AN Egremont mum is sharing the highs and lows of motherhood in an “open and honest” podcast.

Brenna Dickinson created the ‘Mamas Gone Mad’ podcast in April after having her youngest daughter, Alessia, now 10 months old.

The podcast initially helped Brenna communicate how she was feeling to her husband, Stuart, after she had been struggling to balance motherhood with everything else going on in her life.

She said: “I never expected anyone to listen and so I spoke very openly and honestly and used it as a communication method for myself and my husband. It was my way of saying, ‘please hear me’.

“He listened and simply said that although I had been repeatedly saying the words ‘I'm struggling’, he hadn't really understood because everything was still getting done. Our home was clean, meals were cooked, our children were all happy and I was just in survival mode, I think.”

Listeners have since started tuning in to hear Brenna talk candidly about a range of topics including birth, mental health, her own marriage and very personal troubles.

Brenna said: “After a couple of episodes listeners started getting in touch with me and very openly speaking about their similar struggles with balancing all the plates. Since then it’s really become something I never could have expected.

“It has led on to me making new friends for life and setting up a mothers’ group pilot called ‘The Mamas Village’ with the help of Rachel Holliday which has now been running for three weeks with positive feedback. It’s amazing, really.”

The reaction to the podcast has been overwhelmingly positive and listeners can relate to what Brenna says, which helps them feel less alone.

Brenna, who is also mum to Lillie, 7, and James, 6, said: “Sometimes in the first couple of years after having a baby we can feel sensitive and the thought of people being horrible was what made me keep it to myself to begin with.

“It's the podcast I wish I'd been able to listen to when my eldest two were small. I love the comedy podcasts and pages about how hard it is being a parent but when you are in the lowest depths of depression, others making light of difficulties and seemingly finding them laughable isn’t always helpful.

“I came off social media for about three weeks at one point before I started the podcast because I couldn’t face seeing everyone’s ‘perfect lives’ anymore. Mental health issues take you to a very dark place and sometimes, just to know you're not alone can be enough, that's why it’s important to talk openly about these things.”

Listeners can get in touch with the podcast via email mamasgonemad23@gmail.com or on Instagram @mamasgonemad_podcast