'I felt isolated and lonely after becoming a mum'

For Becci Higgins, motherhood has brought her an infinite amount of joy.

But after a traumatic labour with her daughter in 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, she was left feeling lonely and disconnected.

"During that first six months, I felt really isolated," said the now mother of two from Stalybridge in Tameside.

"I didn't really get to meet any other mums, I didn't really have family around that much, and I just felt this big identity shift."

But, after the birth of her second baby in 2024, things were different.

With a new approach to pregnancy and child birth second time around, things were easier.

"I went on to have an amazing water birth and it was really calming and really empowering," said the 37-year-old.

"I think from that it made me realise, even more so, how important those techniques and those skills are, as well as that time to look inwards and actually be able to reflect and build confidence in ourselves."

This inspired her to set up Beyond Mama to support mums of all ages and stages who have felt lost, overwhelmed or disconnected.

"Being able to connect with other mums and talk with other mums, it has made me also appreciate how important that sense of community is," said Becci, who launched Beyond Mama as a community interest company earlier this year.

"I think bringing women together and holding space, actually there is just something really powerful in that."

Becci has received funding to run the first of her sessions, and hopes to be able to offer more in the future.

They are designed to create a safe space where women can slow down, share honestly, and prioritise themselves without guilt.

Mother-of-two Kitty Hyde, who is taking part in the sessions, said she went into survival mode when she became a mum.

"I coped a lot better than I thought I would, but I think it was because I was treating everything like an emergency, and everything was like putting out fires all of the time," she said.

"It's not until now that my youngest is nine months old that everything has calmed down and I think I have realised how exhausted I was, and that I needed a bit more space to reflect."

Like so many mums, Amy Davies said she felt unprepared for motherhood.

"I have a little boy who is nearly two, and I still at this point feel like I am completely winging motherhood," she said.

"I don't really feel like I was prepared fully.

"Instead of just being so deep into motherhood and being this new person that you have become, it's just opening up yourself again and making time for yourself."

Mother-of-two Melissa Leigh added: "I thought it was about time that I did try and do something more for myself, and I thought that the wellbeing support with other mums was a really good idea.

"It's something that I'd not seen before, something a little bit different and new, so I just thought I'd give it a try."

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