Motherhood can feel like a whirlwind of tiny moments, big emotions, and everything in between - and at Mini First Aid, we know that keeping families safe isn’t just about bumps, bruises and CPR. It’s about caring for parents too.
This week, we’re honoured to share a powerful and heartfelt guest blog from Kayleigh Laverick, founder of Mamma Social Co. Kayleigh opens up about her experience of postnatal trauma, loneliness, and the unexpected path that led her to create a community supporting thousands of parents across the UK.
Her story is raw, honest and full of hope - a reminder that connection can be life-changing, and that reaching out is its own kind of first aid.
Grab a cup of tea, take a breath, and have a read. You are not alone.
You’re not just ‘going through motherhood’, you’re going through it.”
I remember the early days of motherhood like a fog, sweet, yes, filled with tiny fingers and soft baby breaths at midnight, but also heavy, isolating, full of thoughts I never expected to have. I’m Kayleigh Laverick, and if I could talk to that version of me now, I’d give her a hug and say: you’re not alone. What are you feeling? It’s valid, it’s real, and it’s going to lead you somewhere you never imagined.
The quiet that screams
When my first baby arrived, I thought I knew what motherhood was. Change your life? Yes. Exhaust your body? Certainly. But it was very typical textbook experience. And then I had our second child, a traumatic emergency C-section, unexpected complications, the hospital corridor fears, I found myself sliding into a place I didn’t recognise: night terrors, emotional numbness, feeling like I didn’t belong in my life anymore.
I’d look at my newborn and wonder: how did I get here? The outside world expected a happy mam. But inside? I was grappling with questions I couldn’t voice. And in motherhood, the shift is massive, it’s not just the baby; it’s you, your body, your identity, your world.
That’s when loneliness hits hardest. Not simply being by myself. But being by myself surrounded by everything I should feel, but didn’t. Having people around yet feeling disconnected. I couldn’t locate a “me” inside the “mam”. And I didn’t know where to pinpoint the problem. Who would recognise the early-onset of postnatal trauma, the creeping isolation, the fear of being “found out” as the mam who didn’t have it together?
A walk. A post. A lifeline
There was a turning point. One day, on a walk with my baby strapped to me, I remember feeling like the world had faded to grey. I thought: if she weren’t here, I could just… disappear. Something inside me froze. I couldn’t go on like this.
That evening I posted on Facebook: I'm going for a walk at this time, if any mams are feeling the same… Anyone? To my surprise, nine mammas arrived the next day. I didn’t know them. They didn’t know me. But we walked. And we talked. And somehow, in that moment, I found a way out of the fog.
Out of my pain grew something beautiful: what became Mamma Social Co. A community born not from strategy but from survival. I realised that I didn’t need to solve all of motherhood’s problems. Sometimes I just needed to be heard. And maybe someone else needed the same.
From
isolation to connection
It turns out that loneliness in motherhood is far more common than we talk about. I learned that 85 % of parents identify as lonely, and 42 % feel isolated in the first year. When I understood that, something shifted in me; my story stopped being only mine. It became us.
Because being a mam is not supposed to be done in silence behind closed doors. And connection looks like more than a baby in your arms or a nice selfie on social media. It’s messy coffee meet-ups, muddy boots on lunchtime walks, being honest about the nights you couldn’t sleep and the days you pretended you were fine.
At Mamma Social Co, we set out on walks, we gather in parks, we host events. From Scotland to Hampshire, our parent-led volunteers bring others along. None of it feels staged or perfect, it’s real. And it’s free. Because I refuse to charge for something that I needed so badly myself.
One mamma said to me, after a walk: “I cried today but I didn’t feel ashamed.” That right there: connection healing the loneliness. That’s why I keep doing it.
How motherhood changed me
So what changed for me? A lot. I accepted that I couldn’t just go back to “life before babies.” I had to go forward into something new. I had to rebuild myself, not as the same Kayleigh, but as the one who walked through darkness, looked around, reached out, called for company, and found others doing exactly the same.
I learned that vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s the doorway to authentic connection. I learned that helping someone else take one step beside me helped me take all the steps I needed. I learned that community heals the edges of motherhood that the baby books won’t talk about.
And I changed careers. From musical theatre teacher to founder of a movement. Why? Because the pain that started me off became fuel to reach thousands of mams, dads, caregivers. Because what I didn’t have, a community that got it, I could help build for others.
Why you
matter
If you’re reading this and you’re a mam, mom, mum (or soon to be), and you’re feeling small, or unseen, or really, really lonely, I see you. You matter. Your loneliness does not mean you are failing. It means you may be ready for real connection, for real talk, to find your tribe no more service level connection.
Let me tell you what I’d whisper to you:
- It’s okay to say: “I’m not okay.” You don’t have to have the perfect filter, or bounce back straight away, or be super-mam.
- You don’t have to live on social media’s motherhood highlight reel. The real stuff counts more. The messy, the tired, the question-filled stuff.
- One step counts. A small walk, a quick message, a coffee outside, a group you didn’t know existed, those steps move you out of isolation.
- You deserve to be heard. You don’t always need solutions. You just need someone to listen.
- And when you find a space that supports you without cost, without judgement, please take it. Give it a chance.
Bringing it back to first aid for the heart
Now, here’s where it ties into our friends at Mini First Aid. Because first aid isn’t just for accidents, it’s for life. The kind of first aid that says: “You’re not alone. Let’s walk together.” The kind of first aid that equips you, not just with skills for emergencies, but with a community, a voice, a place.
Being able to look after others starts with you looking after you. And if you’re a mam who feels isolated, you’re in the right place. You’re part of a much larger story. And I’m so glad you’re still here reading.
What I’d like you to do
If you’re nodding as you read, here’s something I invite you to try this week:
- Pick a day. Commit to stepping out, just 15 minutes. Let fresh air in.
- Find a Talk and Walk near you, get in touch on Parent Leads | Mamma Social Co, say: “I’m walking with a baby / pram / toddler, you can walk too if you like.”
- And when someone else reaches out, yes, accept. Because we’re all building our paths out of loneliness. Together.
Thank you for letting me share this with you. My hope is that you read these words and feel less alone today. Because you’re not just a mother; you’re a person. You’re brave. And your story is just beginning.
With love and a
mug of tea in hand,
Kayleigh 
At Mini First Aid, we know looking after yourself is just as important as looking after others. Thank you, Kayleigh, for sharing your story and reminding us that connection, kindness, and support are all part of keeping families safe - heart, mind, and home x
Ready for life’s little surprises - wherever you are
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