Award-winning author Laura Rachelle Taylor provides a candid look into the layered complexities of motherhood in her latest work, A Mum Like This. Beyond the idyllic facade, many mothers navigate a maze of conflicting advice, overbearing intrusions, archaic expectations, and the challenges of unsupported postnatal recovery, among other issues.
In her 52-week memoir, combining poetry and prose, Taylor documents a year of postpartum life with weekly diary entries and poems, capturing the emotional rollercoaster of new motherhood. During this period, Laura receives a diagnosis for Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), a significant endocrine disorder that remained undetected for years despite its profound impact on her life.
Taylor’s struggle with a severe form of PMDD led to numerous physical and emotional challenges, including a meningioma (brain tumour) and incapacitating cystic breast pain that restricted her from lifting her arms above waist height. She candidly shares how her then-unknown condition drove her to destructive behaviours, sabotaging her relationships and life during the tumultuous weeks of hormonal imbalance. Laura’s narrative provides insight into the cycle of destruction and repair she faced with each menstrual cycle, referring to her struggle as battling “the PMDD monster” and highlighting her path to diagnosis and finding light amid the disorder’s tumult.
Set against the backdrop of raising her child in a shed amidst house renovations, Taylor simplifies motherhood, eschewing the societal pressure of accumulating plastic toys for a more serene, nature-focused parenting approach. Her exploration of the natural environment, library visits, and connections made in her local community of Northwich, Cheshire, offer a refreshing perspective on motherhood.
A Mum Like This resonates with a broad spectrum of mothers experiencing similar complexities, offering solace and a sense of solidarity in the intricate journey of parenthood and PMDD. Taylor’s memoir extends a comforting reassurance to new parents and those struggling with PMDD, affirming that their experiences are valid and understood.
Available from 19th March 2024 in paperback on Amazon. Follow Laura Rachelle’s insights and journey on Instagram: @laurarachellewriter.
