Mental Health Perinatal (Community) :: Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust

Having a baby is a life-changing event – so it’s completely natural for women to experience a wide range of emotions during pregnancy and after the birth.

If these emotions are having a big impact on how you live your life and your enjoyment of life you might be one of the one in 10 women who experience what is known as perinatal mental health problems during pregnancy or in the year after giving birth. These difficulties may be new or a reoccurrence of an existing mental health issue.

It can be difficult to feel able to talk openly about these feelings, such as the pressure you may feel to be happy and excited, or a worry that you are a bad parent if you are struggling with your mental health. You might be surprised to learn that many other new mums are feeling the same way and are benefiting from support with their mental health.

The Perinatal Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) provides specialist input to women experiencing significant mental health difficulties during pregnancy and the first year following a child’s birth.

We also work to minimise the risk of relapse in those women who are currently well but who have a history of severe mental illness.

The Perinatal CMHT in Staffordshire is an expanding and developing service that includes doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, nursery nurses, peer support workers, clinical psychologists and health care support workers as well as administrative support.

Within Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin, a new Perinatal CMHT is launching on 30 September 2019 to support mums and their families.

What are perinatal mental health conditions?

Women can experience any kind of mental health problems during and after pregnancy, but there are some that are particularly common or are specifically linked to pregnancy and childbirth including:

Perinatal depression
Perinatal anxiety
Perinatal OCD
Postpartum psychosis
Postpartum PTSD

If you feel that you need help from the perinatal CMHT, please speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor who can refer you to the service as needed.

If you need help

If you feel that you need help from the Perinatal CMHT, please speak to your GP, midwife or health visitor who can refer you to the service as needed.