19/10/2022
Mom To Be Sisterhood has made it to the Natural Parent Magazine.
Celebrate with me 🥳🥳🥳
Postnatal Depression
How Can You Avoid It?
Postnatal depression is more common than we may think. The NHS website in the UK states that more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth is affected. You may be surprised to hear that also fathers and partners can develop postnatal depression (PND). The good news is that, should you or your partner develop postnatal depression, you can make a full recovery with the right support.
However, in this post I want to provide you with a few tips on how you can lower the probability of developing PND yourself.
Hi, my name is Shirley McGowan. I’m a Pregnancy Coach & Spiritual Counsellor. I’m a mom of two and developed PND after my first pregnancy. When I found out I was pregnant again during a worldwide pandemic, I panicked first and then realised that what I’ve created within my business called To Be Sisterhood, is going to support me through this and in fact it did.
So, here’s what I’ve done.
First, I reached out to one of the Specialist Midwifes of the NHS Trust here in the UK, who I collaborated with. Her name is Darcey Croft. She was wonderful! She knew what to say to make me feel at ease and in good hands. As soon as I got off the phone with her, I felt assured and relieved. Straight away she put things in motion for me to receive the best care appropriate for my situation.
Second, I started working on my mindset.
You see, fear is all in our minds because we paint a picture based on past experiences and not on the current situation.
The pandemic offered a lot of new challenges for expecting parents. I know very well, I wasn’t only one of the pregnant women, but I interviewed, supported, and guided many other expectant women, who were suffering from the new hospital rules and restrictions. I was facing a dark reality and hearing all the negative experiences around me, could’ve affected me negatively but you know what? It didn’t.
Why?
Because my mindset was strong to overcome my fears every time they showed up. I focused on my own journey and the steps I needed to take to ensure I had a good birth experience no matter the outside circumstances or the negative experiences I was hearing.
Also, I ensured I surrounded myself by influential people. These were experts of the field, who were giving me internal advice, not shared with patients. Today, I share these insights with my community.
As a result, my birth experience wasn’t only good, it was incredible!
In the midst of a pandemic, I put things in motion to create exactly what I wanted.
For example, I wanted a planned c-section (not easy to get in the UK), being the first in the operating room so I didn’t have to wait anxiously for the operation, having my own en-suite room (not easy to find in the UK during ‘normal’ circumstances, let alone during a pandemic) and my husband was allowed to stay with me overnight to support me and our new baby.
What can you do?
First, reach out to someone you know personally within the NHS Trust, a nurse, a doctor and tell them how you feel and the worries you have regarding your pregnancy and mental health. Feel free to reach out to us if you don’t know anyone. We have contacts in the UK, Australia, USA and Canada. We’re happy to support you in your search of a local and trusted professional.
Second, if you’re fearful of childbirth, had past trauma, suffer from anxiety or depression please reach out to your GP, midwife, doctor or any medical entity that is appropriate in your country. However, if you want to take a different approach and work on your mindset which will not only support you through pregnancy and childbirth but will change the way you look at life in general, then reach out to me.
How can my experience benefit you?
In the back of my wonderful birth experience, I created a mindset course for pregnant women so that they can face their fears and create the birth they desire. However, we know that babies decide how they want to be born so my program empowers women to be in the moment and experience birth positively no matter how their babies are born.
Of course, we all wish to have a natural, pain free and easy childbirth but we also know that sometimes it doesn’t work that way. Therefore, we have to be prepared for any type of birth, go with the flow and still keep control, confidence and contentment about ourselves, our bodies and our childbirth experience.
Let’s have a chat and find out if one of my courses are a good fit for you and your current circumstances. I offer a 20-minute free call where we can connect on a personal level and talk about how I can support you in your journey.
Simply visit my website www.momtobesisterhood.com , get to know me a little bit, and book your call if you resonate with what you see.
Sending you much love,
Shirley
Your Pregnancy Coach & Spiritual Counsellor
