Perinatal mental health
Becoming a parent is a big life event
It's natural to experience a range of emotions and reactions during and after your pregnancy. But it's important to ask for help or support if you need it. You're likely to find that many new mothers are feeling the same way.
It can be really difficult to feel able to talk openly about how you're feeling when you become a new parent. You might feel:
- Pressure to be happy and excited
- Like you have to be on top of everything
- Worried you're a bad parent if you're struggling with your mental health
- Worried that your baby will be taken away from you if you admit how you're feeling.
Around one in 10 women will experience a mental health problem during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth. This might be a new mental health problem or another episode of a mental health problem you've experienced before - these are known as perinatal mental health problems.
Baby blues should not be confused with perinatal mental health problems. Baby blues are extremely common and can be normal for many mums. You might feel tearful, anxious and emotional, this usually last just a few days.
Local services
Healthy Minds
Tel: 0300 123 0907 (option 2)
9am-5pm (Monday-Friday)
Supports patients aged over 18 who are registered with a GP in Stoke-on-Trent. Patients can self-refer by calling the above number, or a health professional can refer via telephone or by faxing a hard copy referral.
Healthy Minds support patients with the following mental health problems:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- General anxiety disorder
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Panic attacks
- Social anxiety
- Phobias
Therapies include cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling, guided self-help and educational programmes.
North Staffordshire Wellbeing Service
Tel: 01782 711651
Fax: 01782 632030
Support patients registered with a North Staffordshire-based GP; with centres in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Leek. Patients can self-refer or refer online for a phone call back; health professionals can refer via telephone or fax.
North Staffordshire Wellbeing Service support patients with the following mental health problems:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Panic attacks
- Agoraphobia
- Social phobia/specific phobias
- Obsessive compulsive disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Health anxiety
- Body dysmorphia
Therapies include cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling and couples therapy.
Other services providing perinatal mental health support and advice
Fathers Reaching Out
A support network for fathers who have experienced postnatal depression or been affected by their partner's postnatal depression.
Home‐Start UK
Provides support, friendship and practical help to young families experiencing difficulties, visiting them at home.
The Lullaby Trust
Provides advice on safer sleep for babies, supports bereaved families and raises awareness on sudden infant death.
National Childbirth Trust
Provides impartial information to parents to help them decide what’s best for their family; it also has a network of local parents offering practical and emotional support.
Netmums
Provides online health visiting support for PND.
Relate
Provides confidential counselling on relationship problems of any kind, not only marriage.
Samaritans
Provides emotional support to anyone in emotional distress, struggling to cope, or at risk of suicide.
Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS)
Information and national network of support groups for bereaved parents.