Our mental health midwives are urging local pregnant women not to suffer in silence and instead reach out for help as part of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week.
Leanne Ellis and Lyndsey Hackett, are our Perinatal Mental Health Midwives, and are supporting the week-long campaign which runs from Monday May 2 to Sunday May 8. It is organised and led by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership UK and is dedicated to talking about mental health problems during and after pregnancy, as well as helping families access the information, care, and support they need to recover. The theme this year is ‘The power of connection – we are stronger together’.
Leanne said: “Having a baby is a big life event, and it is natural for women to experience a range of emotions and reactions during and after their pregnancy. But if this starts to have an impact on how you live your life, you might be experiencing a mental health problem.
It’s important to ask for help or support. You’re likely to find that many new mothers are feeling the same way
Lyndsey Hackett
“When a woman conceives, or when the new baby arrives, there is an expectation that mum should be happy and excited, however it is estimated that one in four women will experience a mental health problem.”
Maternal mental health issues happen during pregnancy or the first year following birth. They can have long-lasting effects on mums and families if left untreated. But mental health problems are treatable and recognising the signs early and seeking support quickly improves recovery and outcomes for mums and babies.
Women’s mental health symptoms can fluctuate and may include:
- A lack of interest in things you enjoy doing
- Severe mood swings
- Difficulty bonding with baby
- Isolation from friends and family
- Intrusive and obsessive thoughts
Lyndsey said: “It’s important to ask for help or support. You’re likely to find that many new mothers are feeling the same way. It is about helping those women affected by maternal mental problems to access the information and help they need to support their recovery.”
Examples of maternal mental health problems include antenatal and/or postnatal depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, postpartum psychosis and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These illnesses can be mild, moderate or severe, requiring different kinds of care or treatment.
Lyndsey and Leanne are on hand to provide extra support for local mums and work alongside other healthcare professionals, including the specialist perinatal mental health service, and local mental health services, to make sure women and their families receive the help and support they need. It is important also to recognise the need of the whole family at this time, so please discuss this with your health care professional so support can be discussed.
They will be manning an information stand, together with nurses from the perinatal mental health specialist team, on:
- Tuesday 3 May between 9am and 4pm in the Family Services waiting room at Grimsby Hospital
- Thursday 5 May between 9am and 4pm at the antenatal clinic at Scunthorpe General Hospital
The perinatal mental health partnership for the region will be focusing on different things during the week including: what is maternal mental health, smashing the stigma, the power of connection, health care professionals information hub, perinatal positivity pot, support for all and finally reflection. To see the weeks themes please see Perinatal Mental Health Partnership on Facebook or on Twitter PMHP UK (@PMHPUK). The hashtags of the week will be #thepowerofconnection and #maternalmhmatters
Further information can be found at www.everymummatters.com and the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership website at: https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/
Perinatal mental health contacts include:
North East Lincolnshire:
- Leanne Ellis – perinatal mental health midwife – 03033 305993 or email: Leanne.ellis@nhs.net.
- Lyndsey Hackett – perinatal mental health midwife – 03033 304799 or email: Lyndsey.hackett@nhs.net
- Harrison House – 01472 252366
- Navigo Single Point of Access 24 hours – 01473 256256 option 3.
- Community Mental Health Team – 01472 806800
- Open Minds Grimsby – 01472 625100
- Hull perinatal mental health specialist team – 01482 336837
Lincolnshire:
- Steps to Change Louth – 01507 607383
- Perinatal Mental Health Team – 01522 340160
- Single point of access Lincs 24hrs – 0303 1234000
- Perinatal mental health team – 01522 309540
North Lincolnshire:
- Leanne Ellis – perinatal mental health midwife – 03033 305993 or email: Leanne.ellis@nhs.net.
- Lyndsey Hackett – perinatal mental health midwife – 03033 304799 or email:Lyndsey.hackett@nhs.net
- Great Oaks – 01724 382000
- North Lincs Access Team 24 hours – 01724 382015
- North Lincs IAPT ‘Talking Shop’ – 01724 867297
- Goole – ‘Emotional wellbeing service’- 01482 335451
- Mental Health Response Team – 24 hrs 01482 216624
- Perinatal mental health specialist team – 01482 738060.
