Motherhood, Mental Health & Pandemic Parenting: The Emotional Journey No One Prepared Us For

Guest: Lauren Van Dyne
Host: Dr. Natasha Wallace, Clinical Psychologist
🎧 Listen to this episode of The Mum Poster Syndrome Podcast for the full conversation.

There are some seasons of motherhood that feel hard in ways you can’t quite put into words. And for so many women, becoming a mum during the pandemic was one of those seasons.

In this episode of The Mum Poster Syndrome Podcast, I spoke with Lauren Van Dyne about what it was really like to navigate new motherhood, mental health, and postpartum depression during a time of isolation, uncertainty, and loss. It was one of those conversations that felt raw, honest, and deeply validating.

Motherhood in the Pandemic Was Different — and That Matters

Becoming a mother is already a huge emotional transition. Doing it during a global pandemic added a layer of complexity that many women are still processing.

Lauren shared how pandemic parenting meant:

• giving birth without the support you imagined
  
• missing out on milestones you’d pictured
  
• feeling isolated at a time when connection mattered most
  

For many new mums, there was grief,  not just for lost routines, but for the experience of motherhood they thought they would have.

And yet, that grief often went unspoken.

“We Were Just Surviving”

One of the most powerful themes in this episode is survival.

So many mothers weren’t thriving, they were just getting through each day. Isolation intensified feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and overwhelm, particularly for first-time mums who didn’t have the usual village around them.

Lauren spoke openly about feeling like she was drowning, and how hard it was to even name what was wrong when everyone else seemed to be “coping.”

This part of the conversation will resonate deeply if you’ve ever thought: Why does this feel harder for me than everyone else?

Postpartum & Prenatal Depression: The Conversations We Avoid

We also talked openly about postpartum and prenatal depression, something that affects so many women, yet still carries so much silence and shame.

Lauren shared her personal experience of struggling with her mental health and how therapy became a turning point in her healing journey. Not because it fixed everything overnight, but because it gave her language, tools, and permission to understand what she was feeling.

One of the most important reminders from this episode is this:
👉 Struggling does not mean you’re failing at motherhood.
👉 It means you’re human.

Why Support Systems Matter More Than Ever

Another key theme in this episode is the importance of support systems, and how their absence during the pandemic deeply affected new mums.

Whether it’s family, friends, professionals, or community, Lauren and I talked about how emotional wellbeing in motherhood is not something we’re meant to navigate alone.

This episode gently challenges the idea that mums should “just cope” and instead reinforces that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.

Therapy, Self-Discovery & Finding Peace in the Chaos

Lauren also shared how therapy helped her not only survive, but slowly begin to reconnect with herself.

We talked about:

• naming emotions instead of pushing them down
  
• processing anger, grief, and trauma
  
• finding moments of peace in the chaos
  
• understanding that healing isn’t linear
  

This part of the conversation is especially powerful if you’ve ever considered therapy but weren’t sure if it was “bad enough” to justify it.

Why This Episode Is Worth Listening To

If you became a mum during the pandemic…
If you struggled with your mental health after having a baby…
If you felt lonely, overwhelmed, or unsure why things felt so heavy…

This episode will help you feel less alone.

It’s honest, compassionate, and full of reminders that resilience doesn’t mean doing it all alone.

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🎧 Listen to the Full Episode

The Mum Poster Syndrome Podcast
Motherhood, Mental Health & Pandemic Parenting
Guest: Lauren Van Dyne

This is one of those episodes that feels like sitting down with someone who truly understands.