Article written by Tessa van der Vord
@mentalhealth_midwife
Perinatal (or maternal) mental health refers to a woman’s* mental health during pregnancy and the first year after birth. It includes those who have existing mental illness before pregnancy, as well as women who develop illness for the first time during the perinatal period. More than one in ten women develop a mental illness during this period. Perinatal mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of their background or situation.
I have been working as a midwife for almost 15 years and, within the last 5 years, I have worked as a specialist mental health midwife at a central London hospital. I provide care and support for pregnant people experiencing a wide range of mental health needs, from the mild or moderate to the more severe illnesses. This could be someone experiencing crippling anxiety regarding the health of their unborn baby or perhaps someone who historically suffered from traumatic stress or severe depression who may have had input from mental health services in the past. It really can range hugely.
There is a common misconception that pregnancy and motherhood is always a happy and exciting time. Tragically, suicide is still one of the leading causes of maternal death in the UK. There is still a lot of stigma surrounding mental health, especially in pregnancy, which leads to people often underplaying their symptoms and not feeling able to disclose how they truly feel to their healthcare provider, or even their friends and family.
A parent deserves to have a happy and enjoyable pregnancy. Having children is an amazing thing and a very unique experience which is completely life changing. For those who suffer with mental illness in their pregnancy or within the first year of giving birth, there is help and support out there and it is available to everyone. The first step is to speak to either your midwife, GP or health visitor who can help find the right support for you. While this can often feel like the hardest part, it’s the first step towards getting back to a better place.
I started my Instagram account in June 2020, whilst pregnant on the back-end of the first UK lockdown. The pandemic has obviously been hard-hitting for all, but pregnant people and new parents had an exceptionally raw deal having to navigate life at an especially vulnerable time. My on-going quest is to raise awareness of maternal mental health, normalise conversations around it and share real life stories in the hope that it encourages more people to seek help if and when they need it. So far, I have received nothing but positive feedback, and I’m glad that my content has helped so many people over the last 11 months. I hope my page continues to offer support, help and reassurance for all those experiencing perinatal mental health issues.
More information and support relating to maternal mental health can be found on:
https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/
https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/mental-health/
https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/
*or pregnant/birthing person or parent for those who don’t identify as women.
