight gain and the anxiety surrounding growth charts
  • Feeling like she was failing at the very first hurdle of motherhood
  • Finding small anchors in the day through coffee, movement and connection
  • The impact becoming parents had on Hannah and Josh’s relationship
  • Why Hannah believes couples therapy can be valuable before a relationship reaches crisis point
  • Returning to paid work and the challenges of combining work, daycare and childhood illness
  • The importance of having an identity outside of motherhood, and Hannah’s changing relationship with that idea
  • Welcoming a second baby and the reality of postpartum while also caring for a toddler
  • The pressure Hannah felt to be a “superwoman” and prove she could keep doing everything
  • Returning to work in the perinatal space while struggling to prioritise her own wellbeing
  • Intense intrusive thoughts during pregnancy 
  • How talking openly about intrusive thoughts gradually robbed them of their power
  • Hannah’s third birth and the healing experience of having her sister there
  • Navigating significant uncertainty around her dad’s mental health during pregnancy
  • Losing her dad shortly after her daughter was born and experiencing grief alongside postpartum
  • The stigma and discomfort that can surround mental health and why Hannah values talking openly about her dad
  • How grief forced Hannah to slow down and let go of the need to perform motherhood
  • Embracing motherhood as an important part of her identity
  • Hannah’s decision to train as a counsellor after her own experiences
  • Building a career predominantly supporting women in the perinatal space
  • Looking back at the version of herself who felt she had to keep pushing and achieving
  • Hannah’s reflection that there are no achievable “goals” in parenting — and the freedom that can come from taking some of that pressure away

You can find Hannah and learn more about her counselling work at:

Instagram: @deep.end.counselling

Website: https://www.deependcounselling.com

This weeks sponsor is Rest in the Postpartum Season - guided yoga nidra practices created for mothers. 

If you’re looking for a simple way to slow down, rest and take a little time for yourself, you can find practices ranging from five to fifteen minutes at www.thepostpartumseason.com.

And if you would like to buy a Postpartum Season cap, click this link below:

https://www.thepostpartumseason.com/store/p/the-postpartum-season-cap

Thank you for supporting the podcast!

As mentioned in the episode, here are some postpartum support resources. Please reach out if you need help.

Australia

 

New Zealand

  • PlunketLine
    0800 933 922 (24/7)
  • Healthline New Zealand
    0800 611 116 (24/7)
  • 1737 Need to talk?
    Call or text 1737 (24/7)

 

Thank you for listening. Take care x

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