Transition to Parenthood

Common reasons to seek support when becoming a parent. I can help with:

  • Adjusting to being a parent- changes to your role and identity

  • Changes in the couple relationship and family dynamics

  • Negative self-beliefs around not being a good enough parent

  • Difficulties with bonding with your baby

  • Struggles with breastfeeding

  • Feeling low and/ or depressed: this can manifest as feeling tearful, disconnected, angry, overwhelmed, hopeless, not wanting to be around other people

  • Feeling stressed and/ or anxious: this can manifest as having racing or intrusive thoughts, feeling tense, unable to relax, not wanting to leave the house, panic attacks, and physical symptoms such as tight chest or racing heart

  • Perinatal OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)- for example constant fears about your baby and keeping them safe, thoughts of harming your baby, concerns about contamination and dirt hurting your baby

  • The triggering of unresolved issues from your past, such as difficult experiences of being parented

  • Fear of repeating parenting patterns from your own family of origin

  • The transition to returning to work after maternity leave

 

Common reasons to seek support as a parent with a trauma history.

  • Needing a safe space to work through unresolved hurt, sadness and pain which has resurfaced

  • Processing the emotional and physical impact of past trauma

  • Developing coping strategies to manage distress and difficult feelings

  • Trying to meet the needs of your baby whilst also attending to your own unmet needs

  • Considering how you might parent differently compared to how you were parented

  • Having a desire to avoid repeating patterns from your own childhood but not sure how to do this

Please get in contact to discuss how I can support you with these issues.