Do you ever wish you could be a more patient mum? This is something I hear a lot. Parenting is a difficult, tiring job, and the ability to stay calm and settle your emotions is important, but nobody is capable of being patient 100% of the time. Yet this is often what we expect of […]
How to Become a More Patient Mum Read More »
It’s fair to say there’s a lot of pressure to instantly bond with your baby. I think this comes from society and the world around us. It’s based on what we see on TV and in films. We might also hear friends, family members, work colleagues, celebrities and online influencers talking about how they bonded
Why Am I Struggling to Bond with My Baby? Read More »
One of the most common experiences I see as a therapist for new mums is feeling like a bad mum. Negative or self-critical thoughts are something we all experience throughout our lives, and they’re very common during early motherhood. I’m sure we’ve all been there! Parenting is hard work, and we all have days that
What to Say to Yourself When You Feel Like a Bad Mum Read More »
You’re not failing as a mum if your baby won’t sleep. You’re experiencing one of the most challenging aspects of motherhood – sleep disruption. It feels hard because it is hard. Sleep Disruption – A Universal Parenting Experience Sleep disruption and deprivation is a common and expected experience for new mums. In the first few
You’re Not Failing as a Mum if Your Baby Won’t Sleep – A Therapist’s Perspective Read More »
How would you describe the way you talk to yourself? Specifically, what does the voice inside your head sound like as you go about your day as a mum? Does it tell you you’re doing a good job? Or is it more likely to berate and criticise you? For example, what would it say if
The Way You Talk to Yourself is a Parenting Gamechanger, Here’s Why… Read More »
Navigating motherhood without a mother of your own can be a painful, challenging experience. Being a mum is hard enough. We weren’t designed to have babies alone. We need to be supported practically and emotionally by our communities. If, for whatever reason, your community doesn’t include your own mum, it can have a profound effect
Navigating Motherhood Without a Mother – A Therapist’s Perspective Read More »
Struggling with the pressure to enjoy every minute of motherhood can make you feel like a bad mum. But where does that pressure come from and why do some of us find it so challenging? More importantly, what can we do about it? Comparison and The Pressure to Enjoy Every Minute of Motherhood Perhaps you’ve
How to Cope with the Pressure to Enjoy Every Minute of Motherhood Read More »
Am I Going to Screw Up My Kids? In my clinical work, I meet many parents who fear ‘screwing up’ their kids. If you had a particularly difficult or traumatic early life yourself, you’re more likely to worry about repeating the same negative cycles with your own children. This can stem from a desire to
Am I Going to Screw Up My Kids? – A Therapist’s Perspective Read More »
Up until fairly recently, the general consensus was that only the birthing person could experience perinatal mental illness. We now know partners can struggle with their mental health too. Although it’s important to include same-sex couples and other family types in this conversation, today I want to focus on dads. Postnatal Depression in Dads Not
How to Support Dads with Their Mental Health Read More »
As parents, we have a great deal of influence over our children. We shape their lives through the care we give and by modelling beliefs and behaviours, just as our lives were shaped by the people who cared for us. If we look at our own upbringing, we can probably identify certain traits our parents
What it Means to be a Generational Cycle Breaker Read More »