Our stories

Feel alone?   Our hope is that by reading others’ stories of being a mum with Bipolar, you will find some hope in knowing that you are not alone in what you are experiencing.

From maternity ward to divvy van

“Sitting in a psychiatric ward, far from my newborn son, I felt utterly alone. I was meant to be bringing my son home to his beautiful new nursery – not sharing a room with a man withdrawing from heroin…”

Mariska , founder of bipolar mums

During her much-longed-for first pregnancy, Mariska and her husband and were unaware that women with bipolar disorder are at a very high risk of relapse following childbirth.  Despite letting her obstetrician and hospital know about her condition, no one offered advice to prevent the nightmare that was about to unfold.  Listen to an interview with Mariska here or read Mariska’s story here: MariskasStory

Stories from some of our Bipolar Mums readers…

Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder after childbirth: Dyane’s Story

Dyane is a mum of two lovely girls (and a much loved puppy!) who was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder Type 1 after the birth of her second daughter.  Dyane has shared about this experience here: Dyanes_Story .  If you’d like to hear more from Dyane, you might also like to check out the blog she writes.

Pregnancy and persecution: Laura’s story

Laura lives in America and has had bipolar disorder for 17 years.  Laura has kindly agreed to share the experience she had following the birth of her baby here: Pregnancy and Persecution (Laura’sstory)

Finding My Sunshine: Rachael’s story

“Although I have probably dealt with bipolar all of my life, I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 after my son was born. I spent eight weeks in hospital.

This year, three years later, I spent five months in hospital. A psychotic depression was triggered after I was diagnosed with a very rare autoimmune disease and my psychiatric medication wasn’t being absorbed into my bloodstream. I spent much of the time in a locked ward and ended up receiving ECT.

I am now home and recovering. As someone with Bipolar I understand that I needed to be in hospital for my own safety. As a mother I can’t shake the guilt of not being home with my son for five months of his little life.

If you’d like to read more, check out Rachael’s blog devoted to documenting her journey with Bipolar disorder.

Bipolar does not discriminate:  Sandra’s story

In this moving story, Sandra tells us about being diagnosed with Bipolar type 2 – and having to tell her children.  You can read her story here: Kids_and_Bipolar_Sandra 

Would you like to help other women by sharing your story?

If you would like to share your story of being a mum with bipolar disorder, we’d all love to hear it!  There’s no need to disclose your identity if you’d prefer to remain anonymous – just let me know and I’ll happily change your name to respect your privacy.   Send me a message:

Helpful websites and blogs

If you’re keen to hear more from other women with Bipolar Disorder, here’s a few more blogs to check out:

• Stigmama – blogs from a wide range of women with mental illness
• Kit O’Malley – Kit writes with true empathy and understanding