A new study has revealed a need for enhanced mental health supports for new mothers during the first two years after childbirth.
Published in the Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine, the study sheds light on the challenges faced by mothers in the postpartum period.
It calls for increased funding and resources within Ireland’s healthcare system to address these needs.
Dr. Karen Matvienko-Sikar, senior lecturer in public health at University College Cork, discussed the findings on Newstalk Breakfast.
She said that while pregnant women do receive robust healthcare support, this tends to dwindle away once the baby is born.
“They get lots of support when they’re pregnant, and then that kind of peters out once they’ve had the baby,” Dr. Matvienko-Sikar explained.
The study also shows a significant gap in publicly available mental health services for new mothers.
While many women do prioritise self-care during the postpartum period, there is a clear demand for more structured and accessible support systems.
“They do feel like there needs to be more infrastructure, more resources, and more support to actually help them within the healthcare setting,” Dr. Matvienko-Sikar said.
Public health nurses, midwives, and GPs often step in to provide support, but many report feeling underprepared for the mental health challenges new mothers face.
Dr. Matvienko-Sikar went on to say there is a need for specialised training and resources for these professionals.
The study found that an overwhelming amount of information on how to look after your little one also contributes to heightened anxiety among mothers.
“There is so much information out there that new mums find it very difficult to parse out what’s the ‘real’ information they should be taking in,” Dr. Matvienko-Sikar said.
Conflicting advice from different sources adds to the confusion and stress, leaving mums feeling uncertain about how best to care for their babies.
Another critical finding is that many mothers hesitate to talk about their mental health struggles due to feelings of shame or fear of judgment.
“Women often feel a sense of shame if they aren’t ‘managing’,” Dr. Matvienko-Sikar said.
“They often have a fear of disclosing—there is a fear of what it might mean for them or their baby.”
This stigma can prevent women from seeking help, even when they are experiencing significant mental health challenges.
Despite the dedication of healthcare professionals, the study calls for greater investment in perinatal mental health services to ensure all mothers receive the support they need – not just those experiencing severe psychological difficulties.
“There needs to be more capacity put into those perinatal mental health services to ensure we’re reaching everybody,” Dr. Matvienko-Sikar said.
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