Normalising Conversations in Perinatal Mental Health
5 Talks
Mental health is a core topic within perinatal health promotion, continuing a large role in maternal mortality statistics. However, early identification and action by both healthcare professionals, women and birthing people and their families remains poor, whilst stigma and lack of normalisation is an ongoing issue. This boxset explores mental health across the childbearing continuum, and the strategies and innovative schemes being put in place to normalise conversations around mental health and improve outcomes for families.
Peer support for perinatal mental illnesses
2017 | 20 mins | Normalising Conversations in Perinatal Mental Health
One in fifteen women or birthing people will experience mental health issues in pregnancy, yet 30% have to access healthcare support several times before diagnosis. In this talk, Amy Dear from PANDAS Foundation UK discusses the two main mental illnesses in pregnancy: anxiety and depression. She provides an overview of the physical, social and emotional symptoms, risk factors and statistics surrounding perinatal mental health before going on to discuss the importance of peer support and signposting in mental health support during pregnancy and postnatally.
Amy Dear, IT and Social Media Manager, PANDAS Foundation UK
Perinatal mental health: reassurance, guidance and self-identification
2019 | 20 mins | Normalising Conversations in Perinatal Mental Health
Based on lived experience of psychosis and postnatal depression, Lisa Hammond, co-director of More Than A Tick Box and public health specialist, discusses their survey exploring experiences of accessing mental health support perinatally. Their survey highlighted the need for open discussion and non-judgemental care, empathetic, family-based care. She highlights the importance of early identification of perinatal mental health issues, and an alternative toolkit for opening conversations around mental health to ask the right questions in order to break down barriers to accessing care.
Lisa Hammond, Co-director, More Than A Tick Box
Donna Davies, Co-director, More Than A Tick Box
Perinatal Mental Health: Supporting all Parents for Better Outcomes
2018 | 26 mins | Normalising Conversations in Perinatal Mental Health
Mark Williams, Founder of Fathers Reaching Out, talks about his personal experience of perinatal depression. He talks about the way men may be affected with mental health concerns, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety. He points out the different ways mental health concerns may be manifest. Pointing to research and stories from other fathers he highlights the needs for men, grandparents and same sex partners to be addressed.
Mark Williams, Founder, Fathers Reaching Out
Making maternal mental health matter
2015 | 29 mins | Normalising Conversations in Perinatal Mental Health
Based within the mental health element of Tommy’s five point pregnancy plan, Dr Beckie Lang, Health and Research Manager for Tommy’s, discusses the research and resources Tommy’s provides to improve outcomes and experiences for families. A lack of information and guidance alongside lower treatment levels in pregnancy has led to many falling through the cracks in services, particularly with issues around relationships with healthcare providers and poor recognition and training. Beckie explores how these conversations can be normalised within pregnancy pathways, and the work Tommy’s has done through their website and social media to promote mental health information.
Dr Beckie Lang, Health and Research Manager, Tommy’s Charity
Perinatal mental health befriending: Support to empower
2019 | 22 mins | Normalising Conversations in Perinatal Mental Health
Befriending services can offer a lifeline to those struggling with their mental health, particularly during the perinatal period. In this talk, Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Service manager at Aberlour Perinatal Befriending discusses the benefits of their service. Working closely with other services, such as health visiting, family nurse partnerships and NHS partners, befriending can promote attachment, parenting and mental health from conception through the first year of the baby’s life. Promoting choice on the level of engagement with the service, local co-ordinators measure the progress of those accessing befriending. Emma outlines the responsibilities of the befrienders, and the training on offer, concluding the stories of lived experience from service users.
Emma Cashmore-Gordon, Service manager, Aberlour Perinatal Befriending
Liz Nolan, Deputy Director, Aberlour Perinatal Befriending
