After birth, Natalie’s insomnia quickly spiralled into a mental health crisis, with sleepless nights giving way to panic, hallucinations, and the fear she would never sleep again. At her most vulnerable, she reached a breaking point that led her to seek urgent support.

Chloe’s story moves through a series of places that marked the height of her anxiety and melancholic depression — from hospital wards after a retained placenta to the streets where she pushed her pram while fighting suicidal ideation. From emergency departments to a mother-and-baby unit admission, she navigated severe symptoms and the challenge of accepting help.

After a positive first postpartum experience, Jess never expected her next pregnancy to be any different — until she discovered she was carrying twins. As intrusive thoughts and compulsions intensified, her mental health rapidly declined, and the demands of caring for multiples compounded the feeling that she wasn’t enough. Despite support from acute mental health services, her symptoms escalated into hallucinations and psychosis.

During pregnancy, Tessa was admitted to a mother-and-baby psychiatric unit and made a promise to her unborn baby that they would never return. But the pressures of early postpartum and perfectionism led to a return to the MBU — not once, but twice. Tessa reflects on learning to accept support, let go of shame, and recognise just how far she has come in her recovery.

After leaving the mother-and-baby unit, Sarah felt proud of her recovery — but her story didn’t end there. A relapse marked by severe depression led to further hospital admissions, forcing her to confront the reality of non-linear healing and its impact on her sense of self, including her experience as a self-confessed ‘frequent flyer’ of the MBU. In part two, Sarah reflects on the tension between progress, setback, and identity.

As a psychologist, Gen was familiar with psychiatric wards — but she never expected to be admitted as a patient shortly after the birth of her son. Following a severe postpartum infection, her mental health rapidly declined, with delusions and hallucinations taking hold. Gen reflects on her experience of acute mental illness, the impact of stigma, and her journey towards recovery and advocacy.