MATERNAL OVERWHELM SUPPORT

Perinatal overwhelm shows us two things - your needs are not being met and you are not prioritising yourself! Both need to change. Find out how here;

Experiencing overwhelm in motherhood can be a worrying and difficult time.  You can feel pulled from pillar to post, struggle under the pull of the demands and responsibilities in your life and feeling like you’re never quite on top of things in the way that you used to be, or would like to be.

This overwhelm can be experienced in many different areas of life, but can be especially prominent during motherhood when trying to balance work, home, babies and children, relationships, friendships and many more things.

Being a mother can be one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences, but it can also come with a lot of challenges, unexpected ups and downs, emotions and feelings and therefore be extremely overwhelming, to the point of not knowing how to settle things down or what you can do for life to feel easier.

The demands of caring for a baby or child can be mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting, even when you are enjoying motherhood, and it can be especially hard when you are struggling to find your way in motherhood.

Symptoms of perinatal overwhelm:

Many women experiencing overwhelm can often feel like they are not doing a good enough job, like they are failing or that their children deserve better than them.

Overwhelm really is a milder form of perinatal anxiety, and while overwhelm is almost expected and normalised in motherhood, these feelings can be resolved so that you can find more emotional balance on your journey.

If you are experiencing overwhelm in motherhood, you may be feeling not good enough, undeserving, like you are failing, sad, guilty, irritable, on edge and overly emotional which can also cause issues like fatigue, headaches and muscle tension.

Causes of perinatal overwhelm:

The causes of overwhelm may stem from difficulty adjusting to your maternal identity shift, lack of support and help, sleep deprivation, unrealistic expectations about what motherhood would look and feel like, being lonely and isolated or needing a break but being unable to take one.

Treatment for perinatal overwhelm:

The treatment for overwhelm really comes from finding balance and harmony in your life.  Overwhelm is often a result of not having your needs met in way one shape or form.

If you are feeling this way, it is vital that you are proactive about getting your needs met and taking care of yourself to lessen the levels of overwhelm in your life.  Don’t hope it goes away or bury your head in the sand about it until it’s unmanageable and out of control.

Here are some tools you can draw on to manage your overwhelm:

·         Prioritise your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing

·         Get support from friends or family members so you can have regular break

·         Set clear boundaries on what you want and need

·         Seek emotional health support to help you not just cope with, but overcome your feelings of overwhelm

My Mother Nurture Method programme is a unique emotional health programme and methodology that will help you overcome anxiety, depression, trauma or overwhelm, so that you can live your life and enjoy your motherhood journey free from fears and worries, and have the clarity of mind to make the right decisions for you and your family.

Support available in North Herts (Stevenage, Letchworth, Hitchin, Baldock, Knebworth, Royston) and online nationwide across England.