Emily and Katherine are joined by Dr Guin Webster for this episode of The Motherkind Café podcast. Guin is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness teacher, and one of the original founders of The Motherkind Café. She has also worked in many roles supporting women in the perinatal period, is a qualified postnatal group facilitator, set up the Oxford sling library, and has taught hypnobirthing and mindfulness for birth and parenting, amongst other things! We talked to Guin about the concept of “matrescence,” about why mums feel guilty all the time, and how the process of becoming a parent can be such an emotional rollercoaster.

The Motherkind Café is a postnatal wellbeing and emotional support group which normally runs groups in Oxford but is operating virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic. If you’d like to join our online community, find us at The Motherkind Virtual Café on Facebook or if you have any comments on the episode, you can email us at [email protected].

Trigger warning: Please note in this podcast, our peer supporter Jules talks about the traumatic experience she had in hospital giving birth to her son Archer. Please proceed with care if you think you may find it upsetting to listen to. 

 Jules tells us her birth story, which took a dramatic turn when she had a postpartum haemorrhage immediately after her son was born. The complications of her birth and the challenges of an understaffed maternity service meant she was separated from her son for over 24 hours and the experience affected her and her partner for a long time afterwards. 

Having experienced mental health problems in the past, Jules has an incredibly positive and proactive approach to managing her mental health, and she is a big advocate for the power of medication and talking about your experience with others. She also did the Birth Afterthoughts service – which gives women a chance to go through their birth with a consultant midwife. You can access the service here https://www.ouh.nhs.uk/maternity/postnatal/.

Also if you would like to feedback your experience of the care you received in hospital, you can speak to Oxfordshire Maternity Voices Partnership – who work with the trust to improve care for women in maternity services. 

If you found your birth traumatic, or you feel your mental health has been affected by your experience of giving birth, please speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP.

You can also access information and support through the Birth Trauma Association http://www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk and through organisations such as Make Birth Better https://www.makebirthbetter.org

If you’d like some non-judgemental support from other women who’ve struggled with their mental health in the postnatal period join our community on Facebook, via our private group (please answer questions and agree to the rules when joining) https://www.facebook.com/groups/themotherkindcafe.

To get in touch, feedback, or you’d like to know more about The Motherkind Café, drop us an email at [email protected].