Emotional wellbeing

If you are referred to the Specialist Community Perinatal Mental Health Service you will be offered an assessment to identify what care you will need. You will be allocated a named key worker and help them to put a care plan in place for you.

Sometimes women and birthing parents may require perinatal mental health support, even if you do not have any underlying mental health issues. If you are struggling please tell your midwife and they can refer you to the right service.

A very small number of women and birthing parents may need inpatient care. There are Specialist Mother and Baby Units available if this is the case.

Red flags to look out for, and seek advice from your midwife, GP or mental health team:

• Do you have new feelings or thoughts that you have never had before, which make you disturbed or anxious?
• Are you experiencing thoughts of suicide or harming yourself in violent ways?
• Are you having severe struggles to sleep?
• Are you feeling incompetent, as though you can’t cope, or estranged from your baby? Are these feelings persistent?
• Do you feel you are getting worse?