My Black Motherhood: Mental Health, Stigma, Racism and the System

Sandra Igwe shares her journey as a young Black mother coping with sleepless nights, anxiety, and loneliness after the birth of her first daughter, burdened by cultural expectations and mental health struggles. She examines how culture, racism, stigma, and a lack of trust in services prevent women from getting the help they need, breaking open the conversation on motherhood, race, and mental health.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 21 June 2022
Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

When motherhood doesn't turn out as expected, and when seeking support meets with judgment and prejudice, it can be a challenging and isolating experience. Sandra Igwe shares her personal journey as a young Black mother navigating the complexities of sleepless nights, anxiety, and loneliness after the birth of her first daughter. Burdened by cultural expectations of the ideal mother and the strong Black woman trope, her mental health struggles became an uphill battle.

Black women face a higher risk of developing postnatal depression, yet they are the least likely to be identified as depressed. Sandra seeks to shed light on this issue by sharing the voices of other mothers who have faced similar challenges. Through her research, she highlights how culture, racism, stigma, and a lack of trust in services prevent women from receiving the help they need.

In this powerful and thought-provoking book, Sandra challenges the societal norms that perpetuate these issues and demands that Black women be listened to, believed, and understood. She encourages readers to break open the conversation on motherhood, race, and mental health and to work towards creating a more inclusive and supportive environment for all mothers.

Weight: 256g
Dimension: 138 x 215 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839970085