Mind the mum: What mothers told Healthwatch about postnatal care
The arrival of a new baby is a moment full of joy and hope. But for many mothers, it also brings unexpected challenges. Once families leave hospital, the support they receive in the community plays a critical role in their recovery. In North Yorkshire, where services must cover vast rural areas, those challenges can feel magnified.
Healthwatch North Yorkshire wanted to understand how postnatal care works (or doesn’t) in mothers’ real lives: what people experience, where gaps exist, and which services are making a positive difference. 167 mothers shared their stories across the county — about physical recovery, mental health, feeding, wellbeing, and the quality of information and follow-up they received.
Healthwatch compared what they told us with the standards set out by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for postnatal care.
We shared these findings with local maternity services — and you can read about the improvements made in our follow-up article, From ''mum's the word'' to ''mums are heard'': How speaking up has improved postnatal care
What mums said about their care
Many mothers reported that their first postnatal visit was with a midwife at home — but after that, care often shifted to hospital-based follow-ups. Some found these appointments burdensome or disconnected from their needs:
“I was expected to be at York hospital one day post-delivery (this kept me out of the house for four hours with a brand-new baby) and Selby hospital three days post-delivery. Both times I had to sit in waiting rooms waiting for my appointments (which were late).”
“I couldn’t walk after having my baby but had to go to an appointment in the hospital four days after giving birth.”
Others described reliance on telephone or video contacts, even when they felt those were inadequate:
“I refused an over-the-phone contact and said I wanted them to come out, but they refused. My baby hasn’t had the one-year check.”
“The second appointment was on video. The call lasted five minutes maximum.”
Many mothers also spoke of confusion over who to contact, inconsistency in support, or needing to search for services themselves:
“I would have given up if it wasn’t for finding a breastfeeding group myself.”
“The health visitor was brilliant. I had continuity of care.”
“I honestly would not be alive today without support from perinatal mental health and Home-Start UK.”
The importance of postnatal care was also recognised by others in the community:
“As a new Dad myself, I know how important mother and baby care and support is. Hopefully healthcare commissioners respond positively.”
A recurring theme was the difference between the quality of care during labour and birth, and the level of support that followed once mothers returned home.
Why postnatal care matters
Across England, postnatal care is often described as the “missing piece” of the maternity journey. While many women receive positive support during pregnancy and birth, their experiences after leaving hospital can be very different.
National data shows that this is a widespread issue:
- One in four mothers live with mental health challenges during or after pregnancy (Sources: NHS England and The Times)
- Almost 90 percent of mothers report at least one health issue in the first six weeks after birth (Source: World Health Organization)
- Only 60 percent of women saw or spoke to a midwife as often as they wanted after birth (Source: Care Quality Commission Maternity Survey 2023–2024)
- Locally, many mothers told us they needed more face-to-face support, better information and continuity of care.
These figures highlight the same challenges that mothers in North Yorkshire told us about — including the need for more in-person support, clearer information, and continuity of care.
Postnatal care is a vital but often overlooked part of the maternity journey. The weeks and months after birth can bring significant physical, emotional, and practical challenges, and the right support can make all the difference to a mother’s recovery, wellbeing and confidence.
Key themes and challenges
From what mothers told us, several clear themes emerged, highlighting both the challenges they faced and the areas of care that worked well.
Continuity and coordination
Many mothers said they saw different professionals at each stage of their postnatal care, which often led to repeating their story, inconsistent advice, and missed referrals. Some felt that communication between midwives, health visitors, and GPs could be stronger to ensure joined-up support.
In-person and remote support
There were also concerns about the balance between in-person and remote appointments. Telephone or video contacts were common, but many described these as impersonal or inadequate, especially when they needed physical checks or emotional reassurance. For some, this left them feeling unseen or dismissed.
Physical recovery and wound care
Mothers said they often lacked clear information about how to care for stitches, tears, or caesarean wounds, and when to seek help if something didn’t feel right. Uncertainty about healing caused anxiety and, in some cases, delayed recovery.
Feeding support
Feeding support was also highlighted as inconsistent. Many mothers described struggling to find breastfeeding help, saying they had to search for support groups or rely on peer networks themselves. A lack of early, consistent advice left some feeling isolated and unsure.
Emotional wellbeing
Emotional wellbeing was a common thread throughout. Several mothers spoke about feelings of isolation, anxiety, or low mood, and said they weren’t always sure where to turn for help. Where services did provide compassionate, timely support, mothers said it made a significant difference to how they coped and bonded with their baby.
Despite these challenges, mothers also shared positive experiences — such as receiving continuity of care from a health visitor, or finding local support groups that were easy to access and responsive. These examples show that high-quality, compassionate care is possible when services are well connected and centred around women’s needs.
Where mothers can go for local support
Many mothers told us that community and voluntary services were a lifeline. Across North Yorkshire, local organisations offer practical and emotional help — from breastfeeding groups and peer networks to counselling and wellbeing sessions.
Mother and baby groups near you - where to go for help
Where can I go for mental health support as a new parent?
You can also visit our page Understanding your postnatal care: Who will support you after birth to learn more about what care at home and in the community looks like after you arrive home with your baby.
Healthwatch and mums call for action
Mothers’ stories are powerful, but they must lead to change. Based on what we heard, our recommendations include:
- Tailoring postnatal contacts to individual needs.
- Improving the frequency and quality of postnatal visits.
- Addressing gaps in GP checks after birth.
- Strengthening support for physical recovery.
- Promoting mental health resources and early interventions.
- Increasing access to feeding support services.
- Providing clearer, consistent information for new mothers.
- Promoting awareness of wider community support options.
We know services across North Yorkshire face workforce and resource pressures, but this should not diminish mothers’ voices. Their experiences are crucial in shaping care that truly supports families at one of the most important stages of life.
We have shared these findings and recommendations with those who fund and organise healthcare for mothers and babies, including the local NHS to support ongoing improvement.
What health professionals say about postnatal care
Professionals working in maternity and family health services told us the findings reflected what they see in their daily work.
“This report is really interesting. I am not surprised by the findings. It is how it feels on the ground and what patients are saying; that postnatal care has eroded.” — GP, Pickering Medical Practice
“As a GP working in Selby for 20 years from when I started in 2004 to now, I have seen a real decline in the health visiting service. I used to be able to walk down the corridor and speak to a health visitor about our most complex children or with a mother struggling when I saw her in a postnatal check. I have no personal contact with health visitors now. I don’t even know who they are. Parents also describe a real change in what is offered. It’s very sad — and I do realise some of it is linked to funding.” — GP, Beech Tree Surgery
“I think a big gap is just some of those things like meeting other mothers, parent/toddler socialising groups. A lot are now charged for (and a lot!) so not accessible for some of the mums (and perhaps dads!) that would benefit from accessing such baby groups.” — Healthier Lives, North Yorkshire Council
These reflections show that the challenges mothers described are recognised across healthcare services, and that improving postnatal care is a shared priority among professionals, commissioners, and local authorities (locally, this is North Yorkshire Council).
What’s happened since
Maternity services have already acted on what mothers told us.
Find out what’s changed and how your feedback has improved care across North Yorkshire in our follow-up article:
From ''mum's the word'' to ''mums are heard'': How speaking up has improved postnatal care
