When Motherhood Feels Overwhelming: How the Nervous System Shapes Perinatal and Postpartum Anxiety, Stress, and Burnout
Becoming a mum is one of the most transformative experiences a woman will ever go through. It’s beautiful and profound, yet it’s also incredibly intense. The physical, emotional, and hormonal demands of pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood place extraordinary pressure on the nervous system. And for many mums, that pressure starts long before baby arrives.
At Healthy Families Chiropractic in Johnsonville, we work closely with mums who are experiencing perinatal or postpartum anxiety, overwhelm, exhaustion, or a constant sense of being “on edge.” These experiences are far more common than most people talk about, and they’re often signs of a nervous system that’s struggling to adapt.
This blog is designed to help you understand why this happens, what it means, and how supporting the nervous system can make a meaningful difference in a safe, natural, and empowering way.
Why so many mums feel overwhelmed: a nervous system perspective
Motherhood doesn’t begin at birth, it begins the moment your nervous system starts adapting to pregnancy.
Hormonal shifts, sleep disruption, physical changes, and the emotional load of preparing for a new baby all activate the stress response. For some mums, this is manageable. For others, especially those with a history of high stress, trauma, birth interventions, or lack of support, the nervous system may shift into one of two states:
1. Fight-or-Flight Mode (Sympathetic Dominance)
This is the “always on,” wired-but-exhausted state.
Possible signs include:
Feeling anxious or constantly alert
Racing thoughts
Irritability
Difficulty winding down
Trouble sleeping even when tired
2. Burnout or Depletion (Sympathetic Exhaustion)
This happens when the system has been overwhelmed for too long and begins to conserve energy.
Possible signs include:
Feeling flat or disconnected
Low motivation
Brain fog
Emotional numbness
Struggling to engage or connect
Both states can affect a mother’s sense of capacity — not because she doesn’t care, but because her nervous system is overloaded.
Why the nervous system matters so much in motherhood
Your nervous system is the foundation for:
Mood and emotional regulation
Energy
Sleep patterns
Hormonal balance
Digestion
Stress response
Connection and bonding
When this system is balanced, adaptable, and supported, mums often feel:
More steady
More present
More capable of coping with daily demands
More connected with their baby
When it’s overwhelmed, everything feels harder, even when things “look fine” on the outside.
Where we come in: A nervous-system–centred approach
At Healthy Families Chiropractic, our focus is simple:
Support the nervous system so it can function more appropriately during the demands of pregnancy and early motherhood.
We look for patterns of tension, imbalance, or overload within the nervous system that may be contributing to feelings of anxiety, overwhelm, or depletion. Our approach is:
Specific and neuro-focused
Gentle in application
Tailored to each mum’s unique presentation
Designed to help restore balance and adaptability
When the nervous system becomes stronger and more adaptable, mums often describe having:
More bandwidth
More ease moving through the day
More responsiveness
A greater sense of connection with their baby
If you’re a mum reading this…
There is nothing wrong with you.
You’re not failing.
You’re not broken.
And you’re definitely not alone.
Your nervous system is doing the best it can with the load it has carried.
If it feels like “too much,” that’s not a personal flaw, it’s a sign that your body is asking for support.
If you’re a professional supporting mums…
If you work with a mum who seems:
constantly overwhelmed
anxious
unable to rest
depleted or burnt out
struggling to bond or connect
“wired” or “flat” despite trying everything
She may benefit from nervous-system–centred care alongside the work you’re already doing.
We’re always happy to support and be another resource in her village.
You don’t have to navigate motherhood alone
If you’d like to learn more about how we support perinatal and postpartum mums at Healthy Families Chiropractic, you can reach out any time or book a consultation.
Every mum deserves a supported, connected, and sustainable motherhood and it starts with understanding and caring for her nervous system.
