Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, 5th-11th May 2025 Organised and led by MMHA member Perinatal Mental Health Partnership UK (PMHP UK), this weeklong campaign is to create awareness and conversation around mental health issues before, during and after pregnancy.
This year’s theme is "Your voice, your strength", as a survey showed that women do not feel listened to in regards to their mental health pre and post pregnancy. This campaign highlights the power of women knowing that it is okay to express their needs, feelings and experiences.
What is maternal mental health?
Maternal mental health refers to mental health during pregnancy and up to two years after giving birth.
Unfortunately, some new mums can suffer from mental health issues such as postnatal depression (PND), anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and eating disorders. These disorders can range from mild to severe, but the most serious perinatal mental health problem is postpartum psychosis, which should be treated very seriously as soon as it is detected.
What causes mental health problems?
There are many factors which can increase someone’s risk of becoming mentally unwell, these include:
• A history of mental health problems, including serious mental illnesses like bipolar
• Neurodiversity
• Multiple pregnancies
• Biological causes
• Lack of support
• Difficult experiences during childhood
• Domestic abuse
• Traumatic experiences, including birth trauma and baby loss.
What can Parents 1st UK do to support you?
At Parents 1st UK we are passionate about women sharing their stories and coming together to support one another, and we are very proud to hold spaces for women to do so. We listen to all issues and concerns without judgement and can signpost you to suitable services for specific mental health support. We can provide peer support during pregnancy, birth and the first few months as a new parent.
Here are some common things that we work on with parents:
➡️Getting to know others in their local community
➡️Keeping well during pregnancy
➡️Bonding with baby
➡️Preparing to be a parent
➡️Emotional wellbeing
➡️Physical wellbeing
➡️Preparing for labour and birth
➡️Confident breastfeeding/bottle feeding
If you would like support, please do not hesitate to contact us! You can also check out our social media pages to see what events we have on, and where we are throughout the month!
If you need our support or know anyone who is in need of our help please send them our details!
For urgent mental health support please call 111 or if it is an emergency call 999.
https://www.instagram.com/parents1stessex/
https://www.facebook.com/parents1stessex
#MaternalMHMatters #MentalHealth #PostnatalMentalHealth #PrenatalMentalHealth #MMHAW #YourVoiceYourStrenth