by Dr Bronwyn Leigh
What are the most common reasons women come to see you and what is often going on beneath the surface?
Women seek support for many different reasons. Some are struggling with anxiety or low mood. Others are navigating fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, birth trauma or the stress of caring for a baby who is unwell. Sometimes it’s the quiet but distressing feeling of not bonding with their baby in the way they expected. And often, it’s simply the enormous adjustment to becoming a parent.
A common thread is that many mothers arrive feeling distressed and worried they are not coping the way they “should” be. The transition to parenthood brings profound emotional, physical and identity changes.
When we look beneath the surface, there are often many layers. Sometimes becoming a parent brings unresolved experiences or old wounds into sharper focus. At other times, the perinatal period can reveal things that may have gone unrecognised earlier in life. With growing awareness of neurodivergence in women, for example, we are increasingly seeing Autism and ADHD first identified during this stage.
The coping strategies that helped someone manage for years can begin to fray under the weight of sleep deprivation, hormonal shifts, and the huge practical and emotional changes a baby brings.
And of course, the level of support around a new parent matters enormously. Feeling isolated or unsupported can make an already demanding period feel much harder to navigate.
About the Author
Dr Bronwyn Leigh is a clinical psychologist, perinatal and infant clinician and early parenting consultant. She is the Director of the Centre for Perinatal Psychology. Bronwyn is an expert in the psychological aspects of becoming a parent, the emotional development of infants, and parent-infant relationships.
