17/08/2026
When my son started Primary 1, I remember going through a really difficult period of reflection. I had a severe depressive episode after having my son, and we spent a few months together in the mother and baby mental health unit in Livingston. I spent too many hours to count in therapy, and I had lots of days where I felt unable to be a mum. It was around 2 years after his birth that I started to feel "recovered".
Because of that time, I missed out on a lot of his infancy and early childhood due to my mental health. I experience blackouts where I cannot remember whole periods of time; days out, activities, and even months of early parenthood where we have photographs, but I have no recollection of them at all.
When he started school, I went through a period of grief where I mourned the loss of this time with him. I felt like I was not ready for him to go to school because I had missed out on so much already, and I didn't want to miss out on any more time with him.
Big life events like your child starting primary school can be a very real trigger. They can cause those thoughts and feelings that you may have experienced in the perinatal period to rear their ugly heads again, even years down the line.
We Are Here For You.
If you need a safe space, a listening ear, or support when you are navigating something similar, our amazing team at LATNEM is here to support you every step of the way.
Remember this week, if you are dropping off your child for their first day at primary school: You've got this. You are an amazing mum, and you have done an incredible job to get your child ready for their first days of learning.
Sending you love and solidarity,
Linsey x
Book your free space at a LATNEM meeting here: http://latnem.eventbrite.com
