Hi, I'm Aleksandra! Let's start our journey here...

🩷 WHO THIS IS FOR

You’re pregnant again after loss.

You’ve passed the milestone.
You’ve seen the heartbeat.
You’re still bracing every time you go to the bathroom.

You want to feel more connected.
You want to believe this baby is coming.
But some part of you still whispers: don’t get too close.

This Substack is for you.

Not for vague mindset shifts.
Not for cheerleading.
Just grounded, emotionally clear writing that helps you name what you’ve been quietly holding.

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💡 WHO I AM

Hi - I’m Aleksandra.
CBT therapist. Perinatal mental health specialist.
Mother. Professional pattern recogniser.

I’ve worked in the mental health field since 2010 — first as a psychology student and graduate, then as a mental health nurse, and now as a CBT therapist specialising in perinatal anxiety and pregnancy after loss. I trained in CBT from 2017 and qualified in 2018.

Since then, I’ve supported women inside the NHS and in private practice - especially those navigating high-functioning anxiety, trauma, and the mental load of being pregnant after loss.

I’m also someone who’s needed help myself.

After the birth of my first son, I experienced postnatal depression, anxiety, and birth trauma.
After my second son was born, he was diagnosed with infantile spasms before he was three months old. I know the weight of Google at 2am. I know what it means to hold too much.
And I know that even the most “capable” women break down under what no one else sees.

That doesn’t make me your peer. But it means when I say “I see you”, I’m not guessing.

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📬 WHAT TO EXPECT

One post a month. Sometimes more if I have something worth saying.

You don’t need a journal prompt.
You need language for what you’re living through.

Expect to read about:
→ The moment you press your chest 12 times before 9am
→ Why you keep putting off the bump photo
→ How to walk into your scan without mentally rehearsing bad news
→ What it really means to “trust your body” after loss (and what happens when you don’t)

The writing is free. Always.

Sometimes I’ll include extra tools. Sometimes I won’t.
But I promise this: nothing here will ever ask you to be more ready than you are.

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🤍 IF THIS BECOMES A COMMUNITY…

That’s a bonus.
But the goal is simpler:

To say the things that silence has made feel abnormal.
To give you the words you didn’t know you were allowed to speak.
To remind you - you’re not the only one thinking this way.

Welcome to Unscrewing Motherhood.
We start with the parts you’ve never said out loud.

Warmly,

Aleksandra

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If this post landed for you — and you're navigating pregnancy after loss yourself — you don’t have to do it alone.

🩷 I offer 1:1 therapy for women pregnant again after loss.
If you’d like to explore working together, you can book a free call here →

📲 Or come say hi over on Instagram: @unscrewingmotherhood
That’s where I share daily reflections, reels, and quiet reminders you might not even know you needed.

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Disclaimer:

The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the guidance of your healthcare provider, mental health professional, or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your pregnancy or mental health.

While these coping strategies can be helpful, every pregnancy after loss journey is unique. If you're experiencing severe anxiety, intrusive thoughts, or feeling overwhelmed, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional who specialises in pregnancy after loss.

This article is based on clinical experience and therapeutic knowledge but should not be considered as therapy or as establishing any kind of therapist-client relationship.

© Aleksandra Balazy-Knas | Unscrewing Motherhood 2025. All rights reserved. The content of this article may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author.