Every story matters; This is Also Motherhood
By Baroness Berger, Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance
For too long, the images and stories we see about motherhood have been incomplete. They present a narrow idea of perfection, creating impossible expectations and leaving many women and birthing people feeling they are failing, sometimes before their journey has even begun. Correcting this narrative is essential: acknowledging the full complexity of motherhood allows women, birthing people, and their families to be seen, supported and understood.
Motherhood is never one story. It can be complex, challenging, and unique to every family. Yet the pressure to live up to unrealistic ideals can leave women and birthing people feeling ashamed or judged when they face struggle, doubt, or difficulties. That stigma can affect mental health, making it harder to speak openly or seek support. Many hide or downplay symptoms of perinatal mental health conditions, and that silence can cause even greater distress.
It is crucial to share real, honest depictions of motherhood. By doing so, we can challenge discrimination, dismantle unhelpful narratives, and reshape how we think about parenthood today and in the future. To do this, we must be comfortable with exposing the full spectrum of experiences and emotions that go hand in hand with matrescence and the transition into parenthood. Our hope is that this project plays a part in bridging the gap between expectations and reality; a gap which can leave too many parents feeling under prepared and overwhelmed.
Through photography and honest storytelling, this book reflects the full breadth of modern motherhood. It makes space for every story, not just the ones that fit a near-perfect image or a curated social media post. By showing motherhood in all its forms, it invites honesty, understanding, and compassion, and reminds us that every experience is unique and most likely imperfect.
Every year, thousands of people across the UK experience mental health problems during and after pregnancy. These are not fringe issues. Perinatal mental health should be a public health priority, yet too many families still face gaps in care, long waits for treatment, or inconsistent support.
That is why the Maternal Mental Health Alliance, which I am privileged to chair, continues to campaign for real change. We are calling for a future where every woman and birthing person, wherever they live and however complex their circumstances, can access timely, high-quality perinatal mental health care. We want parity between mental and physical health, so a mother’s wellbeing is treated with the same urgency and priority as their physical health and their baby. We are calling for joined-up, compassionate services that meet the needs of every family.
Most importantly, we want to remove the stigma surrounding perinatal mental health and ensure that no woman or birthing person ever feels alone, ashamed, or unsupported at such a pivotal moment in life. Achieving this requires political will, cross-sector collaboration, and a cultural shift in how we understand and talk about mental health in and around pregnancy. We all have a role to play in this. By starting conversations, listening without judgment, and speaking openly about mental health with new and expecting parents it becomes just another part of the process.
The ‘This is Also Motherhood’ campaign is a step towards that reality. It invites us to see motherhood as it really is, reminding us to hold compassion instead of judgment. It creates a space where honest conversations and authentic representations of pregnancy and parenting are possible.
Luciana Berger is Chair of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance and served as a Member of Parliament for nearly ten years. During this time, Luciana held a number of frontbench and backbench positions, including becoming the UK’s first-ever Shadow Cabinet Member for Mental Health. She also sat on the Health and Social Care Select Committee, where she helped lead its landmark inquiry into children and young people’s mental health.
Beyond her parliamentary career, Luciana has continued to champion improvements in mental health. She sits on the advisory board of the Money and Mental Health Policy Institute and is Vice President of the British Association for Counsellors and Psychotherapists. She is an award-winning advocate for parity between mental and physical health, and for greater awareness, investment and support across the system.
