My Baby and Me documentary

[Jennyrriley]

BBC1 Tuesday, 22:45.

If anyone wants to share with friends, family etc... For more awareness!

bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07187xv

[TraceyR72 Volunteer]

Many thanks for posting this link Jenny. It'll be very interesting to see how the programme comes across. I'm hopeful that it will be a really positive way of raising awareness. It's bound to bring back painful traumatic memories for some women and their families though, so anybody affected by PP who is planning to watch it, please take care of yourselves - perhaps make sure there is somebody around to talk over anything that it raises for you, and/or come and share it here on the forum.

Best wishes

Tracey

[Spaghetti]

There's also aprogramme about bipolar on Monday (tomorrow) at 9 which could be of interest to some

[bluestarlady]

I stayed at the Winchester Mother & Baby Unit when I had PPP and it raised a tear with me just seeing the still clip of the room and Dr Gregroire who was my consultant. I'm hoping to watch but will view on iplayer as its in a bit late for me and I don't think watching just before bed is the most sensible thing to do.

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello Blustarlady

It can be quite emotional when our memory is jogged back to our PP days. Even all these years on for me I have to monitor what I watch. It's very good that mental health is being highlighted by the BBC but I think we all need to take care watching, whether late at night or on iplayer.

Best wishes.

[Vee82 in reply to Lilybeth]

Hi Lilybeth

Have just watched the programme on I-player and it triggered so many painful memories and it moved me to tears after all those years.

I could identify with some of the elements especially with Jenny not taking medication as she felt she didn't need it. I felt to there was nothing wrong with me and couldn't understand why on earth I was there. Also used cunning methods to hide my haloperidol!

Also could so identify with Hannah's Mum talking about how she felt about her daughter's suicidal thoughts, as I've recently found myself in the same position with my son who has just been diagnosed as bi-polar. Very painful.

I wondered if APP had been highlighted at the end of the programme, it wasn't on I-player. Great to see BBC highlighting it though and the postcode lottery of treatment facilities.

So good to have this forum😊

My good wishes to everyone. Love Vee Xx

[hardingrj]

Just noticed that this isn't being shown on BBC Wales - Its a shame awareness has to be limited to location. It can affect anyone ANYWHERE!

[TraceyR72 Volunteer in reply to hardingrj]

Hi hardingrj, I was looking at the schedules for this earlier and noticed that it was showing later on BBC Wales. This page suggests a it may be on at 11.10pm: bbc.co.uk/bbcone/programmes...

Tracey

[bluestarlady]

My partner has read that, as it is a documentary, it has live filming of the lady with psychosis in Winchester. This may be upsetting for partners/husbands to also watch - a warning.

[Ellie_at_APP Partner]

Thanks for highlighting this, it's really good to know it's on and we hope it will be done sensitively and will raise awareness and understanding, but yes - take care all, from what I know it is a documentary filmed in a MBU with women with PP at all stages of the illness so I imagine it could be really difficult to watch. X

[bluestarlady]

P.s did anyone see the article in The Telegraph today authored by the husband of the lady from the documentary. A really well written piece and they were brave enough to have their photos taken with their family too. Such courage.

[bluestarlady]

I should have said...Does anyone know where the lady Jenny from the article lives? I have a strange feeling she may be local to me and I met her and her son a few years ago at a Mother & Baby sensory group.

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello bluestarlady

I'm sorry I don't think the APP team would know where Jenny lives. I'm sure this would be confidential anyway ....... the same as on the forum where we are all anonymous.

Best wishes.

[Kat_at_APP Volunteer]

Hi everyone -

I stayed up to watch it last night. It was pretty incredible, to be honest. Hannah and Jenny are so strong to allow the cameras to follow them during their darkest, most vulnerable, times.

It is absolutely harrowing to watch, in places.

Hannah is a "friend of a friend" (I found out yesterday!) so I am hoping to meet her for coffee soon.

Take huge care if you watch it on iplayer and be warned there is a very emotional scene of ECT and graphic discussion of a suicide attempt.

Lots of love to all our PP family xxx

[Kathryn_ in reply to Kat_at_APP]

Hey,could you pass on to Hannah how brave and amazing she was to be filmed during such a traumatic time.I found her to be so honest and it moved me to tears to she what she went through, I've had PP twice and near enough recovered,she seemed such a sweet person that I wanted her to know what brilliant awareness she has brought about by doing the documentary xx

[Lilybeth Volunteer in reply to Kathryn_]

Hello Kathryn

I too thought how brave Hannah was to be filmed whilst being so vulnerable and unwell. I also had PP twice and my treatment and recoveries followed a similar pattern to Hannah's. I was also moved to tears as she was playing my part from all those years ago. Hopefully she is now doing well and was amazing to highlight PP and mental health in such a way. xx

[Kathryn_ in reply to Lilybeth]

It really was so amazing that they did that,it kinda reminded me of how traumatic it was for my family as I would love a third but know the risk is too great for getting PP again x

[Lilybeth Volunteer in reply to Kathryn_]

Yes Kathryn, I think we forget how bad it must have been for our families to watch us so unwell while we were 'out of this world' for a while. Children are such a joy but I think when we get our mental health back we have to look after it and be there for the family we are so lucky to have ... x

[Hidden]

I've been busy painting last night...my partner recorded it though. There is a lot going on about mental health awareness at this moment. I am usually flooded in tears...sometimes I feel pain for all the suffering, those once who have had not the right support and all those hidden cases and the once who had no other way, but end their lives...Who is going to pick up those chattered pieces???

It is all positive and we need to look ahead, but I have my doubts with the conservatives and their promises...a lot of research still needs to be done and we ought to be cautious...

[lrbs]

Hi all. I haven't yet watched the documentary: I'm going to watch it with a family member on Iplayer when I feel ready. But, I agree that now is a really good time to be raising more awareness about PPP. I think this might be a topic for a separate thread, but I feel inspired to try and use this moment to raise more awareness about all the things that are needed to improve our current mental health services for new mums. Hopefully I will start a new thread on this soon. Take care all.xx

[Kat_at_APP Volunteer]

I pulled together just some of the reaction on Twitter last night, to show you what a massive impact it had on understanding and awareness:

storify.com/katgrant30/my-b...

[Lilybeth Volunteer in reply to Kat_at_APP]

Thank you Kat ...... I'm not on Twitter so this was very good to see the positive reaction to the programme.

Hannah's ups and downs to recovery followed a similar pattern to mine and it was quite harrowing to see ECT administered .... I think it's a good idea to warn everyone, as you did, who might have recorded the documentary.

I watched you earlier in the week on the 'Victoria Derbyshire' programme and you were really amazing ...... your son was a joy! Thanks to you and all the brave mums for highlighting PP in such a great way.

Best wishes.

[Vee82 in reply to Kat_at_APP]

Thanks Kat for posting the link. Really good to see the positive reaction and praise and see the relatively unknown condition given airtime.

All the best to you. Vee xx

[MrsJelly]

I felt both Hannah and Jenny were extremely brave to allow filming when their symptoms were at their worst. Not at all sure I would have coped with that.

I liked the fact that the programme showed both extremes of mood and the different challenges both women faced in recovery. I could identify with them both as I was initially very manic, like Jenny, but became depressed as treatment progressed.

It was also noticeable that both women's family had professional experience of mental illness. Hannah's Mum being a MH nurse, and Jenny's husband a GP. However, their insight did not entirely protect them from the shock of witnessing extreme illness in their own loved ones. I felt Hannah's mums pain when she discussed that Hannah had agreed to ECT despite her own misgivings.

Jenny's husband showed his distress too when Jenny was moved out of MBU because her condition deteriorated badly.

Overall, I'm glad I saw the programme. My husband was working away last night and I know he would have refused to watch it so I watched it alone. He is fiercely protective of our sleep routines - can't imagine why!

[Mims2014]

Amazing ladies - I'm so pleased they were filmed to raise awareness. I thought the programme was excellent and very informative, especially as I'm 20 weeks pregnant with my second and family are against MBUs but I'm hoping this programme will sway them (although I'm writing an advanced decision anyway).

[MrsJelly]

Sally,

I hope the programme helped convince your family that MBU's are fantastic facilities for new mums suffering very serious mental health conditions. It should provide you with a catalyst for opening up a few 'awkward' conversations around your own condition and future care.

I know my family were heartbroken when I was admitted to hospital as an emergency onto an acute ward. I had no previous history of mental illness and had enjoyed a very healthy and happy pregnancy but shortly after delivery I became very ill with mania. I know that, with all the will in the world my family could never have coped with my extremely erratic behaviour and keeping myself and my new baby safe. For me, there really was no choice. I needed close professional supervision. As the ward I'd been admitted to was not suitable for my long term treatment I was moved to a specialist Mother and Baby unit when a place became available. It was absolutely the best place for me to recover from my illness and build up confidence in my own parenting. I cannot speak highly enough of the care I received there.

I hope that in your circumstances things might be a lot easier for you and the family.

If you have sufferered an episode of illness previously, then your local mental health team will already be aware of your history and crucially, which medications helped you the first time you were ill.

You will yourself, and your loved ones, undoubtably be on guard for early signs that you may be unwell again. In my case, for example, I really couldn't sleep on the ward post delivery but had no idea how damaging lack of sleep could be.

If everyone is vigilant, there is every chance your symptoms, should you have them, could be managed at home with your family's support. That would be wonderful - it's what I want for myself if I had my time over. More wonderful still if this time you remain completely well this time.

I understand your anxiety, truly, but please stay positive and try to really enjoy the latter stages of your pregnancy. It's a very special time. Relax in the knowledge that MBUs exist, if you should need one, but plan for staying well this time and enjoying your new baby.

Wishing you peace of mind and a safe delivery!

MrsJelly

[Jcollins Volunteer]

I was really interested to watch it and really related to Hannas story. I was actually at the Winchester unit for about 10days and they were very good to me there. I found watching it raised a lot of guilty feelings for me because of how pp affects family members. I just have to accept that none of it was my fault but that I'm sure will take time. Such a good way to raise awareness though x

[Mungomia in reply to Jcollins]

Hi Jcollins

My PP was 27 years ago when there were no MBUs, no internet, no publications, no forum, no way of knowing that anyone else had suffered from this awful illness.

Watching this sensitively filmed programme has finally made me accept 100% after all these years, that it was an illness and it definitely wasn't my fault.

It is horrible to know the distress that our famy experienced but we really do have to let those guilty feelings go as soon as we can.

Well done for recovering and for what you're bravely doing to raise money.

You are an inspiration!

Very best wishes

Val R x

[betty2014]

Just watching the program, it brings back some memories but also the bits where u just say the most random things! My family used to say that it was funny at times what I would say. It's odd how pp effects u. Great that so much publicity in on pp at the moment.

[Hannah_at_APP Administrator]

Hi everyone, I watched the program last night and thought it was really interesting (if that's the right word!) Perhaps most tellingly, my husband sat there (which was a good thing, as some parts were so sad) and kept saying "you did that, you were exactly the same, yes I remember that with you". I too related to an awful lot of it, from both ladies' stories, which they were so brave to share.

I too think the increased publicity is a great thing and I know the increased messages of support from various friends I've had, have been a nice supportive aside to it all as well. If the documentary can help others and also inform people, I think it's been a big success. Take care all, xx

[jessieh APP]

Hi all,

I've just had a chance to catch up on the programme. It was incredible, such brave women and it was so clear throughout how caring they were towards their babies. Ever excellent mums. This is something I've always worried about myself, and so I'm reassured to have been able to have this insight into what my own illness might have looked like.

I do hope one day I'll have the chance to meet them in person and tell them how inspirational they are.

xxx

[Bindy7]

I watched it. Thought it was really interesting, and from the US we need mbu so hard to get help here