This week was Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week… did you know?

To be honest, I knew about Mental Health Awareness Week, but this is the first time Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week had really come across my radar.

And what surprised me even more was discovering that it has actually been around since 2014 — the very same year I became a mum for the first time.

I sat with that for a moment.

How had I never really heard much about it before now?

I guess in some ways that shows progress — awareness is growing, conversations are becoming more open, and maternal wellbeing is finally being spoken about more honestly. But it also made me wonder… if I am only just hearing about it now, how many other mothers are too?

So I wanted to understand more about what this week actually stands for.

At its heart, Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week exists to:

• break the silence around maternal mental health

• reduce shame and stigma

• help mothers feel less alone

• encourage support and understanding

And honestly, I think that matters so much.

One thing I also discovered while reading more about this week is that although the title says “maternal” — traditionally meaning mother or relating to women — the conversation around parental mental health is becoming much more inclusive. Because mental wellbeing matters for anyone raising or caring for children. Parents, step-parents, adoptive parents, grandparents, carers and caregivers all carry emotional loads that can impact their wellbeing too. While maternal mental health remains an incredibly important focus, this week also opens the door to wider conversations about how we support the people caring for others every single day.

Because motherhood can be beautiful and overwhelming.
Joyful and exhausting.
Connected and lonely.

We often talk about babies and children, but not always about the mothers raising them.

Not always about the invisible mental load.
The overstimulation.
The anxiety.
The guilt.
The pressure to hold everything together.
The loss of identity that can quietly happen somewhere between school runs, snack requests and trying to remember who you were before everyone needed you all at once.

And the thing is — maternal mental health doesn’t just matter in the newborn stage.

My children are now 4, 9 and 11, and I still see how deeply motherhood affects emotional wellbeing. In different ways, yes, but still profoundly.

The emotional labour evolves as our children grow.
The worries change shape.
The demands shift.
But mothers still need support, understanding, rest and space to be human too.

So how does awareness like this actually help?

I think it helps because it gives mothers permission to speak honestly.

To say:
“This is hard.”
“I’m struggling.”
“I feel touched out.”
“I don’t feel like myself.”
“I love my children deeply and still find motherhood overwhelming sometimes.”

It reminds women they are not failing.
They are not alone.
And they do not have to silently cope with everything by themselves.

Sometimes healing begins simply by hearing someone else say:
“Me too.”

So this week, I suppose I just wanted to acknowledge it.
To keep the conversation going.
And maybe to gently ask:

Had you heard of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week before now?

For more info on this check out Maternal Mental Health Week

In many ways, this is one of the reasons I started The Mindful Parent Hub. I wanted to create a space where parents could share their honest feelings without judgement. A space where they could pause for a moment within the busyness of parenthood. Somewhere to breathe, reflect, reassess and rest a little. Through group coaching led by myself, we are able to have open conversations about the realities of parenting while also exploring supportive tools and techniques that can help parents regulate stress, reconnect with themselves and feel more supported emotionally. Because sometimes what parents need most is not advice or pressure to do more — but simply the feeling that they are seen, heard and understood. So how does awareness like this actually help? I think it helps because it gives mothers permission to speak honestly. To say: “This is hard.” “I’m struggling.” “I feel touched out.” “I don’t feel like myself.” “I love my children deeply and still find motherhood overwhelming sometimes. If something in this post resonated, don’t sit with it alone — send me a message and we can have a no-pressure chat about what support might look like for you.