Kate Lawler made an emotional appearance on ITV’s Loose Women on Monday, where she bravely opened up about having suicidal thoughts after becoming a mother — and the debilitating health condition that left her feeling “useless.”
The 44-year-old former Big Brother winner, who gave birth to her daughter Noa in February 2021, appeared on the show to raise awareness about Pelvic Congestion Syndrome (PCS), a condition that causes chronic pelvic pain due to vein issues in the pelvic region.
However, the conversation soon turned to Kate’s mental health battles following childbirth. Speaking candidly, she revealed: “I had postnatal depression during the first year. It was a blur. I read back the notes I wrote at the time — it was awful. I had suicidal thoughts. I felt I had made a huge mistake. I doubted myself every day.”
Though she said she loved her daughter instantly, Kate struggled with breastfeeding and the overwhelming responsibilities of motherhood. “I felt completely useless as a parent,” she admitted. “My mood was so low, I sank into the deepest depression I’ve ever known.”
Kate also spoke about the dangers of comparing one’s experience to the polished perfection often seen on social media: “I stupidly believed that wouldn’t happen to me. I saw all the happy pictures online and didn’t research postnatal depression at all. But it can happen to anyone, no matter who you are or where you come from.”
Determined to help others, Kate explained her motivation for speaking out and writing a book: “I just wanted to put it out there that I was struggling. Thousands of women feel the same. Just yesterday, someone told me, ‘Your book really helped me.’ That’s why I did it.”
During the episode, Kate also described her years-long struggle to get a proper diagnosis for PCS. “The pain began in 2017 and got worse in 2018. I was told it was a hernia, then appendicitis. Eventually, after years of confusion and being dismissed, I was correctly diagnosed in 2022 by a vein specialist.”
She underwent a walk-in, walk-out treatment called pelvic pain embolisation, which involved inserting platinum coils around the problematic veins to stop their function.
When asked how she felt knowing she could have been pain-free for years, Kate replied: “Exactly — GPs just don’t know enough about it. We need more research, better access to care, and a stronger focus on women’s health in the NHS.”
