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Perinatal mental health
Not every pregnancy goes smoothly, not every birth ends the way it was planned, and not every experience of motherhood immediately resembles the one in the stories. At the Unique Psychological Practice in Warsaw we offer support during pregnancy, after birth and after a loss.
Book a visitThe perinatal period brings enormous changes - hormonal, in identity and in relationships - usually on top of chronic lack of sleep. Mental difficulties at this time are among the most common perinatal complications and affect far more women than people realise.
The greatest obstacle to seeking help is often the belief that motherhood should bring nothing but joy, and that any other feeling means failure or a lack of love for the child. That is not true. Ambivalence in this period is widespread and says more about the burden than about the kind of mother you are.
There is no single right way to experience motherhood, and taking care of yourself is an important part of it.
Is this how you feel right now?
If even one of these sentences describes your recent weeks, it is worth getting in touch.
Talk to a psychologist- For weeks you have felt dejected, tearful or irritable, and it does not pass.
- You feel constant fear for your baby, for yourself or about how the pregnancy is going.
- You are so afraid of the birth that the very thought of it brings panic.
- You feel you are not coping with the role you find yourself in.
- You do not feel the bond with your baby you expected and that fills you with shame.
- Your thoughts return to how the birth went and you live through it again.
- You have experienced a loss and have no one to talk to about it.
- Trying for a baby has gone on a long time and it is getting harder to carry.
- You have no space to say out loud that you are struggling.
In which situations do we help?
Anxiety in pregnancy and fear of childbirth
What it is
Unease during pregnancy is natural, but in some people it grows to a level that gets in the way of daily life. A particular form is tokophobia, a very strong fear of giving birth.
How it may show up
Intrusive thoughts about complications, repeatedly checking symptoms, avoiding conversations about the birth or, conversely, compulsively searching for information. With tokophobia there is panic at the mere thought of the birth, and sometimes nightmares.
How therapy helps
We work on reducing tension and on the specific fears, usually concerning loss of control or pain. Preparing a birth plan, which restores a sense of influence, is often helpful too.
Baby blues and postnatal depression
What it is
The baby blues affects most women after giving birth - it appears in the first days, involves tearfulness and mood swings and passes on its own within about two weeks. Postnatal depression lasts longer, is more severe and does not lift without support. It can appear at any point in the first year.
How it may show up
The symptoms of postnatal depression include persistent dejection, disturbed sleep, guilt and a sense of not being enough, no joy in contact with the baby and fear for its health that takes an intrusive form.
How therapy helps
We start by taking off you the pressure to manage on your own. We work on the guilt that usually accompanies this state and on real relief: sharing out the duties, sleep, room for your own needs. Where symptoms are severe, a psychiatric consultation can also help.
Miscarriage and pregnancy loss
What it is
Grief after the loss of a pregnancy is sometimes called invisible, because those around often do not recognise it as grief at all. Yet losing a baby also means losing plans and images of the future - and that applies to early miscarriage, to late loss and to stillbirth alike.
How it may show up
Grief after a miscarriage runs much like any other: there is sadness, anger, guilt and questions about the cause. Loneliness is common, arising from the absence of rituals and from the reactions of people who try to comfort you by diminishing the loss.
How therapy helps
We give space to live through the grief without hurry and without judging its intensity. We also address the guilt and the fear that usually accompany thoughts of another pregnancy.
Birth trauma
What it is
A difficult birth can be a traumatic experience, especially when there is real danger, a sudden medical intervention or a sense of complete loss of control. The way the staff behave contributes too: dismissing pain, withholding information, procedures carried out without consent.
How it may show up
Recurring memories of how the birth went, nightmares, avoiding hospitals and conversations about birth, strong reactions to reminders and fear of another pregnancy. The symptoms resemble post-traumatic stress disorder.
How therapy helps
We work as with other traumatic experiences: first stabilisation, then gradually putting the memories in order. An important element is often the acknowledgement that what happened really was hard - something many people have never heard from anyone.
Infertility and fertility treatment
What it is
Infertility means not conceiving after a year of regular trying. Diagnosis and treatment, including successive IVF cycles, can be a process lasting years, in which hope and disappointment follow one another to a rhythm set by the calendar of tests.
How it may show up
A sense of failure and of being let down by your own body, tension in the relationship, withdrawal from contact with people who have children, the feeling that life has been suspended in waiting. Grief after every unsuccessful cycle is common too, and those around rarely treat it as a loss.
How therapy helps
We accompany you through the whole process: in decisions about treatment, in coping with disappointments and in sustaining a relationship that often suffers under the pressure of trying. We also help when the decision comes to end treatment.
What does our support involve?
We accompany women at every stage: while trying for a baby, during pregnancy, after birth and after a loss. We also know that with a small child it is hard to plan anything rigidly. That is why we agree the form, frequency and length of the meetings individually, and some people use online consultations only.
- 1
We talk without judgement
The first meeting is there so that you can say out loud what is often hard to admit to family.
- 2
We tell the passing from the lasting
We check what is a natural reaction to exhaustion and change, and what calls for therapeutic work or a medical consultation.
- 3
You return to balance
We address guilt, the weight you are carrying and rebuilding room for your own needs.
You do not have to cope on your own
You do not need a formal diagnosis or any certainty that this is "something serious". It is enough that you are struggling. Book a consultation in Warsaw or online and let us talk about your experience.
Pick a slot in our calendar here
The booking calendar is only available in Polish. Prefer to book in English? Call or write to us and we will arrange it.
The booking calendar is only available in Polish. Prefer to book in English? Call or write to us and we will arrange it.
Most frequent questions about psychological perinatal support
What is the difference between the baby blues and postnatal depression?
The baby blues appears in the first days after birth, affects most women and passes on its own within about two weeks. Postnatal depression lasts longer, is more severe, involves guilt and a sense of not being enough and, above all, does not lift without support. If the symptoms last more than two weeks, it is worth consulting a specialist.
Does postnatal depression affect men too?
Yes, postnatal depression occurs in men as well. It usually takes the form of irritability, withdrawal, escape into work or drinking too much. Fathers are welcome for a consultation at the Unique Psychological Practice, on their own or together with their partner.
Can I have therapy while pregnant?
Yes, and it can even be advisable, because your mental state during pregnancy affects how it goes and how you adapt afterwards.
How long does grief after a miscarriage last?
There is no single timeframe here. Grief is made harder by the lack of social recognition of this loss - many people are told they should be over it by now, which lengthens the process instead of shortening it. If after a year the suffering still makes daily life impossible, it is worth talking to a specialist.
I do not feel a bond with my baby. Does that make me a bad mother?
No. A bond builds over time and in some people appears only after several weeks or months, especially after a difficult birth or with severe exhaustion. The absence of an immediate bond can be one of the symptoms of postnatal depression, which is why it is worth checking rather than blaming yourself.
How can I help a partner with postnatal depression?
What matters most is real relief with the daily duties and accepting what she says without arguing that there is no reason to feel that way. It helps to offer something concrete, including booking a consultation with a psychologist.
Where can I find a perinatal psychologist in Warsaw?
You are welcome at the Unique Psychological Practice in Ursynow and for online consultations, which are often more convenient with a small child. You do not need a referral.