Mental health support during pregnancy and after having a baby

Mental health problems can happen during pregnancy or after having a baby. Dads and partners can struggle with their mental health too.

Here are some of the places you can turn to for help in North Yorkshire.

Not sure where to start?

You can talk to your GP, midwife or health visitor about how you're feeling.

You don't need to wait until things become really difficult before asking for help. They can talk to you about what you're experiencing and help you find the right support.

Health visitors in North Yorkshire

If you're pregnant or have a child up to the age of six, you can contact the Growing Healthy North Yorkshire health visiting team.

Health visitors can talk to you about your own health and wellbeing as well as your baby's health and development.

Call: 0300 303 0916

Available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

Find out more about health visiting in North Yorkshire: https://www.hdft.nhs.uk/services/childrens-services/0-5-childrens-service-ny/

Need specialist mental health support during pregnancy or after birth?

North Yorkshire and York perinatal mental health team

The specialist perinatal mental health team supports women and birthing people experiencing significant mental health difficulties during pregnancy or in the first year after having a baby.

This can include severe depression, anxiety and other serious mental health problems during pregnancy or after birth.

You can't usually refer yourself directly. Your GP, midwife, health visitor or another professional working with you can make a referral.

Call: 01904 556724

Find out more about the North Yorkshire and York perinatal mental health team: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/services/perinatal-mental-health-north-yorkshire/

Need urgent mental health help?

If you or someone you care about needs urgent mental health help, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.

It's available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.

You can also contact Samaritans at any time if you're struggling to cope or need someone to talk to.

Call Samaritans free on 116 123.

Find out about urgent mental health help: https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services/where-to-get-urgent-help-for-mental-health/

Worried about postpartum psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis is a serious mental health condition that can develop suddenly after having a baby.

Someone may experience things such as severe confusion, unusual beliefs, hearing or seeing things that aren't there, extreme changes in mood or behaving in a way that is very unlike them.

Postpartum psychosis is a medical emergency and can get worse very quickly.

If you think you or someone you know may have postpartum psychosis, ask for an urgent assessment the same day. Contact your GP, midwife or health visitor, or call NHS 111 if you cannot reach them or don't know what to do.

If you think there is an immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E.

Read NHS information about postpartum psychosis: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/conditions/post-partum-psychosis/

Struggling with anxiety, depression or difficult thoughts?

Mental health problems during and after pregnancy don't always look the same.

You might feel persistently low, anxious or overwhelmed, struggle to enjoy things, find it difficult to bond with your baby or experience upsetting thoughts that you don't want to have.

Having intrusive or frightening thoughts does not mean that you want to act on them. If you're worried by your thoughts or how you're feeling, tell your GP, midwife or health visitor.

North Yorkshire Talking Therapies

NHS North Yorkshire Talking Therapies provides support for problems such as anxiety, depression, stress, worry and frightening or unwanted thoughts.

You can refer yourself without going through your GP.

Find out more and refer yourself: https://northyorkshiretalkingtherapies.co.uk/self-referral/

Talking Therapies isn't an urgent or crisis service. If you need urgent mental health help, call NHS 111 and select the mental health option.

Maternal OCD

Some people experience obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) during pregnancy or after having a baby. This can include upsetting intrusive thoughts and feeling driven to carry out particular actions or routines.

Maternal OCD is a charity run by people with experience of perinatal OCD and provides information for parents and families.

Find out more about perinatal OCD: https://maternalocd.org/

Struggling after a difficult birth, pregnancy or baby loss?

Difficult or traumatic experiences during pregnancy, birth or after having a baby can have a significant effect on your mental health.

Specialist support following trauma or loss

Specialist psychological support is available for women experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties connected with trauma or loss during their pregnancy, maternity or neonatal experience.

If you think this support might be right for you, talk to your GP, midwife, health visitor or another professional involved in your care.

Find out more through the North Yorkshire and York perinatal mental health service: https://www.tewv.nhs.uk/services/perinatal-mental-health-north-yorkshire/

Sands

Sands provides support to anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, including parents, partners and other family members.

Call the free Sands Helpline: 0808 164 3332

Email: helpline@sands.org.uk

Find out more about support from Sands: https://www.sands.org.uk/support-you

Tommy's

Tommy's provides information and support around pregnancy, pregnancy complications, pregnancy loss and mental health before, during and after pregnancy.

Its helpline is staffed by midwives and can provide advice and support following pregnancy loss or during pregnancy after a loss.

Call: 0800 0147 800

Available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Email: midwife@tommys.org

Find out more about support from Tommy's: https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/help-and-support

Support for dads and partners

Becoming a parent can affect dads' and partners' mental health too.

You might feel low, anxious, overwhelmed, exhausted or find it difficult to adjust to becoming a parent. You may also be struggling while supporting a partner who is experiencing mental health problems.

You can talk to your GP about how you're feeling.

North Yorkshire Talking Therapies is also available for people experiencing problems such as anxiety and depression, and you can refer yourself.

Find out more and refer yourself to North Yorkshire Talking Therapies: https://northyorkshiretalkingtherapies.co.uk/self-referral/

If your partner is receiving support from the specialist perinatal mental health team, you can also talk to the team about support for you.

Want to talk to someone who understands?

PANDAS Foundation

PANDAS supports parents and families affected by mental health problems during pregnancy and after having a baby.

It offers peer support, including a free bookable callback service, online support and support groups.

Find support from PANDAS: https://pandasfoundation.org.uk/support/

Association for Post-Natal Illness

The Association for Post-Natal Illness provides information and support for women experiencing postnatal depression.

You can speak to someone for information and reassurance or ask about support from a volunteer who has experienced postnatal illness themselves.

Call: 0207 386 0868

Available Monday to Friday, 10am to 2pm.

Find out more: https://apni.org/

Twins Trust

Twins Trust provides information and support for families with twins, triplets or more.

Its Twinline service is answered by trained volunteers who are parents of multiples themselves.

Call Twinline: 0800 138 0509

Available Monday to Friday, 10am to 1pm and 7pm to 10pm.

Find out more: https://twinstrust.org/