In March 2026, Jessie Buckley won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in Hamnet, dedicating it to ‘the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart’. It is a phrase that has stayed with me. It resonates far beyond early motherhood, because that chaos does not end, it evolves.
Fourteen years ago, after the birth of my first child, I described my postnatal experience as a 'beautiful nightmare'. Months of broken sleep left me suspended between joy and distress, emotions that coexisted in a way that felt chaotic and, at times, incomprehensible, even with my medical training. That early experience shaped my understanding of maternal mental health, but it is only one part of a much longer journey.
As a GP, I have had the privilege of supporting many mothers at every stage of their lives, sitting beside them in their darkest moments. Over time, I have come to recognise the menopause as another significant and often overlooked period of vulnerability. This stage brings a profound shift, both physically and emotionally, yet it is rarely spoken about with the same openness as early motherhood.
Mothers in menopause often carry the same emotional weight while navigating an entirely different and complex stage of life where experience, responsibility, and identity converge in new and usually unspoken ways.
Maternal Mental Health Week begins on 4 May, and this year’s theme, ‘A Decade of Voices’ is a powerful reminder of the importance of women not only expressing their experiences, but being truly heard, believed, and taken seriously. PMHP UK, the official organisers of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, report that this year’s survey findings overwhelmingly show that many women do not feel listened to in relation to their mental health. Against this backdrop, the campaign highlights something fundamental yet often missing: the importance of women knowing it is okay to express their needs, feelings, and lived experiences without fear of dismissal or minimisation.
One of the greatest challenges facing women today is a lack of genuine human connection. We live in a fast-paced world driven by productivity, where the deeply human experience of motherhood, in all its stages, can too easily be overlooked or silenced.
During the perinatal period, we have made progress in encouraging women to come together, share their experiences, and support one another. These connections can be transformative. Yet during menopause, many women find themselves more isolated than ever. They may be supporting teenage children, caring for ageing parents, and managing the pressures of work, finances, and relationships, all while experiencing significant hormonal change.
This is why coming together during menopause matters so much. The shared experience of hearing “this is happening to me too” cannot be underestimated. It grounds, reassures, and validates. In creating spaces for women to connect at this stage, I have seen the profound impact of simply being heard.
'I see you. I hear you. I validate you.' These words apply just as much to women in menopause as they do to new mothers. Most women I see already sense that something is not right. While guidance and treatment matter, what makes the greatest difference is connection. Menopause is not the end of the maternal journey - it is another chapter, one that deserves significant recognition, support, and shared understanding. In coming together, women do not just find healing, but strength, clarity, and solidarity.
