No one warns you how mental motherhood is, do they? My sister called me crying at 2 am after giving birth to her first baby because she couldn’t stop feeling anxious. And it turned out that she had postpartum depression. One in seven new mothers experience it, and yet we hardly ever talk about it.
Then celebrities started speaking up. Finally! Because when glamorous women confess they’re mad, the rest of us feel less mad.
Adele – Not Sugar-Coating Anything
God, I really admire how open Adele is about all this. When she gave birth to Angelo with Simon, she proper struggled afterwards. In interviews, she said she lost her sense of self completely.
Remember that part about feeling guilty if we’re not enjoying every baby second? Hits different when you know the place. My friend Sarah sent me that interview when I was going through a tough time with my first infant. It made me cry, but in a good way.
Adele discussed in the interview that she felt disconnected from her baby sometimes. It’s pretty brave as hell of you to admit that on the internet for all to see. How most mums feel (but never admit). And they’re the thoughts we all secretly have.
Kate Middleton – Even Royals Get The Blues
Princess of Wales has battled her own demons. The hyperemesis gravidarum that she suffered during her pregnancies looked very awful. Throwing up constantly for months? No, thanks.
Kate has really made maternal mental health her thing now. She actively participates in volunteering, and when I say she genuinely cares, I mean that she is not doing it merely for appearances. Once you’ve been through the mill, you want to help people.
One of the mental health charities Kate supports employs my cousin. She says that she’s genuinely interested when she visits and asks appropriate questions. That matters.
Stacey Solomon – Instagram’s Realest Mum
Looking through Stacey’s Instagram is like peering at my own life occasionally. Dirty kitchen, children tantruming, her sobbing in the car park at the end of a difficult day. She has four kids, and she displays it all.
I saw one post where she was crying because her little one, Rex, didn’t stop crying, and she felt like a failure. Comments were riddled with mums who said, “Same. That’s what we need more of.
She does not pretend that motherhood is all beautiful. Some days you’re a genius, some days you’re good for nothing. Stacey shows both sides without making it seem like a performance.
Giovanna Fletcher – The Podcast Queen
The wife of Tom Fletcher essentially created a business out of speaking to mums. Her “Happy Mum Happy Baby” podcast is on a constant loop in our household. She has everybody on there: celebrity moms and regular mums as well.
And what is so genius about Giovanna is that she does not judge anybody. Had a C-section? Fine. Bottle feeding? Great. Struggling with your mental health? Let’s talk about it properly.
She actually interviewed my neighbour once, because she was a regular mum from our area who had experienced postnatal anxiety. Made her feel that her own story was as important as some celebrity’s.
Rochelle Humes – Keepin’ It 100
Rochelle from The Saturdays speaks some sense about the pressure to “bounce back” after babies. She’s had three kids with Marvin and has been open about how knackered she becomes.
Saw her on Loose Women once, and she was discussing mum guilt. She was close to tears explaining what it was like to leave the children for work. Every working mum who is watching this probably nodded during that.
She shares images of herself glammed up for work and then being at home looking like she’s been dragged through a hedge backwards. That’s real life right there.
The Americans Changing Everything
Chrissy Teigen – No Filter At All
Chrissy went proper deep about her postpartum depression after Luna was born. She wrote this essay that had me sobbing in Costa Coffee. Described feeling empty, angry, and nothing like the happy mum she thought she’d be.
She talked about taking medication, going to therapy, and having dark thoughts. Scary stuff to put out there when millions of people follow you. But it helped so many women realise they weren’t alone.
My friend Emma shared Chrissy’s post and added her own caption about struggling. Three other mums from school then opened up in the comments. That’s the power of someone being first to speak.
Serena Williams – Tennis Champion, Struggling Mum
Serena Williams won Wimbledon multiple times, right? But after having Olympia, she felt like she was rubbish at being a mum. Shows it can happen to anyone.
She talked about feeling overwhelmed, not bonding immediately with her baby, and questioning if she was cut out for motherhood. Here’s someone who’s conquered tennis, feeling like she was failing at the most natural thing in the world.
Cardi B – Breaking All The Rules
Cardi B did not follow the typical new mum playbook. She was back performing, being herself, not pretending to be this perfect maternal goddess. Some people had a right go at her for it.
But that sparked conversations about what’s “acceptable” behaviour for new mums. Who decided we all had to be the same? Cardi being Cardi after having a baby was actually quite refreshing.
What Postpartum Depression Actually Is
Right, let’s get serious for a minute. This isn’t just being tired or a bit emotional. Postpartum depression is proper mental illness that needs proper treatment.
Signs include feeling sad most days, not wanting to be around your baby, scary thoughts about harming yourself or the baby, and feeling like you’re in a fog all the time.
When I went to my GP, I could barely get the words out. Felt like admitting I was a terrible mother. She explained it’s a medical condition, like diabetes or asthma. Not my fault, not something I’d chosen.
Why Famous Voices Actually Matter
When celebrity moms talk about mental health struggles, it changes things overnight. Suddenly, it’s not shameful anymore.
I saw this happen in my mum’s WhatsApp group. After one of these celebrities shared her story, mums started admitting they were struggling too. Within a week, three women from our group had booked GP appointments.
That’s lives being saved, literally. When someone famous says “I had postpartum depression and got help,” it permits everyone else to do the same.
The Reality Check We All Need
These women aren’t sharing their stories for sympathy or publicity. They’re doing it because staying quiet kills people.
Maternal suicide is still a leading cause of death in new mothers. Every time a celebrity admits she struggled, another mum realises she’s not going mad.
My health visitor told me that referrals to perinatal mental health services always spike after a celebrity opens up about postpartum depression. That’s evidence right there.
What Happens Next
More celebrity moms need to speak up. Not just about the pretty bits of motherhood, but the terrifying parts too.
We need better support systems, more funding for mental health services, and doctors who actually listen when new mums say they’re struggling.
If you’re reading this and recognising yourself, please talk to someone. Your GP, health visitor, or even a friend. These celebrity women got help, and look how they’re using their experiences to help others now.
That’s what courage looks like: turning your worst moments into someone else’s lifeline.
