Up to one in five women experience anxiety or depression during pregnancy and after childbirth. Unfortunately, most women (up to 75%) do not seek professional help.

Source: National Institute of Mental Health

They attribute their mental distress to the challenges of motherhood and chronic sleep deprivation, which are undoubtedly factors. However, in some cases, these can escalate into severe depressive or anxiety disorders that need to be addressed.

With the rising number of depression and anxiety cases, there is also an alarming trend of increasing use of antidepressants and anxiolytics among (not only) breastfeeding mothers.

Why do mothers experience depression or anxiety?

These mental health issues can stem from countless reasons, and during the demanding period of raising young children, these causes multiply rapidly.

Information overload

A flood of often contradictory information, unsolicited advice from all directions, and an inexperienced new mother who fears for her baby’s life—this combination can make her feel lost, overwhelmed, and uncertain.

Chronic sleep deprivation

The first signs of mental distress can appear soon after a mother is unable to sleep for at least 7 hours straight. We always hear how important sleep is for physical and mental health, yet mothers often don’t sleep for more than two hours at a time—even beyond the six-week postpartum period.

Poor nutrition

A diet dominated by low-nutrient, high-carb foods (like pasta, baked potatoes, bread) may be quick and easy to prepare but can be nutritionally “empty.”

These meals often lead to hunger soon after, which is then satisfied with more processed carbohydrates.

Lack of vitamins and minerals

Today, we can’t obtain all the vitamins and minerals our bodies need just from food. During maternity and parental leave, supplementation is even more essential (whether the mother is breastfeeding or not), as the constant, never-ending care for a child can be as physically exhausting as training for the Olympics (athletes, forgive me - moms, you’ll understand).

Isolation

Mothers often spend entire days alone at home with their baby, far from family or friends. They may not even realize that socializing with like-minded moms would significantly improve their mental well-being.

Lack of outdoor activity

Too little movement in fresh air (and sunshine). Getting just one child outside—let alone two or three—can feel like an Olympic triathlon. However, the reward is a change of scenery, a deep breath of fresh air, and, if combined with a walk, a release of endorphins that uplift body and soul.

Not understanding your own needs

Some women need a moment alone every day, in silence, with a book, lost in their thoughts. Others need to head out in the morning with their kids on an adventure and return home before dinner because staying inside would drain them. Some need daily runs, while others thrive on meeting fellow moms because they crave social interaction. 

If a woman isn’t aware of her own needs, she may struggle to maintain her mental well-being and sink into despair.

Lack of support and understanding

A lack of support, understanding, and help from family can be devastating. To husbands or working grandparents, maternity leave might seem like “doing nothing,” and they often don’t understand why women are so exhausted or what they are even complaining about.

Putting the child first, always

Of course, a newborn baby needs its mother, requires breastfeeding, cuddling, and constant attention. However, a concerning trend has emerged where mothers place their toddler’s needs before their own in every aspect, making their entire world revolve around the child. This is not only developmentally unhealthy but also physically and mentally draining for the mother.

The influence of social media

The pressure to practice respectful parenting, engage in self-development, run a million-dollar business, get back in shape after childbirth… Watching seemingly perfect lives - beautiful relationships with children, moms who manage their emotions (and their kids' emotions) perfectly, all while staying slim, fit, and running on a treadmill with a happy baby playing nearby…

This leads to a chase for perfection. And when the day doesn’t go as planned, mothers drown in guilt - one of the most draining emotions that lowers energy and triggers fear and frustration. Escaping this mindset requires serious self-work - or Bach essences.

Emotional baggage

Motherhood is a time of intense stress and pressure, and under such strain, Pandora’s box opens. Deep-rooted pains and emotional wounds resurface - traumas from childhood, school bullying long forgotten, a strict teacher from high school, or even a recent traumatic birth experience. Women then feel ashamed of their reactions - when they yell at their child or lose their patience - and don’t understand where it all comes from. The culprit may be unresolved childhood wounds, past traumas, or even negative experiences from adulthood. 

If these wounds are not healed, children will - through their unconscious behavior - keep reopening these emotional scars, like a burning iron pressed against the skin.

“This is too much to handle.”

The mental burden on mothers is enormous. It’s no wonder that some can’t cope.

Sadly, many mothers don’t know how to deal with these emotions, feel ashamed to seek help, and turn to antidepressants or anxiolytics instead.

But that’s not a long-term solution.

While medication may provide short-term relief, it does not address the root cause. And let’s not forget the side effects, which (trust me) you don’t want—such as weight gain or insomnia.

If you need to talk to an understanding and supportive mother, choose Bach Flower Essences with Consultation.

If you already know which emotions are troubling you, choose Customized Drops and describe everything in the questionnaire.