Having a baby can affect your mood and emotional health and can lead to some mums, dads, or partners struggling with post-natal depression. Find out what help and support you can access locally and online.
Having a new baby can be a wonderful time, but it is also very challenging for parents, it’s normal to experience changes in your mood and mental health, but sometimes they can be more serious.
These feelings can affect you and your partner. It’s important to talk about how you’re feeling together, and with your family and friends.
You can find out more information about the range of emotions you might experience and when you might need some additional help from these websites:
- Mental health and pregnancy [NHS]
- Postnatal depression and perinatal mental health [Mind]
- Mental health problems and pregnancy [NHS]
- Nottinghamshire Talking Therapies [Notts Talk]
- Mental health before, during and after pregnancy [Tommy's]
The first step for anyone needing support with their mental health during or after pregnancy should speak to their Midwife, GP or Healthy Family Team
Nottinghamshire's Healthy Family Team
Parent health and emotional wellbeing (PHEW) groups
Lots of parents need a little support from other mums and dads, especially when they have a new baby. The PHEW Groups are designed for parents and carers who are experiencing low mood, anxiety, finding being a parent difficult, struggling to cope, social isolation and/or loneliness.
Contact your local Family Hub to discuss the help they can offer, such as PHEW Groups (Parent Health & Emotional Wellbeing).
Find your nearest Family Hub (Nottinghamshire County Council)
Support services available
Family Action perinatal support services
Learn more about our friends at Family Action from other parents talking about their experiences in this 5-minute video:
Family Action offer free emotional support, information and guidance on family relationships including siblings, conflict, parenting, caring, financial worries and more.
Visit the Family Action website or
Email: familyline@family-action.org.uk
(opens in new tab) Phone: 0808 802 6666
Text: 07537 404 282
Anna Freud (National Centre for Children and Families)
The Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families has some guides to help with emotional health and wellbeing:
- Supporting young children and families through bereavement [PDF]
- Self-care top tips for young parents and carers [PDF]
- Self-care in your baby's first months [PDF]
PANDAS Foundation - Pre and PostNatal Depression Advice and Support
PANDAS supports families coping with perinatal (conception, birth & beyond) mental illness. Offering support by phone, email, WhatsApp, face to face support groups, online support groups, social media groups.
For details of the local Nottinghamshire PANDAS support group, visit the listing Nottshelpyourself | PANDAS Foundation, Mental Health Support for Parents.
Maternal mental health
Taking care of your maternal mental health is important, these leaflets from the Family Hub Service have helpful tips and advice:
Talking therapies
Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Talking Therapies is a free and confidential NHS service designed to help with common mental health problems such as stress, anxiety and depression. Anyone aged 18 years or over and registered with a GP can access support, though a GP referral is not necessary as you can self-refer.
Find an NHS talking therapies service (NHS)
You can also ask your GP or your local psychological therapies team about depression support groups in your area.
Support for your partner:
Partners need to look after their mental health too, as having a new baby in the house can be a lovely, but challenging time.
The mental health charity Mind has put together some information for fathers and partners to help support with:
- Why might partners experience mental health problems?
- Support available for partners
- Self-Care tips to improve mental health
Visit: Can fathers and partners get postnatal depression? (Mind)
PANDAS Foundation has also put together some information to help support Dads' mental health.