Fresh calls for new mums in East Midlands to seek help with mental health
NHS research shows 70% of new mums will hide or play down feelings of low mood or anxiety
The NHS in Leicestershire and Rutland is urging new mums to seek help if they're struggling with their mental health.
Research from the health service shows a quarter of women are affected by mental illness during pregnancy or within the first year of birth, but over 70% them will hide how they're feeling or play it down.
Tanya Hibbert, executive director of mental health services at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, said: “Many new parents will find that having a baby impacts their emotional wellbeing and mental health.
Although it is often a very special time, it can also be stressful and exhausting – and for some, it can have a significant impact on their mental wellbeing. If this is you, you’re not alone. Difficulties in this period are very common.
Help is available if you need it. 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.
Please just start by reaching out to someone; a family member, friend, health visitor, midwife, obstetrician or speak to your GP.”
The service says fathers and partners can also be affected during the perinatal period and can experience symptoms of low mood or anxious thoughts too.
The NHS says there's a number of signs that indicate someone who is pregnant or has given birth may be experiencing mental health issues:
- Feeling tearful, anxious or low for more than two weeks.
- Feeling more irritable and angry than usual
- Feeling hopeless
- Significant changes to appetite
- A loss of enjoyment or interest in anything
- Avoiding others
- Struggling to bond with your baby
- Feelings of inadequacy / incompetence
- Negative intrusive thoughts
- Frequent crying for no obvious reason
- Constantly worrying or feeling anxious
- Thoughts or acts of self-harm
- Feeling confused or paranoid
- Experiencing hallucinations
How to find support
Specialist support is often provided by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust’s Perinatal Mental Health Service, which supports people who have complex or severe mental health issues relating to pregnancy, childbirth and the first year following a child’s birth. The Trust’s Maternal Mental Health Service helps people with moderate to severe difficulties related to birth trauma, baby loss, and tokophobia (a fear of pregnancy).
Parents can also get advice in-between health visitor visits and appointments by calling the Healthy Together Helpline or using the ChatHealth secure text messaging service.
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, callers will receive a message back to inform them texts will be responded to once the line reopens.
Leicester City: text 07520 615 381
Leicestershire and Rutland: text 07520 615 382
The Healthy Together Helpline can be reached by calling 0300 300 3001. Calls are answered from 9am – 4.30pm on weekdays, excluding bank holidays.
Anyone needing immediate help with their mental health living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland can call the Mental Health Central Access Point, open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, on 0808 800 3302 or by calling NHS 111 for physical, medical and mental health issues.