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I am author of Motherhood - The Unspoken, motivational speaker, award-winning mental health advocate, mother of three mixed race children (including twins) & wife to an amazing husband, who is on a mission to stop silent struggles and postnatal depression.

Ivana Poku

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ivanapoku

❤️ Creating a world where mums don’t struggle in silence
🤰Mum of twins+1
👀 Featured in @Forbes @BBC
👇 Author of ‘Motherhood - The Unspoken’

One of MANY unspoken truths about (early) motherho

One of MANY unspoken truths about (early) motherhood: 👇

Becoming a mum reawakens your inner child and often brings up old, unresolved wounds. I share how this looked like for me in my book Motherhood: The Unspoken: 👇

‘I found it hard to accept that it wasn’t just the two of us in our place anymore. I couldn’t bear the kids being there and constantly kept asking myself why we were so stupid and why we had them. I longed to turn back time and erase the decision to have children.

The tears were almost constantly flowing down my face, especially when hanging children’s clothes on the dryer, as this reminded me of their existence.

I remember walking down the city with a blank expression and watching the people around me. There were people with business-like faces, while others smiled. Some were talking, some were walking, or drinking coffee. Everything seemed to be pointless.

I cried even when I went to a shop because it made me realise that I’d no longer be able to pop out like this anytime I wanted to. I remember walking down the street with tears running down my face, and I didn’t care. My life was gone forever.

I felt that the only thing the boys did was scream, and the only thing I did was feed and change.

That was it— my life in its prime. I didn’t feel like a mother or someone who could be responsible for another human being or give them security and support.

I’d reconnected with my inner child, who had been talking to me insistently day and night.

Who will now support me? Who will comfort me when I’m feeling down? Who will chase away monsters from underneath my bed?

I couldn’t silence that voice. The more I tried to suppress it, the louder it called—hello, I’m here! Why is no one listening to me?’

To continue reading my story, click the link in my bio.

Design is reposted from @joinphoenixhealth ❤️

#postnataldepression #postnatallife #postpartumlife #ppd #fourthtrimester #firsttimemum #firsttimemom

An afternoon with local mums filled with laughter,

An afternoon with local mums filled with laughter, support, and real connection. 🤗 Having a community makes ALL the difference!! ❤️

#motherhoodunderstood #mumsupport #mumlife #mumtribe #mumclub #mumsupportingmums

On March 8, to mark his son Arthur’s 4th birthda

On March 8, to mark his son Arthur’s 4th birthday, Hamish Magoffin is taking on the ultimate challenge—running up to 200km (123 miles) in Central Park to raise awareness and funds for postpartum depression and perinatal mental health.

The PAM Foundation, Inc. is launching on the same day, with a mission to support parents worldwide through awareness, care, and research.

Let’s cheer Hamish on and help make a real impact! ❤️🙏 If you’re in New York, join in or support from afar. More details here 👉 @pam.foundation

#Postpartumdepression #maternalmentalhealth #ppd #postnataldepression #ppdawareness #ppa #postnataldepressionawareness #postnataldepressionsupport

A BIG shoutout to @lea_rozee , another amazing wom

A BIG shoutout to @lea_rozee , another amazing woman who joined my ‘Motherhood- The Unspoken’ audiobook project to stop silent struggles & postnatal depression’s! 🤗❤️❤️❤️❤️

I wrote ‘Motherhood: The Unspoken’ to reveal the truths about early motherhood people don’t talk about, show new mums they’re not alone, and help them lower the risk of PND.

The audio book will feature mums from all over the world narrating different parts. The goal is to have a diverse group of voices come together, creating lasting change for mums worldwide. ❤️

80% of the profits will be donated to the @pam.foundation, a charity founded by Hamish Magoffin in memory of his wife and son, whom he tragically lost to postpartum depression.

Lea was the very first one who narrated a part of the book; and of that, she will forever hold a special place in my heart. ❤️ I still remember the goosebumps when I heard her voice bringing my words to life! Knowing she believes in what I’m doing means more than I can put into words. 🤗❤️

If this message resonates, and if you too would like to join this project, drop me a DM @ivanapoku.

Thank you so much!! Let’s save lives and bring hope to mums around the world together! ❤️

With love and gratitude,
Ivana xx

PS. If you would like a copy of the book, the link is in my bio 👉 @ivanapoku. ❤️

#postnataldepression #ppd #firsttimemum #firsttimemom #newmum #fourthtrimester #maternalmentalhealth

This always reminds me why I do what I do! 👉 to

This always reminds me why I do what I do! 👉 to make it common knowledge that being a new parent is far from what we see in the media or what society tells us. It’s far from what we expect or what we hear in stories, on Google, or in prenatal classes.

That “love at first sight” moment is just as common as having a painful childbirth—it happens, but not to everyone, yes even to dads!

It truly saddens me that this isn’t widely known (yet) and that parents who experience this—just like Jake, myself, and so many others—end up feeling like there’s something wrong with them, like they’re failing, like they’re not feeling what they’re ‘supposed’ to feel.

I want to scream this from the rooftops: It’s normal if you don’t fall in love with your baby right away! It’s common, it’s natural. Becoming a parent is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight, and the adjustment period comes with a whirlwind of emotions and conflicting thoughts.

Thank you, @jackpost for this post and for sharing your experience and helping to raise awareness about the realities of parenthood.

#realparenting #honestparenting #honestdad #honestmum #parenting #parenthood #fatherhood #newdad #newfather

“I don’t understand why she’s depressed. She

“I don’t understand why she’s depressed. She has beautiful, healthy baby.”

This phrase is so common and so WRONG!

Postnatal depression (PND) is an illness. If a mother suffers from PND, it does NOT mean she is unhappy about having a child. It means she’s battling a serious illness and needs help and support. 🙏♥️

As a new mum, you’re sleep-deprived and overwhelmed—often to the point of breaking. You go through many physical changes and experience a dramatic drop in hormones (estrogen and progesterone) in your body. All of this contributes to postpartum depression.

I am always saddened to see people confusing postnatal depression with a conscious choice.

Please know PND is not a decision or a choice. It is an ILLNESS like any other, one that cannot be overcome by willpower alone.

I’m sure I speak for all mothers who have struggled with PND—please think twice when you’re tempted to make similar statements. You never know who is secretly suffering in silence.

Sometimes it’s difficult to know how your words will be received. However, we all need to be mindful of the potential harm to someone’s mental health. 🙏

Follow @ivanapoku for joining my journey to stop silent struggles in mums .♥️

#youarenotalone #maternalmentalhealth #maternalhealth #maternalmhmatters #postnataldepression
#postpartumdepression #ppdisreal
#postpartumdepressionawareness

Here's what I believed as a first time mum (for al

Here's what I believed as a first time mum (for almost a year!): 👇

- I'm no good to anyone
- Every mum is coping better than me
- My babies deserve a better mum
- I can't do this anymore
- My life is over

And what I believe today: 👇

- I'm coping amazingly, especially with no family around to help
- I make mistakes but who doesn't?
- Stove days are bloody hard, but I know every stage passes
- My life is just beginning
- I'm a great mum, and I'm proud of myself

So, what changed? How did I go from feeling completely lost and powerless to feeling like ME again? And ACTUALLY happy—not just the version of me I showed on social media?

I'm sharing exactly how in my most popular (and free) class HOW TO COPE WHEN YOU FEEL YOU CAN'T—Instant Relief for Overwhelmed Mums.

Inside, I’m sharing powerful, practical techniques that bring instant relief—that I developed while recovering from PPD.

These tools helped me through my toughest moments, and now I want to pass them on to you.

Drop me a DM or connect below if you'd like a replay. ❤️

#mumssupportingmums #firsttimemom #firsttinemum #firsttimepregnancy #fourthtrimester #newmumlife #newmoms

A MASSIVE shoutout to Amanda Frolich @actionamanda

A MASSIVE shoutout to Amanda Frolich @actionamanda, one of the first people to say YES to being part of my project aimed at stopping silent struggles & postnatal depression (PND)!

So, what’s the project about? Let’s start from the beginning.

As a PND survivor, I’m convinced that many new mums struggle in silence due to unrealistic expectations around early motherhood. When they don’t feel the happiness society expects, they end up blaming themselves, which leads to even more struggles—and for too many, postnatal depression.

I wrote my book ‘Motherhood: The Unspoken’ to break this cycle, sharing the unspoken truths of motherhood, real-life stories, and much-needed reassurance to help mums feel less alone and lower the risk of PND.

I’m now working on an audio version of the book, featuring people from all over the world narrating different parts. The goal is to have a diverse group of voices come together, creating lasting change for mums worldwide. ❤️

80% of the profits will be donated to the @pam.foundation, a charity founded by Hamish Magoffin in memory of his wife and son, whom he tragically lost to postpartum depression.

I can’t even begin to express what Amanda’s support means to me. THANK YOU!!! For being you—supportive, down-to-earth, genuine, kind, inspirational—and for BELIEVING in my mission. You have no idea how much it means. (Seriously, you have NO IDEA! 😉)

If this message resonates, and if you (or anyone you know) would like to join this project too, drop me a DM @ivanapoku. The more people we get involved, the better! 😍

Thank you so much!! Let’s save lives and bring hope to mums around the world together! ❤️

With love and gratitude,
Ivana xx

PS. If you would like a copy of the book, the link is in my bio. ❤️

#postnataldepression #ppd #firsttimemum #firsttimemom #newmum #fourthtrimester #maternalmentalhealth

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