Maternity Counselling

The joys of parenthood are incontestable and so are the undeniable struggles of a woman transitioning into a mother. While motherhood is the most celebrated occasion for a woman, it must be acknowledged that having a life growing inside and to sustain the process of giving birth not only takes a heavy toll on a woman’s body but also on her mind.

At SCS, we understand the importance to address concerns that result from the impact motherhood has on a woman’s emotional wellbeing.

According to recent studies, as many as 1 in 5 women suffer from mental problems during pregnancy or after. New mothers have often experienced increased physical strain, anxiety or depression.

Pregnancy and child birth is not only physically exhausting but emotionally draining as well. This phase of transition can be truly overwhelming for a woman which can trigger often mild to drastic behavioural imbalances affecting the health of the mother and that of her child.

Through our integrated sessions on maternity counselling by professionals at SCS, we strive to resolve psychological and emotional complexities in order to help our clients overcome their struggles in dealing with the otherwise overlooked prenatal and postnatal issues.

Our invested efforts to deal with mental health issues is primarily focused on analysing the possible stress-inducing factors affecting expecting mothers emotionally and psychologically.

Researches have shown that as many as 10 to 15 out of 100 expectant mothers suffer from depression, mood swings with increased sense of helplessness.

Coping with physical challenges during pregnancy can also be increasingly difficult for a woman and render to heighten their emotional vulnerability. Morning sickness, insomnia, loss of appetite, aches and pains, fatigue and indigestion are among the few concerns faced by women during pregnancy.

Major changes kick in after the child is born starting from erratic sleep routines, the constant attention to the new born, shuffling between naps and feeding times leaving the mothers tired and fatigued during most of the day.
Adapting to new roles and responsibilities often leads to compromises in career prospects, unsolved issues with partner leading to possible relationship strains, financial issues, the need for social gratification and self-validation by loved ones and people around. Some women who have just given birth might not even accept these aspects of motherhood.

Moreover, pressures from society in cultures that value family and children above anything, especially in India, to conceive a child within the first year of marriage amounts to coercion on women disregarding her choices as an individual.

Societal expectations of pregnant women and new mothers may lead many women to experience anxiety or stress. Unsolicited advices from family, friends, and at times from even strangers passing remarks on the habits and diet of pregnant women may often lead to women doubting their own ability to become good mothers. As a result women tend to end up feeling irritated, angry or frustrated, which can further lead to the lowering of their self-confidence.

• We, at SCS understand and encourage women to voice their struggles during pregnancy and after child birth to mitigate severe mental health problems.
• The intervention of a therapist enables the women to be vocal about her concerns unapologetically without the fear of being judged or treated as a taboo.
• Maternity counselling is a two-way interpersonal communication process that helps pregnant women examine personnel issues, make decisions, familiarise about the possible problems during the course of pregnancy and after and also help respond to it.
• We at SCS make use of carefully designed guidelines to provide holistic approach through sessions, therapy and interactions for mothers suffering from any emotional or mental issues. Here we aim to de-stigmatize any issues related to mental health and emphasize the value of open communication. The struggle is real and very much so. The first step to be open about it is always hard but once taken, half the battle is already won. The road to recovery is a process that we will guide a mother through.
• Our continuous efforts are to discard the treatment of mental health as a morbid idea and promote it more as progressive approach in creating a better version of our own self. This is because every mother deserves to be celebrated, cared for and valued, and not just be treated as someone expected to make continued sacrifices at the expense of her emotional and physical health.