Perinatal mental health (PMH) problems occur during pregnancy or in the first years following the birth of a child. Perinatal mental ill affects around 1 in 4 new and expectant mums, and covers a wide range of conditions. We also know that around 70% will hide or underplay maternal mental health difficulties. Please know that if you are suffering, you are not alone. Help is available.

Getting support early can help you to recover more quickly and help you, your child and your family to live a happy, healthy life together.

Start by reaching out to your health visitor, midwife, obstetrician or speak to your GP. They can can you or refer you on to other services if needed.

Specialist PMH services provide care and treatment for women with moderate to severe mental health needs and support the developing relationship between parent and baby. They also offer woman with mental health needs advice for planning a pregnancy. We also have teams who support people with moderate to severe difficulties related to birth trauma, baby loss, and tokophobia (a fear of pregnancy).

Signs and symptoms to look out for

Signs of mental health issues to look out for in someone who is pregnant or has recently had a baby include:

• Feeling tearful, anxious or low for more than 2 weeks
• Feeling much more irritable or angry than usual
• Feeling hopeless, as though things will not get better
• Significant changes to your appetite, such as eating more for comfort or forgetting to eat
• A loss of enjoyment or interest in anything
• Avoiding other people
• Struggling to bond with your baby
• Feelings of inadequacy/incompetency as a parent
• Negative intrusive thoughts
• Frequent crying for no obvious reason
• Constantly worrying or feeling anxious; you might notice a racing pulse, thumping heart, breathlessness or sweating
• Thoughts or acts of self-harm.

These can be indicators of a number of perinatal mental health conditions, such as postnatal depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or even postpartum psychosis.

Fathers and partners can also be affected during the perinatal period and can experience symptoms too.

It is also advised for people with a history of mental health problems to seek support from their GP, midwife, health visitor or mental health team when pregnant or thinking of having a baby.

You can find out more about the NHS Long Term Plan for transformation of specialist PMH services on the NHS England website.

Information from the NHS England website is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0

 

Specialist services

LPT Perinatal Mental Health Service

The Perinatal Mental Health Service is a team of health professionals that provide personalised and specialist care to people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who have moderate, complex or severe mental health problems relating to pregnancy, childbirth and the first year following a child’s birth (also known as the perinatal period).

Following an initial assessment, we can offer various treatments either in homes, community locations, clinics or via video calls.

Our aim is to help mothers and parents get the support they need to enable their family to live a happy, healthy life together.

The care we provide

Some of the support we can provide includes:

• Pre-conception advice and counselling
• Home visits
• Group therapy sessions
• Support clinics
• Nursery nurse sessions to teach you how to bond and play safely with your baby, including sensory play
• Counselling and talking therapies
• Advice and support on medications, to help people to make the best choice for them and their baby.

We develop a treatment plan in partnership with you, tailored to your own individual needs.

We are an inclusive service and will make adaptations and adjustments in line with cultural, ethnic or other backgrounds to support your needs.

You can find out more, including referral information on the Perinatal Mental Health service page.

 

Maternal Mental Health Service

The service helps people with moderate to severe mental health difficulties related to birth trauma, baby loss, and tokophobia (a fear of pregnancy).

You can find out more, including referral information on the Maternal Mental Health Service page.

 

Mum’s Mind: Perinatal mental health support service

07507 330 026

Leicestershire partnership NHS Trust runs the first dedicated perinatal mental health ChatHealth text messaging service – called Mum’s Mind. This confidential service offers advice and information to support mothers across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who struggle with mental health issues during pregnancy and baby’s first year.

The Mum’s Mind ChatHealth text service can provide advice on a range of issues, from sleep problems, anxiety and panic attacks to depression, psychosis, OCD and medication concerns. The service can signpost users to other support available from GPs, midwives and health visitors, psychological therapies, benefits advisors, social care providers and birth reflections.

The Mum’s Mind service is not a crisis service and does not provide general advice on baby care.

It can also help with practical advice on issues, such as mums who might be experiencing bonding and attachment issues in pregnancy and after the birth of their baby.

Family members and loved ones who are concerned about the mental well-being of a new mum during the perinatal period can also use the service to get advice and guidance.

The service operates Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, excluding bank holidays. All texts will be responded to by a member of the perinatal mental health team within 24 hours. Outside of the working hours, you’ll receive a message back to inform you that your text will be responded to once the line re-opens.

 

Other support

For more support from trusted NHS professionals on babies and children under 5, visit the Health for Under 5s website.

Parents can get advice in-between health visitor appointments by calling the Healthy Together Helpline or using the ChatHealth secure text messaging service.

• The Healthy Together Helpline can be reached by calling 0300 300 3001. Calls are answered from 9am – 4.30pm on weekdays, excluding bank holidays.
• The Chathealth service operates Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm, excluding bank holidays. All texts will be responded to by a public health nurse (health visitor) within 24 hours. Outside of the service working hours, you’ll receive a message back to inform you that your text will be responded to once the line reopens.
  • Leicester City: text 07520 615381
  • Leicestershire and Rutland: text 07520 615382

The Joy website helps you to find activities, groups and support offers near you. From talking therapies to local breastfeeding groups there is a range of information on there to support you and your family. Just enter your postcode and start searching.