Slovak Author Opens Up About Postpartum Mental Health Struggles

Slovak author and journalist Gabriela Mihaličková Čepičanová has publicly shared her experience with postpartum mental health challenges, describing how childbirth triggered unresolved trauma from her parents' deaths. Instead of experiencing the joy she expected after becoming a mother, she felt anxiety and fear, struggling with physical closeness to her newborn despite pressure from other mothers who insisted everything should feel natural and beautiful. Mihaličková Čepičanová emphasizes the importance of seeking professional help for postpartum mental health issues, highlighting a topic that remains stigmatized in Slovak society. Her openness about these struggles contributes to broader conversations about maternal mental health and the need for support systems for new mothers facing psychological difficulties after childbirth.