Motherhood, Mental Health, and the Fight for Reform
This week marked a powerful turning point: I completed my final psychology session for postpartum psychosis, shared my story in The Detail, and watched Stormont debate the urgent need for mother and baby units in Northern Ireland.
This week has been one of reflection, advocacy, and quiet triumph.
On a personal level, I reached a milestone that once felt impossibly distant: my final psychology session for postpartum psychosis. The journey has been intense—raw, revealing, and at times overwhelming—but this last session felt different. It wasn’t just an ending; it was a beginning. I’ve come away with a toolkit of strategies, insights, and self-awareness that will help me move forward with confidence. These tools aren’t just for surviving—they’re for thriving. I feel more equipped than ever to navigate motherhood, mental health, and the complexities of life with clarity and resilience.
Coinciding with this personal milestone was a moment of public advocacy that I’m incredibly proud of. My interview was published in The Detail, Northern Ireland’s leading investigative journalism platform. In it, I spoke candidly about my experience and the urgent need for a mother and baby unit in Northern Ireland. The piece highlighted how our region remains the only part of the UK without such a facility—forcing mothers to choose between receiving psychiatric care and staying with their babies. It’s a cruel and unnecessary dilemma, and I’m grateful that my voice could help spotlight this injustice.
The timing couldn’t have been more poignant. Just days before, Stormont held a debate on the very issue. On 7 October, MLAs gathered to discuss a motion that called for the establishment of a regional mother and baby unit. The motion, led by Sinn Féin’s Órlaithí Flynn, acknowledged the joy and vulnerability of early motherhood and emphasized the importance of inpatient care that allows mothers to remain with their babies while receiving support. The debate was impassioned, informed, and deeply moving. It felt like the beginning of a shift—one that could finally bring Northern Ireland in line with the rest of the UK.
As I listened to the debate and saw my story published, I felt a sense of alignment. My personal healing and public advocacy are no longer separate paths—they’re intertwined. This week reminded me that recovery isn’t just about feeling better; it’s about using your experience to make things better for others.
So here’s to progress. To healing. To speaking out. And to the hope that no mother in Northern Ireland will ever again have to face the impossible choice between treatment and togetherness.
