Blog: It does get better

02 DEC 2020: Today my daughter Lizzie is 39 weeks & 4 days old - the same amount of time I was pregnant with her.

I couldn’t imagine two more different 39 weeks & 4 days. While pregnant I suffered acute nausea and back pain. I also had pre-natal #depression and struggled to find joy in anything. People assumed I was excited to be having a baby, which of course logically I was, but emotionally I couldn’t overcome overwhelming feelings of sickness and sadness. It was the hardest 39 weeks & 4 days I have ever experienced.

When Lizzie arrived, as if by magic my mental state changed. Hormones kicked in and I felt calm and content (not something I’m used to given my propensity for #anxiety). In the midst of a global pandemic I’ve been overwhelmed with gratitude for everything I have in my life and recaptured my ability to find joy in the smallest of things. It seems strange to admit, when much of it has been spent locked up at home, but in lots of ways it’s been the best 39 weeks & 4 days of my life.

Mental health is a fragile thing but by talking about it, we break the taboo.

It is impossible to know what’s going on for someone inside their own head.

Talking openly about #mentalhealth helps others to do the same.

If things feel dark, ask for help, keep going. It does get better.