Request for feedback about mental health support

[Ellie_at_APP]

Hi all,

This post contains distressing information. If you are feeling vulnerable, do take care if reading this post.

We are currently writing a response to this report which sadly highlighted poor perinatal care for women during lockdown.

The report finds that women who died during Covid had risk factors for postpartum psychosis. The report highlights the importance of joined up multidisciplinary perinatal mental health care and that suicides may have been prevented if essential services had not been withdrawn independent.co.uk/news/heal...

Do you have an experience you would like to share around perinatal mental health care received during the pandemic or do you want to share how you think the lockdown may have affected your treatment and recovery? You can message below if you want to stay anonymous or email our media advisor [e-mail] if you are happy for us to use a quote.

Thank you so much.

Ellie

[Pikorua Volunteer]

Very sad. This exactly highlights the vulnerability of individuals with mental health challenges. It is chocking about those female case studies with possible PPP. Very similar outcome with preliminary study of UK Bipolar to those, who live with BP during Covid lock down. Would it be worthwhile to make a note that the article maybe upsetting/cause for triggers.

[Ellie_at_APP Partner in reply to Pikorua]

Hi Pikoura

Thanks so much for mentioning this. You are right, it is a distressing article. I've added a sentence at the beginning of the post to tell people there's distressing information, and to take care reading.

Ellie

[Bring-it-Back-to-you Volunteer]

This is just awful and so very sad. I don't have experience with the perinatal team through lockdown but I do suffer with bipolar and wasn't doing too well when lockdown began it really did affect my mental health. I began to relive my PP experience and the feeling of guilt consumed me. It was tough. I felt I'd taken 10 steps back in my recovery. I just can't imagine going through PP during these uncertain times. My heart goes out to all the women affected.

Jenni x

[Ellie_at_APP Partner in reply to Bring-it-Back-to-you]

Hi Jenni

Yes the whole situation is so hard, I am sure you're not alone in struggling during this time. This report shows just one group of people who have been badly affected, but we know there are reports of generally people really struggling with their mental health.

I really hope that you feel a bit more stable now, and feeling you're back to where you were before lockdown?

I agree, I just couldn't imagine going through PP during these times, it is so traumatic as it is, but then adding the situation with the pandemic it makes a difficult situation even more difficult.

Thanks so much for sharing

Ellie

[Bring-it-Back-to-you Volunteer in reply to Ellie_at_APP]

Hi,

Yes I think everyone's mental health has sadly suffered.

Yes I am so much better now thank you, back at work so routine has helped

It is, such a horrible illness and with added anxiety of the pandemic I just can't imagine it.

Good Luck with the response to the report

Jenni x

[coffeemom2]

I am in the United States- California. There are no mother baby units, only a psych ward. In the psych ward, there’s no therapy, just meeting with a psychiatrist once a day. They assign a social worker but they are so busy it’s just check in and documentation. The postpartum support group was better, a few hours 3 times a week, but I didn’t suffer from problems only a few hours 3 times a week. Added to that, since I didn’t sign up for disability insurance, my maternity leave was unpaid. That caused me stress and tears. The United States needs to have mother baby units. If jail units can supervise criminals 24/7, why don’t they have something for mothers who desperately want to be caring mothers but are struggling with something beyond their control? And why don’t they have better maternity leave? Why do insurance companies have the option to deny providing maternal health care coverage (situation with older child, I was not intending to get pregnant and had purchased insurance that did not cover childbirth and pregnancy). I one day do want to advocate. I have two girls, and if they decide to have kids, I want them to have the best care if what happened to me ever happens to them.

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

How awful that the joy of having a baby should end in such tragic circumstances for some of these women. Rest in Peace.

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

It's so very sad. My heart goes out to their families.