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Something to Live For: My Postnatal Depression and How the NHS Saved Us
The real-life story of a young mum with postpartum depression - and how a small, specialist NHS hospital is saving women's lives
Laura Canty is a new mum.
She has her beautiful baby boy, Arthur, and a wonderful husband. She has new mum friends on the local WhatsApp group, and everyone in her life is supportive and happy for her. But Laura doesn't see it this way.
In the weeks since her baby was born, like 1 in 5 women, Laura has developed Postpartum Depression. In fact, she has decided that the only way out of her current situation is for her to kill herself, or her baby...
Laura Canty has written a moving and refreshingly honest memoir, full of truth and hope, to finally lift the lid on Postpartum Depression, revealing not only the little discussed realities of the illness -but also how an incredible NHS Mother and Baby Unit literally saved her and Arthur's lives.
Laura Canty is a new mum.
She has her beautiful baby boy, Arthur, and a wonderful husband. She has new mum friends on the local WhatsApp group, and everyone in her life is supportive and happy for her. But Laura doesn't see it this way.
In the weeks since her baby was born, like 1 in 5 women, Laura has developed Postpartum Depression. In fact, she has decided that the only way out of her current situation is for her to kill herself, or her baby...
Laura Canty has written a moving and refreshingly honest memoir, full of truth and hope, to finally lift the lid on Postpartum Depression, revealing not only the little discussed realities of the illness -but also how an incredible NHS Mother and Baby Unit literally saved her and Arthur's lives.
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
Published May 4, 2021
13 people are currently reading
99 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 20, 2021
Couldn’t put it down once I started. Very humerus writing style especially with such a serious topic!
February 20, 2021
Something To Live For: My Postnatal depression and how the NHS saved us’ -Laura Canty
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ Post Natal Depression ⚠️
5 months ago, as a I sat cradling this new life in my arms, sobbing; “I don’t know what to do!” My Midwife said to me: “We are unfortunately living in a society where a mother’s competency is assessed on how unaffected she is from pregnancy and birth.”That hit me. Hard. Because the truth is, the complexities of caring for a brand new human around the clock is daunting and exhausting beyond all recognition. Add to that mix, the desperate recuperation of your healing body and you’re onto a winner (maybe not.)
Imagine swimming in the ocean, at times the water is still, sometimes the waves are gentle and ebbing- you feel in control, occasionally, you feel invincible. Then without warning, the tide shifts, the current changes and you are engulfed by the relentless surge of the suffocating swell of the ocean. Motherhood is just essentially a continual cycle this; trying your best and equally, wondering if you are doing enough, or even, if you are doing it ‘right’, at all! (Spoiler alert: there’s no such thing).
When I saw this book on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it. As predicted, this book articulated everything I had felt in the commencing weeks and months since giving birth. It is a lifeline. A signal of hope that you are not alone and that, despite your brain telling you otherwise, things will and do get better. It was authentic, raw and most importantly, it took the subject of PND, that still remains today as a taboo subject and made it accessible to those who need it most; mothers, fathers, family friends. The further this is disseminated, the better. Together let’s de-stigmatise postnatal depression.
Bravo, Laura Canty, I commend you for your vulnerability in sharing your story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing Group for this ARC.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️ Post Natal Depression ⚠️
5 months ago, as a I sat cradling this new life in my arms, sobbing; “I don’t know what to do!” My Midwife said to me: “We are unfortunately living in a society where a mother’s competency is assessed on how unaffected she is from pregnancy and birth.”That hit me. Hard. Because the truth is, the complexities of caring for a brand new human around the clock is daunting and exhausting beyond all recognition. Add to that mix, the desperate recuperation of your healing body and you’re onto a winner (maybe not.)
Imagine swimming in the ocean, at times the water is still, sometimes the waves are gentle and ebbing- you feel in control, occasionally, you feel invincible. Then without warning, the tide shifts, the current changes and you are engulfed by the relentless surge of the suffocating swell of the ocean. Motherhood is just essentially a continual cycle this; trying your best and equally, wondering if you are doing enough, or even, if you are doing it ‘right’, at all! (Spoiler alert: there’s no such thing).
When I saw this book on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it. As predicted, this book articulated everything I had felt in the commencing weeks and months since giving birth. It is a lifeline. A signal of hope that you are not alone and that, despite your brain telling you otherwise, things will and do get better. It was authentic, raw and most importantly, it took the subject of PND, that still remains today as a taboo subject and made it accessible to those who need it most; mothers, fathers, family friends. The further this is disseminated, the better. Together let’s de-stigmatise postnatal depression.
Bravo, Laura Canty, I commend you for your vulnerability in sharing your story.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Octopus Publishing Group for this ARC.
January 31, 2024
I was fortunate enough to have seen @cantylaura present this at a conference I attended last year for work. I won't lie, Laura's story saved what was a very dull few days for me. Her talking about her experience was incredible and I couldn't wait to get my hands on her book.
Despite me working in mental health and having worked with perinatal cases such as hers, I still found this to be such an eye opening and inspiring read. Learning about PND from her perspective provided me with such a different level of insight and I can't commend her enough for her brutal honesty and openness. Although an understandably difficult read at times, this was still a really enjoyable book- Laura's sense of humour is truly captured and I was often smiling or laughing throughout.
I've never been pregnant, but I still took a lot from this and I think all women will be able to relate to different aspects of what she has been through.
There will never be enough awareness for mental health, especially how it can happen to anyone, but this book is a bloody good place to start.
Highly recommend this- go buy it- it's on Amazon, less than a fiver!
Despite me working in mental health and having worked with perinatal cases such as hers, I still found this to be such an eye opening and inspiring read. Learning about PND from her perspective provided me with such a different level of insight and I can't commend her enough for her brutal honesty and openness. Although an understandably difficult read at times, this was still a really enjoyable book- Laura's sense of humour is truly captured and I was often smiling or laughing throughout.
I've never been pregnant, but I still took a lot from this and I think all women will be able to relate to different aspects of what she has been through.
There will never be enough awareness for mental health, especially how it can happen to anyone, but this book is a bloody good place to start.
Highly recommend this- go buy it- it's on Amazon, less than a fiver!
February 8, 2023
Laura Canty is commendable for writing this book.
I struggled with post natal anxiety when my little girl was born, let alone post natal depression. The nights are long and dark and you feel completely alone.
Your body has gone through the biggest trauma, you're on zero sleep and you're in charge of looking after this fragile, new person when you don't even feel like you can look after yourself.
If my husband wasn't literally spooning food into my mouth and our family rallying and bringing food round everyday I would have forgotten to feed myself because of how often I had to feed my baby.
All you're really doing is sitting and resting but it's the most exhausted and drained you've ever felt.
I'm grateful my experience was just anxiety, but it's absolutely no surprise that so many people are hit with PND. And it's so sad that quite often they're left to suffer in silence.
This book was a brilliant account.
I struggled with post natal anxiety when my little girl was born, let alone post natal depression. The nights are long and dark and you feel completely alone.
Your body has gone through the biggest trauma, you're on zero sleep and you're in charge of looking after this fragile, new person when you don't even feel like you can look after yourself.
If my husband wasn't literally spooning food into my mouth and our family rallying and bringing food round everyday I would have forgotten to feed myself because of how often I had to feed my baby.
All you're really doing is sitting and resting but it's the most exhausted and drained you've ever felt.
I'm grateful my experience was just anxiety, but it's absolutely no surprise that so many people are hit with PND. And it's so sad that quite often they're left to suffer in silence.
This book was a brilliant account.
Read
September 5, 2021I saw this book on the Unmumsy Mum page and had it to read for ages so when it came into my library I had to get it.
If I had read this after having my 1st daughter I would have been shocked and struggled to believe it, I never knew how people could feel like this.
And then I had my 2nd daughter and suddenly I got it. Reading this after having PND definitely made me understand what all those mums were going through and it breaks my heart.
This book is raw and honest so please look up the trigger warnings before reading.
Makes you feel like you aren't the only person in the world going through it and that there are also some mums going through it even worse than you.
If I had read this after having my 1st daughter I would have been shocked and struggled to believe it, I never knew how people could feel like this.
And then I had my 2nd daughter and suddenly I got it. Reading this after having PND definitely made me understand what all those mums were going through and it breaks my heart.
This book is raw and honest so please look up the trigger warnings before reading.
Makes you feel like you aren't the only person in the world going through it and that there are also some mums going through it even worse than you.
December 27, 2021
This book is so honest, open, humorous and relatable - a combination that usually works for me and this time was no exception! Laura recounts her experiences of PND in a skilful and very human way - I love how she’s busting the stigma of shame around perinatal mental health issues and although my story is different from hers, even ten years on for me, I felt relief and comfort from her words. Thank you Laura for writing such a beautiful book and I’m certain your story will help so many women. Xxxx
June 21, 2024
Fantastic account of Laura’s battle with acute postnatal depression. A must read for any mother, new or not, who has certain thoughts they may think they’re the only ones who do! Believe me, I resonated with so much in Laura’s feelings and I’m nearly 2 years postpartum! Thank you for sharing your story Laura!
November 18, 2025
Me identifiquei muito com a autora, e em vários momentos fiquei pensando em como seria ter tido o apoio que ela teve como estar hospitalizada, com uma equipe cuidando do bebê. Embora o tema me seja muito caro, a escrita dela não me atraiu muito, tampouco me emocionou. Valeu como experiência, mas já li outros mais profundos e tocantes sobre depressão pós-parto.
March 11, 2023
Thank goodness this book exists
As a new mum myself, this was an actual godsend, I related so much to the author's experiences and just knowing someone else was thinking and feeling the same has made all the difference .Thank you for sharing.
As a new mum myself, this was an actual godsend, I related so much to the author's experiences and just knowing someone else was thinking and feeling the same has made all the difference .Thank you for sharing.
May 10, 2023
I really enjoyed reading this book, it was well written and gave an insightful account of someone living with postnatal depression. I could really relate to Laura and she made me feel not so bad for going through a similar experience. Would highly recommend.
July 27, 2025
A very honest depiction of PND that will make you feel 100% less alone. I would say it very clearly opens your eyes to the inner monologue of someone suffering with PND and gives so much detail about how this affects everyday life.
December 17, 2021
Fantastic book, I read this in a few days. Such an honest depiction of postnatal depression/anxiety.
January 30, 2024
Very relatable and well written journey through PND. I didn’t want to stop reading.
April 7, 2024
Something to Live for was an incredible insight into a new mother and her deadly battle with postnatal depression.
Having suffered with depression in the past, this book was a honest insight into a new mum's true feelings and the thoughts that she had to endure. The triggers in this book were desperately upsetting to read in this book, but I was so glad that I did read it as it was an eye opener into the way she managed to ask for help and how that help then shaped the way she is today.
A real heartfelt and emotional overview of Laura's time in NHS care which enabled Laura to get the help she desperately needed shone through this story and I really hope that this book will encourage others to ask for the help that they need, and remember that you don't need to be alone.
A must read for mums everywhere ❤️
Having suffered with depression in the past, this book was a honest insight into a new mum's true feelings and the thoughts that she had to endure. The triggers in this book were desperately upsetting to read in this book, but I was so glad that I did read it as it was an eye opener into the way she managed to ask for help and how that help then shaped the way she is today.
A real heartfelt and emotional overview of Laura's time in NHS care which enabled Laura to get the help she desperately needed shone through this story and I really hope that this book will encourage others to ask for the help that they need, and remember that you don't need to be alone.
A must read for mums everywhere ❤️
January 25, 2025
What a heartbreaking, yet hopeful journey. ♥️. Laura writes with such openness and honesty about her experience and shows that with the right care, things can get better.
July 31, 2025
beautiful raw experience shared. loved it
April 10, 2021
Honest, brave, funny and heartbreaking. This book made me cry, laugh, revisit my own postnatal journeys to come to peace with some things, and speak with my sister again about our experiences. A vital read for opening up the discussion on postnatal depression.
February 1, 2022
Totally relatable
Raw, honest and moving. A true story of a new mum's journey through some of the most challenging times. Hope.
Raw, honest and moving. A true story of a new mum's journey through some of the most challenging times. Hope.
May 13, 2021
Something to Live For by @cantylaura
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Having recently become a mum I have found myself picking up books written by new mums about their experiences. I often feel connected to these mums in our shared experience. Luckily for me, I did not experience the situation Laura found herself in. Canty lays it all out on the table for her readers to experience her journey through post natal depression and her time spent in a mother and baby unit of a mental hospital. A starkly honest and inspiring read that left me feeling incredibly sorry for Laura, and all those hundreds of others in the same situation.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Canty and Octopus Publishing for this fantastic ARC
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Having recently become a mum I have found myself picking up books written by new mums about their experiences. I often feel connected to these mums in our shared experience. Luckily for me, I did not experience the situation Laura found herself in. Canty lays it all out on the table for her readers to experience her journey through post natal depression and her time spent in a mother and baby unit of a mental hospital. A starkly honest and inspiring read that left me feeling incredibly sorry for Laura, and all those hundreds of others in the same situation.
Thank you to NetGalley, Laura Canty and Octopus Publishing for this fantastic ARC
July 7, 2021
Wow! What an incredible story
Becoming a mum is HARD. Other mums seem to make it look so easy and very few people talk about the fact that pregnancy and the early days of pregnancy are as terrifying as they are amazing! Whilst I thankfully haven't experienced what this writer went through, there were certainly days and nights that I found really tough and I recognised lots of what she has written here in my own experiences. This book is inspiring and once again demonstrates that incredible work of the NHS. Highly recommend, but be warned... you won't put it down and you will need plenty of tissues.
Becoming a mum is HARD. Other mums seem to make it look so easy and very few people talk about the fact that pregnancy and the early days of pregnancy are as terrifying as they are amazing! Whilst I thankfully haven't experienced what this writer went through, there were certainly days and nights that I found really tough and I recognised lots of what she has written here in my own experiences. This book is inspiring and once again demonstrates that incredible work of the NHS. Highly recommend, but be warned... you won't put it down and you will need plenty of tissues.
August 29, 2021
This book is so honest, open, humorous and relatable - a combination that usually works for me and this time was no exception! Laura recounts her experiences of PND in a skilful and very human way - I love how she’s busting the stigma of shame around perinatal mental health issues and although my story is different from hers, even ten years on for me, I felt relief and comfort from her words. Thank you Laura for writing such a beautiful book and I’m certain your story will help so many women. Xxxx
February 27, 2021
Been there got the T Shirt...
A must read. Having been in the same unit at the same time with both similar and different illness I had to read. I laughed, I cried and related to so much. To then take the step to share and help others is amazing. Great read. Your never alone and never the only one.
Well done Laura proud to have shared a little of this experience with you x
A must read. Having been in the same unit at the same time with both similar and different illness I had to read. I laughed, I cried and related to so much. To then take the step to share and help others is amazing. Great read. Your never alone and never the only one.
Well done Laura proud to have shared a little of this experience with you x
March 6, 2022
Great read! Laura Canty writes about her experience of extreme postnatal depression. It really opened my eyes to the experiences of those with PND. Despite the heavy subject, it’s a funny read in places and Laura talks openly about her experience. Would recommend.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews