Meeting Laura Guckian is like reconnecting with an old friend—she’s vibrant, confident, and full of Irish charm. You’d never guess that this bubbly, charismatic mum once battled postpartum mental health struggles after the birth of her first child. Now, she’s a powerhouse who channels her own experience into supporting mums across the country, turning her journey into a mission to empower others and advocate for maternal mental health.
The birth of a new struggle
Laura was at the peak of her marketing career when she became pregnant with her son. She was delighted, and after a relatively straightforward pregnancy, she was excited to meet her new arrival.
"Everything I heard about motherhood was that this would be the best time of your life. Everyone said it was going to be amazing. So I was really excited," says Laura Guckian. "I thought this would be the best day of my life. And for me, that just wasn't the case. My baby was born, and I remember him being handed to me and thinking, where's this gush of love? Where's the happy feeling? Because all I feel is complete fear."
Now a mum of three, Laura remembers how her mental health had always been steady—until a few months after giving birth. Things started to unravel, especially as she struggled with breastfeeding, and her son’s silent reflux only made things more challenging. It wasn’t long before Laura’s wellbeing took a serious hit.
"I felt this immense pressure because the breast is best, right? I think 'breast is best' is one of the most damaging statements to maternal mental health. I couldn't do it, and I felt like a failure. Then, he had severe silent reflux, so he was crying all the time. I was becoming more and more unwell mentally, but my baby was also unwell, so I kept putting off looking for help," recalled Laura.
Crying out for help
By the time Laura sought help, six months had passed since she gave birth. She recalls how desperately she was crying out for support, but it felt like no one was truly listening. It wasn’t until four months later that she made the incredibly brave decision to check herself into a psychiatric hospital, determined to get the help she needed.
"And I think that's the hardest part," Laura says. "As a mum, admitting you're struggling with your mental health takes so much vulnerability. To ask for help and be told to 'just get some fresh air' or 'take a bubble bath'—are you kidding me? It took everything I had to ask for help, and that was the response. It spiralled from there."
"As a mum, admitting you're struggling with your mental health takes so much vulnerability."
"When my son was ten months old, I made the tough decision to check myself into a psychiatric hospital. I stayed for two months and got the support I needed, but I still wasn’t fully okay. And here's the thing—my story isn't about postnatal depression. Initially, the doctors thought that’s what it was, but after two months of observation and care from a multidisciplinary team, they said, 'This isn’t postnatal depression.' They couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was and recommended I continue therapy. I left feeling like an even bigger failure because not only was I struggling, but it wasn’t even something as ‘clear’ as postnatal depression."
A tough diagnosis
"I think the hardest part of it was just this immense guilt and feeling like I was the worst mother in the world because I couldn't see anyone else that was finding it hard, and I also think it was the fear of, when does this get easier?"
Laura’s experience shines a light on just how complicated maternal mental health can be and the bravery it takes to ask for help, especially when the answers aren’t easy to find. What really surprised her was the number of other mums on the ward, all weighed down by the immense pressures of motherhood.
"I walked out that day thinking if I ever figure out why I ended up there, and if I somehow manage to piece my life back together, I’ll make sure no other mother ever feels like this again. And that’s exactly what I did," says Laura. "It took about three years to rebuild my life."
From mum guilt to mum guru
Laura left her marketing career behind and set out on a mission to help mums in a way that truly matters. She launched Mind Mummy Coaching and started discussing everything we’re "not supposed" to talk about in motherhood, such as the tough, taboo topics that can feel isolating. To her delight, mums started flocking to her. "I thought I was the worst mother in the world," Laura shares, "and from there, it just grew. Now, I support women every day by normalising those feelings and giving them the tools they need to cope."
Since launching the coaching programme, Laura has helped hundreds of women and uses her social media platforms and podcast to highlight just how demanding motherhood is. Even in our interview, Laura takes the time to listen to our woes and gives us the best advice on how to be kinder to ourselves - advice we're pretty sure every mum should hear.
"When you really step back and look at it, childbirth can be pretty traumatic for many women - or, at the very least, absolutely exhausting."
"Imagine going through any other intense experience like that and being told, 'You’re going to feel amazing afterwards.' Most women are probably left sitting there thinking, 'Wait, what just happened?'" says Laura.
Surviving the icy waters of mum life
"Think of motherhood like an ocean. Now, imagine the water is icy cold, and I’m in it with no life jacket or wetsuit - just treading water, freezing, and getting exhausted while trying to do the whole ‘mothering’ thing. Then, someone else has a life jacket and wetsuit - they’re not as cold or tired, so mothering is easier for them. And finally, you see someone on a boat, cosy with a warm cup of coffee, saying, ‘Cherish every moment! This is the best time of your life!’ Meanwhile, I’m thinking, ‘Are you serious? I’m about to drown, and you’re telling me I’m a bad mum?’ If we look at it this way, we can appreciate that everyone’s experience of motherhood is different because we all have different resources and support."
DIY village - What to do when you don't have a support system
Although Laura had concerns about having more children, by the time her second and third came along, she felt much more prepared. She learned to lower her expectations and ease up on the pressure. But in a time when society feels more isolated than ever, and many mums are raising kids without a village, we asked Laura what to do when you don’t have that big support network around you.
"Frozen pizza for dinner? Totally fine."
"I always talk about how, in the absence of the village, you have to build your own. Let’s be real - there’s no minibus full of helpers pulling up outside when we become mums. So, I help my clients start by lowering their expectations. If you’re trying to do ten things, but that’s just not realistic, let’s focus on doing four. And it’s okay to cut corners! Frozen pizza for dinner? Totally fine."
"If you don’t have a village, you’re not making gourmet organic meals every night. Also, when did screen time become the enemy? I’d rather my kids watch some cartoons than deal with an angry, stressed-out mum. It’s about lowering the pressure you put on yourself, cutting corners where possible, and making sure you’re refilling your tank."
Did we just become BFF's?
Laura is a treasure trove of wisdom, and let’s be honest—there’s nothing quite like tuning into her refreshingly candid podcast, Momfessions. It’s like having a cup of coffee (or a cheeky glass of wine) with your best friend who just gets it. She dives into the nitty-gritty of motherhood, tackling everything from the chaos of toddler tantrums to the exhaustion of sleepless nights, all while making you laugh until you snort.
Plus, she equips you with practical tools to tackle those tricky moments—because, let’s face it, we could all use a little extra help navigating the ups and downs of mum life. So, if you’re looking for a dose of real talk and relatable laughs, Momfessions is the podcast you didn’t know you needed.
Hannah Carroll is our Senior Digital Writer. In her capacity, she curates top-notch listicles, crafts insightful how-to guides, and delivers expert product reviews. As a mother of three, Hannah draws upon her comprehensive understanding of all facets of family life to bring true insight into all the products that make running a home easier.