Love Island winner Dani Dyer has shared her experiences of maternal anxiety in an all new documentary.
Dani Dyer has opened up on the anxiety and loneliness she's felt as a young mum in a one-off special documentary for E4.
The reality star, who won the 2018 series of Love Island with ex-partner Jack Fincham, became a mother in 2021, welcoming baby Santiago with former boyfriend Sammy Kimmence. The 26-year-old is currently expecting twin girls with West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen.
In the 60-minute programme, Dani reflects on her perinatal mental health struggles during her first pregnancy and the loneliness and extrernal pressures she felt as a new mum. Wanting to raise awareness of mental health issues affecting young mothers, Dani also connected with mums similarly impacted by anxiety - albeit in a different form.
"Anxiety is a topic that everyone’s heard about, but we still don’t openly talk about our experiences," Dani said. "It can affect anyone, but as a young mum, it can be overwhelming at a time that’s already challenging and daunting.
"I’m really excited to be working with E4 and Summer Films to explore this topic, remove the stigma associated with mental health and meet other mums in the UK who have struggled with the pressures of what a supposed ‘good mum’ looks like."
"My anxieties aren’t the same as the other women who I interview in the documentary," Dani explains to OK! magazine. "But that’s what we need, to portray that anxiety and how it is so different for everyone, there’s such a massive scale of anxiety it’s to see where you’re at on that scale.
"It’s a really lovely journey for the mums," she continues. "Obviously it’s only one episode, but to see their strength, they were such amazing women and I’m really lucky to have worked with them. We’re all still in contact, I message them and it’s nice to get a friendship out of this."
Mental Health Midwife Tessa van der Vord, who appears in the documentary, has praised the reality star for shining a light on the subject. "I was lucky enough to meet Dani and feature briefly in this documentary," she said on Instagram. "I am positive that this will help many to feel understood. Well done Dani and the team!"
Dani Dyer: Is This Anxiety? airs on Monday 1 May at 10pm on E4.
Related features:
- The struggle is real: 1 in 3 working mums experience ‘unmanageable levels’ of anxiety
- What is postnatal depression?
- What is prenatal depression?
- How to be a good mother and embrace motherhood by an expert
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