UHDB's Perinatal Mental Health team is a lifeline for pregnant women
To mark Parent Mental Health Day (Friday, 27 January) we are shining a light on UHDB's Perinatal Mental Health Team.
Just over a year old, this unique service was first run by Corinne Ward, Lead Midwife and Dr Rebecca Robinson, Consultant Obstetrician and Lead for Perinatal Mental Health, but has now developed into a bigger team made up of four midwives and two consultants. The aim of the service is to meet growing demand for new mums whose mental health problems are triggered or heightened due to pregnancy. The team, which is one of only a few in the country, currently works with perinatal teams in Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.
Corinne explained: "The best way to describe us is that we're the glue that holds everything together. We see women that are under a secondary service who tend to have pre-existing mental health issues such as bipolar, schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, or severe depression. They are referred to us because they are at higher risk of becoming unwell in pregnancy.
"We also care for women that have had previous issues in pregnancy and anyone that is suffering with depression or anxiety where they've had a real decline due to pregnancy. If the pregnancy is having an effect on how they're coping with their day-to-day life and they're starting to struggle with their mental health which can't be managed with primary care, then we'll support them.
"We try to make sure we are delivering that compassionate trauma-focused care to patients while giving them a clear pathway and better continuity of care."
For Corinne and the team, awareness is key, and she said dates like Parent Mental Health Day can be incredibly powerful in showing people that support is available and changing perceptions around what people 'should' feel like when pregnant.
She said: "We're trying to move away from that stigma that 'having a baby is the most amazing thing' because people need to be aware that it's not always the case and that is okay. You don’t have to be loving it all the time, it can be a difficult process and people have different circumstances.
"Some women have fertility challenges, they might have had numerous miscarriages or there might have been other life events going on that has caused anxiety - but for a woman to have the courage to say "actually I am not okay" is amazing.
"The more we highlight the importance of that, the more confident women will be in saying to their community midwife that they need support. We want to inspire confidence to have those difficult conversations and get that knowledge and awareness out there."
The team deal with sensitive situations and also support each other by regularly checking-in with each other and while the work can sometimes be challenging, it is also extremely rewarding.
She said: "Pregnancy is meant to be one of the best times of your life but in reality, it is not enjoyable for a lot of people and that can create guilt. It can be really tough, so giving women that support and normalising those feelings makes such a difference. It is really rewarding knowing you’ve supported women through it and out the other side."
Corinne said there has been a shift in the way mental health is perceived and there is more of a focus to improving services.
She said: "Following the success of our perinatal mental health service, we have now set up a maternal mental health service as part of the NHS long term plan. That broadens our scope and allows us to work with ladies with Tokophobia, which is a severe fear of childbirth and pregnancy and it also looks at loss and bereavement."
The team create individualised care plans for those who use the service which can include during the postnatal period, and also supporting partners.
The success of the team saw them recognised as Highly Commended in the Chair's Team of the Year category at the Annual Making a Difference Awards 2022.
Corinne said: "It was amazing because we started from nothing and it was just me and Dr Robinson at the beginning. To build this to where it is now and be able to make such a difference to women is great and it is amazing to be recognised.
"Perinatal mental health can be a difficult thing to understand but it is so important we dobecause mental health is still one of the leading causes of maternal death. Our job is to show those mums who need us that we are here for them. Just reach out, we are here to support you."
Hayley and Dan Evans used the service during Hayley's first pregnancy after she was diagnosed with Tokophobia.
She said Corinne and the team made arrangements to ensure Hayley could have additional scans and was able to view the theatre after she was booked in for a c-section which helped ease her anxieties.
Hayley said: "Having someone like Corinne and her team support parents, before, during and after birth is absolutely essential for the best outcomes for mother and baby. Women's mental health needs to be taken extremely seriously when it comes to giving birth as it can and will have lasting effects on her throughout her life.
"Sometimes just having a plan and support in place can be the difference between life and death for some women who battle so much in their mind which I did with my first pregnancy. It really is that serious.
"I am now currently pregnant with my second and thankfully have not had to have as much care as I am much better mentally, however, Corinne and her team have still been there to support me".
If you are pregnant and feel like you need additional support, please speak to your community midwife who will be able to help point you in the right direction.