Beyond the Six-Week Check: Rethinking Maternal Wellbeing with Dr. Maia Hayes

The discount code SAFESPACE20 gives 20% off all 12-month access on Pastest’s post-graduate exam platforms

https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=46017&awinaffid=2708016&ued=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pastest.com%2F

If you like the episode, please follow on Instagram @safespace.hcp and TikTok @safespacer0 for more content and share. Extended guided meditations are coming soon on my Substack and website www.saferspace.info

In this episode, Dr. Mariam Pereira sits down with Dr. Maia Hayes, a postnatal health coach and GMC-registered doctor, to pull back the curtain on the often-neglected world of postnatal care. Dr. Maia shares her deeply personal experience navigating a traumatic birth and undiagnosed postnatal depression, illustrating the ‘invisible gaps’ that even medical professionals fall through. The conversation explores the limitations of the standard six-week check, the toxic ‘bounce back’ culture, and the systemic shifts needed, from better GP screening tools like the ‘Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale’ to workplace flexibility, to truly support new mothers.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Even doctors can struggle to be heard by the healthcare system; Dr. Maia’s symptoms were repeatedly dismissed as ‘normal’ despite her clinical background.

Current postnatal checks often focus almost exclusively on the baby’s health or contraception, frequently neglecting the mother’s mental health and physical recovery (e.g., pelvic floor issues).

Up to 50% of postnatal depression cases are missed by GPs due to time constraints, stigma, and the inconsistent use of validated tools like the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale.

Society places immense pressure on mothers to return to their pre-pregnancy bodies and productivity levels, ignoring the fact that physical and hormonal recovery is a non-linear process that requires significant time and support.

Roughly 19% of women leave the workforce within three years of having a child, often due to a lack of flexibility and support, highlighting the need for employers to view postnatal care as a professional necessity.

BEST MOMENTS

"It is about the system telling you you're failing, when in fact, it's failing you."

"There is a reason why sleep deprivation is used as a form of torture, because it messes with your neurochemistry and how you feel about everything."

"There is a really good substitute for breast milk; there is no substitute for a mom's mental health."

"Just because it's natural, doesn't mean it's not hard."

"We shouldn't be relegated to a jeans size or a number on a scale after our bodies have done something miraculous."

HOST BIO

Mariam is a GP trainee in Wales passionate about improving our healthcare colleagues' wellbeing. She has experience on the Schwartz Round Steering group and as a facilitator for her health board, and she created and led the Balint Group Programme for Foundation Doctors in her hospital. These are regular spaces for healthcare professionals to speak about real issues that affect their well-being amongst colleagues to improve mutual support and camaraderie in the workplace. She also holds qualifications in Life Coaching and healthcare leadership and management. Whatever your reason for joining us on this podcast, we are glad you have taken the time. 

If you are having stressful days at work, leaving you feeling demotivated, and depleted, I'm hoping I can help here.

This Podcast has been brought to you by Disruptive Media. https://disruptivemedia.co.uk/