Pregnancy and New Parent Support
Everyone’s experiences of trying to conceive, pregnancy, birth and the early parenting years vary. It’s common for these to be extremely challenging years in one’s life.
You and your partner may have differing views and preferences regarding when to start a family, how to parent, and how many children you would like. If you are embarking on a solo parenting journey, then the fertility journey is often full of challenges and difficult decisions, which may not feel well understood or supported by those around you.
Preparing for parenthood often naturally makes us reflect on our own experiences of being parented as a child, and we are aware that these can be complex and emotionally challenging.
I’m very aware that things don’t always go to plan
You might be reading this because…
- you have experienced infertility or baby loss
- scans and tests have suggested potential abnormalities
- you have been feeling anxious or low in mood
- you are here following a premature or traumatic birth
- you have a newborn that is hard to settle, won’t sleep, has a health condition or has needed extended hospital care
- you just don’t feel yourself anymore and pregnancy and parenthood isn’t how you imagined it to be
These types of experiences can shatter lifelong beliefs of the world being predominantly a safe place, full of supportive people and/or they can confirm and evoke similar feelings to other traumatic experiences that you may have experienced in life.
Parenting can be overwhelming and can take away our lifelong coping strategies overnight and/or reveal longstanding challenges that have been masked until that point, including mental health challenges and neurodivergence.
Whatever has brought you here,
you don't have to navigate it alone.
Whatever has brought you here, you don't have to navigate it alone.
As a team we have experience in all of these areas and are here to support you and help improve your wellbeing at such an important time of life.
How Can We Help
Becoming pregnant again after losing a baby is almost always terrifying. While the general population often congratulates you and is overjoyed when you feel able to start to tell other people. It’s extremely common for internally you to just fear another loss, when baby arrives is commonly corrected by the brain to ‘if baby arrives safely’. Of course the brain is terrified, it’s primed to focus on ‘safety’ and returning to pregnancy, triggers the brain’s better safe than sorry alarm to say be alert to potential danger at all times.
So joy and hope may be quietly hiding in the background but often the primary emotions are fear, grief, hypervigilance, a sense of disconnection from the pregnancy, protecting you from getting too excited. All of these are completely understandable responses to what you’ve been through and they don’t mean you won’t be able to bond with baby, if you are lucky enough to hold them safely in the near future.
If you find yourself dreading scans, struggling to feel bonded with bump/ baby, or simply feeling unable to believe that this pregnancy will have a different outcome, please don’t feel guilty for not feeling happier or enjoying it more.
Therapy during pregnancy after loss can provide a safe space to hold all of these feelings without judgement, to process the grief that may still be very present, and importantly to process trauma from your previous loss (if needed), as this may be hugely inflating the terror you feel. We can help you with all of this, including gently preparing you for the birth and beyond.
Enquire about a free consultation with one of our experienced psychologists who specialise in exactly this type of support.
Birth trauma is more much common than many people realise, and it doesn’t need to have been a dramatic or life-threatening event to have been hard for it to be valid/ for the brain to have not fully processed at the time.
A birth can be traumatic because of how it felt, how you were treated, or the loss of control you experienced, regardless of the medical outcome.
Symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, increased anxiety, high levels of emotion when thinking about it and/or needing to avoid thinking about it, difficulty bonding with your baby, feeling numb and disconnected.
EMDR is an evidence-based therapy is extremely effective for processing birth trauma, and is one of the approaches we offer. Find out more about EMDR
Returning to work after maternity or paternity leave can feel daunting, whether you’re leaving a baby at home for the first time, returning after a loss, or navigating a workplace that doesn’t quite know how to support you. Often the more challenging your fertility, birth and parenting journey the more challenging this transition can be too.
Kara and the team offer specialist maternity and transition coaching to help you plan and work through both the practical and emotional aspects of returning to work, rebuilding your confidence, tackling fears, overcoming imposter syndrome, and finding a sustainable balance as a working parent.
If you want support with this important transition, please reach out here. We accept self-funding requests, as well as organisations funding this for their employees.
Having a baby who requires neonatal intensive care is not the start to parenthood anyone imagines. The fear, helplessness, the exhaustion, the sensory overload of a NICU stay can leave parents feeling traumatised. The impact of a NICU stay continues long after their baby comes home, and traumatic elements continue to impact on the parenting experience until specialist trauma therapy helps the brain to process it and fully put it in the past.
For example, are you anxious about separating from your baby, are you concerned about their health, do you fear harm coming to them more than peers, are you particularly hypervigilant, is it hard for you to switch off and take care of your own wellbeing? Are you exhausted or very up and down emotionally. The emotional impact is very real, yet sadly it can be hard to access the right emotional support once the medical crisis has passed.
It’s not uncommon for parents to find it harder to bond after weeks of not being able to hold or care for their baby in the way they wanted to or to feel triggered by their cries, nor is it uncommon to miss the NICU staff and/or the security that their support and the numbers of the monitors provided once you are carrying for your little one alone.
If any of this resonates, please know that specialist support is available from our team and you don’t need to wait until things feel unbearable to reach out.
Pregnancy and the postnatal period can bring a wide range of emotional challenges including anxiety, low mood, PTSD (trauma symptoms) and maternal anger- feelings of frustration and rage. These are not signs of weakness or of being a bad parent. They are common, they are treatable, and asking for help is one of the most important things you can do for yourself and your family.
We offer a wide range of evidence-based psychological approaches depending on your needs, with individual and couples sessions available.
We also offer training and webinars for organisations and line managers on any of the topics listed here.
Session Practicalities
We offer individual sessions and am also happy to work with partners together as a couple, where appropriate. Sessions provide a supportive space to talk through your experiences. A range of psychological therapies may be utilised depending on your needs, to see which therapies are used see the team page.
- Individual and Couples Support: Tailored sessions to help with anxiety, mood difficulties, traumatic birth experiences, reflecting on how you were parented, or new parenthood challenges.
EMDR
EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based therapy recommended by the UK’s National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
How Can EMDR Help?
EMDR is designed to help you process traumatic memories and distressing experiences. It works effectively for a wide range of challenges, including:
- Treating trauma and PTSD with clinically proven results.
- Improving emotional resilience and self-esteem.
- Addressing panic disorders, phobias, and low mood.
- Supporting recovery from grief and chronic pain.
Maternity and Transition Coaching
I am trained in transition coaching, which is designed to support new parents as they adjust to the challenges of returning to work after the birth of a child. This can be a daunting time, and having guidance can make the process smoother and less overwhelming. Transition coaching focuses on navigating the practical, emotional, and professional aspects of returning to the workplace.
I love helping parents regain their confidence and find a balance between their personal and professional lives. Whether it’s managing the anxieties of leaving your baby, juggling new responsibilities, or redefining your career goals, my coaching aims to help parents feel supported and empowered during this significant life change.
- Return to Work Coaching: Helping parents transition back to the workplace after maternity leave.
- Workplace Training and Webinars: Educating organisations and line managers on supporting new and returning parents.
Support for Health Professionals
I offer coaching and therapy for healthcare professionals working with new and expectant parents, providing them with the tools to manage stress and maintain their well-being.
Recommended Resources
Ellie's Rainbow
Free Audio Tracks for Parents Expecting After Loss
Created by Lucy Livesey, mindfulness teacher, psychiatric nurse and bereaved mum, these free guided audio tracks are designed specifically for parents navigating pregnancy after loss.
Tracks include support for scanxiety, managing strong emotions, affirmations, bedtime relaxation, and meditations for couples, dads and birth partners. Available free via Insight Timer.
Maternal Rage with Dr Caroline Boyd
Struggling with frustration, anger, or feeling like you’re not coping as a new mum? You’re far from alone! And it doesn’t mean you’re a bad mother. Studies suggest 1 in 3 mums experience anger, yet most never talk about it.
Dr Caroline Boyd runs an amazing online course specifically designed to help mothers understand and work through these feelings, and you don’t need to be experiencing full-blown rage to benefit.
Practical Information
Our team members offer a range of appointment options to suit your needs:
- Remote sessions: Available via secure video call across the UK
- Face-to-face sessions: Some team members offer in-person appointments at various locations across the UK
Funding options:
- Self-funding clients welcome
- Insurance accepted: Many of our team are registered with BUPA, AXA, and WPA
Availability and session format varies by team member. Please get in touch via the form below to discuss your specific needs and we can help match you with the right psychologist.