After birth, Natalie’s insomnia quickly spiralled into a mental health crisis, with sleepless nights giving way to panic, hallucinations, and the fear she would never sleep again. At her most vulnerable, she reached a breaking point that led her to seek urgent support.

Sophie’s experience of perinatal mental ill health spanned depression, intrusive thoughts, and psychosis — leaving her feeling numb, fearful, and at times unable to trust herself around her baby. As her symptoms intensified and daily functioning became difficult, she required hospital support, and a decision to pursue TMS became a turning point in her recovery.

For over a year, Ariane hid the severity of her symptoms, performing the role of the ‘good’ mother while her mental health deteriorated. When that façade finally fell, she was admitted to a psychiatric hospital and had to trust her psychiatrist to take the lead — a turning point in her recovery.

After a positive first postpartum experience, Jess never expected her next pregnancy to be any different — until she discovered she was carrying twins. As intrusive thoughts and compulsions intensified, her mental health rapidly declined, and the demands of caring for multiples compounded the feeling that she wasn’t enough. Despite support from acute mental health services, her symptoms escalated into hallucinations and psychosis.

As a midwife with no history of mental ill health, Caitlin never expected to develop severe postpartum depression and anxiety after the birth of her second child. Her condition escalated to the point of requiring an eight-week psychiatric admission in the same hospital where she worked, followed by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment-resistant depression. Caitlin reflects on her journey through diagnosis, treatment, and the return of hope.

After leaving the mother-and-baby unit, Sarah felt proud of her recovery — but her story didn’t end there. A relapse marked by severe depression led to further hospital admissions, forcing her to confront the reality of non-linear healing and its impact on her sense of self, including her experience as a self-confessed ‘frequent flyer’ of the MBU. In part two, Sarah reflects on the tension between progress, setback, and identity.

As a psychologist, Gen was familiar with psychiatric wards — but she never expected to be admitted as a patient shortly after the birth of her son. Following a severe postpartum infection, her mental health rapidly declined, with delusions and hallucinations taking hold. Gen reflects on her experience of acute mental illness, the impact of stigma, and her journey towards recovery and advocacy.

With a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, Taegan spent years preparing for motherhood, determined to manage her mental health. After a relatively manageable first postpartum, she expected a similar experience the second time — but instead experienced postpartum depression and rage, followed by an involuntary hospital admission. Taegan reflects on the unpredictability of navigating motherhood with a pre-existing mental health condition, and the role of self-compassion in her recovery.

As a self-confessed ‘flaming extrovert’, Lauren struggled with the isolating and repetitive rhythm of early motherhood. With a history of IVF, miscarriage, pregnancy complications, and traumatic births, the intense love she felt after both births was overshadowed by the onset of postpartum depression by six months postpartum.