Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health
Mental health and emotional wellbeing are as important as maintaining your physical health.
Pregnancy, childbirth and the newborn period can be a stressful time and can trigger pre-existing or new mental health problems. The following resources from the NHS, professional bodies and national charities can be very helpful to provide information and support surrounding mental wellbeing. If you have any concerns about your own or your partner’s mental health, you can seek advice and support from your midwife, Health Visitor or GP.
Follow the links below for useful emotional wellbeing and mental health resources for parents.
Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Resources for Parents
Online post-partum wellbeing and mental health resources
Baby Buddy provides trusted, evidence-based information and self-care tools to help parents build their knowledge and confidence during the transition to parenthood and throughout the early stages of parenting.
https://www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/baby-buddy
Your Baby’s Mum is a wellbeing resource for women during pregnancy and after from Tommy’s
https://www.tommys.org/about-us/charity-news/new-wellbeing-resource-pregnancy-and-post-birth
More information about the Tommy’s resource can be found using this link
This webpage from Mind, the mental health charity, explains postnatal depression and other perinatal mental health problems, including possible causes, treatments and support options. It also has information for friends and family, including support and advice for partners.
There is a weekly Post Natal Depression hour on Twitter, along with support and information using the hashtag #Rosey-PND www.twitter.com
This video highlights the importance of looking after the mental health of new parents, what’s normal and how to access specialist support if you develop a mental illness .
Online resources on the impact of Covid-19 on Mental Health
The Recovery College are providing free online course for everyone in response to the global pandemic.
https://www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk/your-mental-health/coronavirus/
The Mental Health Foundation is part of the national mental health response during the coronavirus outbreak.
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/coronavirus
The Royal College of Psychiatrists, the professional medical body responsible for supporting psychiatrists throughout their careers, provide information on support for patients and carers during the pandemic.
https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/about-us/responding-to-covid-19/covid-19-and-mental-health
Advice from the mental health charity Mind
https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/coronavirus/coronavirus-and-your-wellbeing/
Links to guidance and support for new and expectant parents from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance
The Wellness Society have a free coronavirus anxiety workbook that can be downloaded in English, Spanish, German, Turkish and Dutch.
https://thewellnesssociety.org/free-coronavirus-anxiety-workbook/
Information and advice for those living with OCD from the national OCD charity, run by and for people with lived experience of OCD.
https://www.ocduk.org/ocd-and-coronavirus/
Anxiety UK provide easy access to a range of information, resources and support for helping you understand how to deal with your anxiety during these difficult times while Coronavirus (COVID-19) is impacting on our lives.
Action on Post-Partum Psychosis (APP), the national charity for families affected by post-partum psychosis, have compiled up-to-date information around covid-19 for pregnant women at high risk of PP; women and families in crisis or who think they are developing symptoms of psychosis; and for those recovering from PP.
https://www.app-network.org/news/postpartum-psychosis-covid-19/
Online and Self-help therapies including mindfulness
Self-help therapies are psychological therapies that you can do in your own time to help with problems like stress, anxiety and depression. From the NHS.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/self-help-therapies/
On this page from the NHS you can listen to a series of mental wellbeing audio guides to help you boost your mood.
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/moodzone-mental-wellbeing-audio-guides/
The Recovery College provide a range of online educational courses and resources to people with experience of mental illness, from service users to their family, friends and staff.
https://www.recoverycollegeonline.co.uk/
The Oxford Mindfulness Centre is offering free monthly online mindfulness sessions led by mindfulness teachers and researchers from around the world. Available for anyone.
https://www.oxfordmindfulness.org/learn-mindfulness/online-sessions-podcasts/
Headspace has a range of resources on mindfulness including an app, guided meditations, articles and blog posts. It is free for those who are unemployed and a free trial for everyone else.
Impact of coronavirus on pregnancy
Information from Tommy’s
Information for parents on covid-19 from the NCT (National Childbirth Trust)
https://www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/coronavirus-and-pregnancy/faqs-coronavirus-pregnancy-and-parenthood
Information for pregnant women and their families about Covid-19 in pregnancy from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the professional medical body for obstetricians and gynaecologists.
Helplines for Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Support for Parents
Your GP, Health Visitor and Midwife who are trained and experience in mental health are always happy to listen to your worries or concerns but if you would like some informal support the following helplines could be useful.
Pandas Foundation
FREE helpline 0808 1961 776. Available on all landlines. Monday – Sunday 9am-8pm. Manned by a team of trained volunteers who will be happy to chat to you and direct you to the right support.
PANDAS Email Support: [email protected] available 365 days a year. We’ll respond within 72 hours. Please get in touch if you’d like any more information regarding perinatal mental illness or are looking for support for yourself or your partner, friend or colleague.
PANDAS Foundation Facebook Page Our PANDAS Social Media team are online seven days a week, keeping you inspired, motivated and informed with current news and reports on perinatal mental health.
PANDAS Dads Facebook Page Developed to support partners and carers affected by perinatal mental illness, our PANDAS Dads volunteers are on hand to offer support and information seven days a week.
Twins Trust
Twinline is Twins Trust’s listening service for parents of twins, triplets and more. All the calls are answered by volunteers who have multiples themselves.
0800 138 0509, Twinline is open Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm and from 7pm to 10pm.
Tommy’s
Tommy’s has a team of in-house midwives who offer free support and information for women and their families at any stage of pregnancy and after the birth.
https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/mental-wellbeing
Helpline: 0800 0147 800 (Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm)
Baby Buddy Crisis Messenger
85258 Text service only text Babybuddy for free 24 hour confidential text support from a volunteer when in crisis.
Association of Postnatal Illness
Association of Postnatal Illness offers support and advice to women who are suffering from low mood or postnatal depression. Their helpline is open daily and there is a chat option on their website.
Helpline: 10am – 2pm – 0207 386 0868
Family Lives
Family Advice is a national family support charity providing help to families and parents who need support. Their parenting advice line is open 7 days a week. They also have a chat facility on their website.
0808 800 2222 (Mon-Fri 9am-9pm, Sat-Sun 10am-3pm) Free from landlines and most mobiles.
https://www.familylives.org.uk/
Anxiety UK
Anxiety UK is the national charity for people suffering from anxiety, stress and anxiety based depression. Their freephone support and advice line is open Monday to Friday.
03444 775 774 Mon- Fri 9.30-5.30
No Panic
No Panic offers support for those with phobias, OCD and other anxiety based disorders.
0844 967 4848 Everyday 10 am to 10 pm (help with panic disorder) Calls Charged at 5ppm + access charge
OCD UK
OCD UK is a national charity supporting people with OCD. Their advice line is open Monday to Friday.
03332 127 890 (10am to 4.45pm Mon to Fri) Calls to this number will cost callers the same as it costs to call regular 01 or 02 numbers (please check with your telephone provider for costs.
Support Contacts
Health for Young People provides information on how to stay safe and healthy, including information on pregnancy and sexual health, and mental health for young people.
Parental Relationships
NHS Getting Help for Domestic Violence – Advice: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/getting-help-for-domestic-violence/
Women can call The Freephone National Domestic Abuse Helpline, run by Refuge on 0808 2000 247 for free at any time, day or night. The staff will offer confidential, non-judgemental information and support
Women’s Aid provide advice, support and information for women and children who are suffering from domestic abuse.
https://www.womensaid.org.uk/information-support/
Harbour is a Northeast Charity that works with families and individuals who are affected by abuse from a partner, former partner or other family member. Their 24 hour phone number is 03000 20 25 25.