Information and resources on mental health and wellbeing during and after pregnancy.
Wellbeing in pregnancy
Pregnancy can be a very difficult time. It is a significant life event and a period of great change for yourself, your partner, and your family. As such, it can be especially challenging to look after your own wellbeing and mental health.
Some women who become pregnant can face difficulties with their mental wellbeing. It is not uncommon to have anxious thoughts about birth, experience low mood, or to find the journey during and after pregnancy to be difficult and overwhelming.
At times like this, it can be useful to access self-help resources and to get in touch with others for mutual help and support.
You can also speak to your community midwife.
Self-help tips
- Stay healthy. Have regular, nourishing meals
- Try to stay physically active – even short walks can be helpful to clear your mind (especially if you are able to get in touch with nature)
- Keep in touch with friends and family
- Mindfulness can be helpful, and many apps or videos (see below) are freely available to guide you on your first steps
- Engage with creative activities such as drawing, painting, or music
Mental illness in pregnancy (perinatal mental health)
One in five women may go on to develop mental illness during pregnancy and one year after giving birth. This may be related to mental illness that existed before pregnancy and are worsened during this period. Some women may develop mental illness for the first time. If untreated, this can have a significant impact on women and their families.
Recognition of and support for perinatal mental health in the UK has expanded significantly over the past few years. You can view a map detailing the growth and distribution of services here (opens in a new tab).
You can read some stories and experiences of mental illness during pregnancy shared by mothers, partners and family members here (opens in a new tab).
Examples of this include postnatal depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), postpartum psychosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Things to look out for include:
- Low mood
- Loss of motivation and enjoyment
- Lack of concentration
- Anxiety
- Hallucinations – these include hearing voices or seeing things which are not real
- Feelings of paranoia, abnormal thoughts or beliefs
- Abnormal behaviour
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
These may require more help, beyond basic self-care and peer support. If you feel you need additional support, you should contact your GP, as they can monitor your mood on a regular basis. If you feel you need additional psychological support, you can self-refer to the Psychological Wellbeing Service (PWS) via the CPFT website (opens in a new tab) or via telephone 0300 300 0055. You can also talk to your midwife, health visitor or obstetrician about how you are feeling.
The Psychological Wellbeing Service offers community-based support and therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy, coping strategies, telephone support, other therapy approaches. The therapies are in group or on an individual basis and are free of charge.
If you are pregnant or just had your baby, you will prioritized by PWS. You can expect a phone call for an initial assessment within a couple of weeks after you self-referred, to discuss the best treatment plan for your needs.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, and need access to immediate help, please call the First Response Service on 111 and select option 2.
Further support is available through our local specialist perinatal mental health teams. For referral to the specialist team please talk to your GP or Midwife
Partner's wellbeing
Pregnancy and birth bring great changes and challenges to both you and your partner. This can impact your emotional wellbeing, especially if your partner is facing difficulties and / or mental illness during pregnancy. It is important that you look after your own wellbeing, while supporting your partner during and after their pregnancy.
Recent research suggests that one in ten fathers develop postnatal depression following the birth of their child. If your partner has been affected by perinatal mental health problems, you are at an increased risk of experiencing mental health problems yourself.
It is therefore particularly important that you know how to look after yourself, where you can access support, as well as knowing how to support your partner.
How to support your or partner (from ‘Maternal Mental Health: A survival Guide for Dads and Partners’)
- The first step is to recognise and acknowledge that your wife or partner is ill right now.
- Talk to her about it and find out more about maternal mental health problems for yourself.
- Listen to her and take her worrying thoughts seriously. They may seem trivial and unwarranted to you, but to her they’re very serious and real
- Try not to judge or criticise her. She’s probably doing a lot of that herself right now.
- Reassure her that you are there for her and that things will improve in time.
- Involve yourself as much as you can with the parenting and housework.
Groups and resources
Useful links for partners and family members
Below are some useful resources about perinatal mental health and information for partners and family members.