S3 Ep123: Maddie Moss | When Postpartum Hits Hard: From Crisis to Community in the Fourth Trimester

When Postpartum Hits Hard: How One Mom Turned Crisis Into Community

Not every motherhood story starts with warning signs. Sometimes, things feel good—until they don’t.

In this episode of The Mama Making Podcast, Jessica sits down with Maddie Moss, maternal mental health advocate and founder of Maternal Sunshine, to talk about her “sunshine pregnancy,” a traumatic postpartum spiral, and how she found her way back through therapy, peer support, and community connection.

The Pregnancy That Felt Too Easy to Be True

Maddie’s pregnancy was smooth. No morning sickness. Lots of energy. No red flags.

“I felt strong, empowered, and really in tune with my body. There was no reason to think I’d struggle postpartum.”

But after a fast labor, an episiotomy, and unexpected complications during delivery, things started to unravel.

Her baby was healthy—but nothing felt “okay.”

Postpartum, Interrupted

Just five days after returning home from the hospital, Maddie and her husband discovered a sewage leak in their home.

“We packed everything up with a five-day-old baby and moved into a hotel. It felt like a horror movie.”

It was in that hotel room—exhausted, scared, and spiraling—that Maddie’s intrusive thoughts began. Sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, she made the difficult decision to check herself into an inpatient behavioral health unit.

When the System Fails Moms

Maddie bravely sought help—but quickly discovered the system wasn’t built for postpartum mothers.

The unit didn’t provide perinatal-specific care. She was separated from her newborn. There were no mom-baby accommodations, breast pumps had to be requested, and no one on staff specialized in postpartum mental health.

“I almost came out feeling worse than when I went in.”

This experience highlighted just how broken the system really is.

What Help Should Look Like

Eventually, Maddie found a PMH-C certified therapist and a perinatal psychiatrist—both moms, both deeply understanding of the perinatal period.

Combined with a free virtual support group from Beyond the Baby Blues, she slowly began to rebuild.

“At first, I didn’t believe I’d ever feel better. I just kept showing up. And then, one day, I did.”

The Healing Power of Peer Support

Through group sessions and a WhatsApp chat with other new moms, Maddie began to feel seen and understood.

They shared formula journeys, tough nights, funny milestones, and daily challenges.

“I didn’t know how healing it would be to just say, ‘Same.’ It meant everything.”

From Survival to Sunshine

Out of this experience came Maternal Sunshine, a platform Maddie launched to connect local moms, spotlight perinatal providers, and host monthly pop-up events in her Chicago-area community.

She’s now organizing yoga sessions, perinatal resource fairs, and building the grassroots beginnings of a fourth-trimester support hub.

“I’m just starting where I am—my neighborhood, my people, my story.”

Connect with Maddie Moss

• Website: maternalsunshinellc.com

• Instagram: @maternal.sunshine

TL;DR

After a smooth pregnancy, Maddie Moss experienced a severe postpartum mental health crisis that led her to inpatient care. When the system failed her, she found her way back through therapy, peer support, and community—and now runs Maternal Sunshine to help other moms feel seen and supported.

the mama making podcast, motherhood, motherhood podcast, parenting podcast, postpartum, pregnancy, parenthood, postpartum anxiety, maternal mental health, fourth trimester support, intrusive thoughts, motherhood and identity, perinatal therapy, postpartum recovery, support for new moms, Maternal Sunshine, postpartum crisis support