Open Up the Conversation: Motherhood & Menstrual Health Conditions
Recorded June 2025
Our volunteer content producer, Lauren Buchanan, sat down to chat with Alice Butler-Crozier, Anastasia Panoutsou, Efia Howard and Sally Whitehill to discuss how living with menstrual health conditions affects the experience of motherhood. They discuss how to explain what is going on with mum in a child-friendly way, the need to plan your life around debilitating pain and the importance of being compassionate with yourself and letting go of motherhood martyrdom.
In this video:
Sally Whitehill: Women’s Health Activist
Alice Butler-Crozier: Leadership Coach and Co-Founder of The Rethink Collective
Anastasia Panoutsou: Writer
Efia Howard: Women’s Health Advocate, Creator of @Mummyendoandme
Hosted by: Lauren Buchanan, Freja’s Volunteer Content Producer
Key takeaways from the conversation:
Be open with your kids
Talking to your children in an honest and age-appropriate way can help them navigate some of their worries about what is going on with Mum. Giving them a language to talk about menstrual health now could also help them later in life if they themselves, or a partner or a friend, have their own menstrual health issues.
Do what works for you and your family
When you live with conditions such as PCOS, PMDD, endometriosis and more, your energy and ability to be present as a mum will fluctuate. Talk to your family and friends, ask for help, and know that it’s okay if you can’t be the go-to person for your children all the time.
Prioritise happiness and health - let go of the martyrdom of motherhood
Trying to be Super-mum is a losing battle. Instead, show yourself compassion and remind yourself that by knowing and setting your own boundaries for how much you can and cannot do, you will, in the long-term, be a happier and healthier mum. Even if it means not going to the soft-play as often as your children would like.
It’s your journey. Listen to your body and your soul.
Everyone has their own way to navigate both motherhood and a menstrual health diagnosis. Block out the noise and listen to yourself and find what works for you.