the sway was born out of my experience as a mum who works in mental health. a psychologist who felt uninformed and unprepared for the world of mumming and how deeply it affects our sense of self and wellbeing, and who hears very similar stories from the clients I work with and the circles of women around me..

the trials of trying to conceive, the hormones, the joy, the losses, the burden on your body, that first trimester, that last few weeks, the birth trauma, the bliss of birth, the elation, the mum rage, the tears, the overstimulation, the intrusive thoughts, the strength, the depth of connection, the lack of connection, the isolation, the identity loss and the discovery, the transition from paid work to post partum, the guilt, the shame, the awe, the grief, the noise, the pressure, the mental load, the emotional load, breastfeeding, the sleep deprivation, the weight on your relationship, the drift of friendships, the found connections, the mess, the hair loss, the searching for my sense of style stage, the caring about everything, the giving no fucks era.

it’s a world of conflicting, competing and complex experiences that we often gloss over, minimise and feel alone in; or we get swallowed by the noise, the judgement, the polarisation of mumming, and the perfectionism of mumming.

my intention is to try and create a platform that provides an insight into the good, the bad, the ugly and the awe inspiring world of mumming and mental health. through titbits (pun intended) of education, information and resources; and through sharing your stories of mumming and mental health via the sway stories, I hope to create a collective of voices, a community of women who feel seen, understood and no longer alone in their experience.

Together we sway xo