If you're a new mum reading this in early January, wondering why the anxiety and overwhelm that seemed to disappear over Christmas has suddenly come roaring back – you're not alone.

This is one of the most common patterns I see in my postnatal counselling practice, and I want you to know that what you're experiencing makes complete sense.

The December Relief

Something interesting often happens over the Christmas period for new mothers struggling with postnatal anxiety or low mood. With family visiting or staying with relatives, partners off work for extended periods, and extra hands around to help with the baby, many mums report feeling significantly better.

Suddenly there are other adults around. Someone else can hold the baby while you finish your cup of tea. Your partner takes over the bedtime routine while you have a break. There's help with cooking, cleaning, and the endless tasks of caring for a newborn. You're also just not by yourself all the time!

The anxiety that's been sitting on your chest for months might lift a bit. The constant overwhelm quietens down. You start to wonder: was I overreacting? Maybe it wasn't that bad. Maybe I don't actually need the support I was thinking about reaching out for.

Then January Arrives

And then January hits with full force.

Dark at 4pm. Freezing cold. Wet, icy weather keeping you indoors. Your partner back at work, leaving at 7am and returning exhausted at 6pm. Just you and the baby again in your living room that suddenly feels very small and very quiet.

And there it is again – that familiar feeling of being constantly on edge. The racing heart. The intrusive thoughts. The sense that you're barely keeping your head above water. The knot in your stomach that seems to tighten as the day goes on.

If this resonates with you, please hear this: you weren't imagining how hard it was before Christmas.

Why You Felt Better Over Christmas (And Why January Is So Difficult)

You felt better in December because you had what humans actually need to parent well: community, support, other regulated adults around, and shared responsibility.

This is not a luxury. This is how we evolved to raise children.

We did NOT evolve to do this alone in our homes for 12 hours a day while our partner is at work. For thousands of years, humans raised children in close-knit communities with grandparents, aunties, sisters, and friends all contributing to childcare. There was always adult company – to hold the baby, to prepare food, to provide emotional support, and to give mothers essential breaks.

Modern Western society has created an entirely new parenting model where mothers are expected to manage almost entirely alone during working hours. This goes against everything our nervous systems are wired for, which is why it feels so overwhelming.

The fact that you felt better with support doesn't mean you didn't need support. It means the support was WORKING.

The January Blues Are Real (And You're Dealing With Extra Stuff)

Even people who aren't navigating the postnatal period struggle with January. After the warmth, light, and social connection of the festive season, January brings:

• The darkest, coldest month of the year
• Post-holiday emotional comedown
• Financial pressure after Christmas spending
• The return to routine and responsibilities
• Long stretches of grey, wet weather

Now add to this the enormous task of caring for a tiny human who needs you constantly. You're dealing with:

• Sleep deprivation
• Hormonal shifts
• The huge identity transition of early motherhood
• The physical recovery from pregnancy and birth
• The weight of responsibility for another human life
• Isolation as your partner returns to work and social support disappears

This is A LOT. It makes complete sense that you might be struggling.

Society's Unrealistic Expectations

Our society prizes independence even at completely inappropriate times – like when you've just had a baby and your nervous system is literally screaming for connection and support.

We're told that a 'good' baby is a low-needs baby. That a 'successful' mum is someone who can do it all herself. That asking for help is a sign of weakness or failure.

This is absolute rubbish.

You Don't Have to White-Knuckle Your Way Through

If January is hitting you hard and that anxiety or low mood is creeping back in, this might be your sign to reach out for some support. You don't have to:

• Wait until you're in crisis before asking for help
• Prove you can do this completely alone
• Push through until you burn out
• Compare your struggle to mothers who "have it worse"
• Minimize your experience because you "should be grateful"

Asking for support – whether that's postnatal counselling, therapy, childcare, or just being honest with your partner about how you're actually feeling – is one of the bravest things you can do.

What Postnatal Counselling Can Offer

In my postnatal counselling practice in Formby (also serving Crosby, Southport, and online throughout the UK), I work specifically with new mothers experiencing anxiety, overwhelm, and the complex emotions of early motherhood.

Postnatal therapy provides:

Validation of Your Experience A judgment-free space where you can say the things you can't say anywhere else. Where your experience is heard and validated without being minimized or dismissed.

Understanding What's Actually Happening Psychoeducation about postnatal anxiety, the nervous system, and why early motherhood can feel so overwhelming – especially if you're a Highly Sensitive Person or perfectionist.

Practical Tools for Managing Overwhelm Techniques like breathwork, grounding exercises, and nervous system regulation tools that help you feel calmer in the moment when anxiety strikes.

Deeper Healing Work Exploring the childhood patterns and wounds that might be making motherhood feel more difficult. Understanding how perfectionism served you before children and developing new, more helpful coping strategies. This can also include EMDR processing.

Long-term Change Not just feeling better temporarily, but creating lasting change that ripples out to benefit your whole family and future generations.

You Deserve Support

If you're reading this and recognizing yourself, I want you to know: you deserve to feel calm and present with your baby, not just when other people are around to help.

You deserve support that understands your specific experience – whether you're a Highly Sensitive Person, a perfectionist struggling with the messy reality of motherhood, or someone processing birth trauma or postnatal anxiety.

January doesn't have to be something you just survive. With the right support, you can start to feel like yourself again.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

I offer a free 20-minute consultation call where we can talk about what you're struggling with and whether postnatal counselling might be right for you. There's no pressure, no judgment – just an opportunity to be heard and explore what support could look like.

You can book your free call at this link: https://zcal.co/ruthrenouf

You don't have to do this alone.