APP April Newsletter - Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week special
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (MMHAW) runs from Monday 1st to Sunday 7th May. We would love to get as many people involved as possible.
We want more people talking about postpartum psychosis (PP) - the signs and symptoms to look for, and what’s needed to support recovery. We want to ensure that no-one affected by PP feels alone and everyone knows where they can turn to for help and support. We’ll be sharing personal stories, signposting to support, information and advice, and raising awareness of PP.
In addition to #MaternalMentalHealthAwarenessWeek, organised by the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership, there will be a focused World Maternal Mental Health Day (Wed 3rd) and Pregnancy & Postpartum Psychosis #PPPAwareness Day (Fri 5th). The theme for the full week is 'Together In A Changing World'.
For updates follow @ActionOnPP on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Read on for details of the special events we’ve organised in support of the week.
Events for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
Creative Writing - A Lived Experience Workshop with Laura Dockrill, Monday 1st May 12.30 – 1.30pm
If you have personal experience of PP, join this free and fun lunchtime creative writing workshop on zoom with Author and APP Ambassador, Laura Dockrill. In a warm, gentle, no-pressure environment, Laura will explore writing for you and your wellbeing. All you need is something to write with and on.
Join APP’s network and book your place here.
The session is free – donations are welcome.
If you have experience of postpartum psychosis, I HIGHLY recommend joining this soul nourishing session. Whether you are a poet, writer, or have never written a jot before, Laura will nurture your creative side in a low stress, fun environment. Dr Jess Heron
Free webinar: 'Postpartum Psychosis: From research to recovery' – Thursday 4th May 12-1pm
Join APP and the National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) to hear about the latest postpartum psychosis research and find out how you can help.
You’ll hear from researchers and those with Lived Experience, including: Director of the National Centre for Mental Health Cardiff, Professor Ian Jones; APP Chief Executive, Dr Jess Heron (University of Birmingham); Dr Sally Wilson (APP Research & Training Coordinator); and Laura Dockrill (APP Ambassador) as well as from researchers from: the National Centre for Mental Health; University of East Anglia; and University of Birmingham’s Institute of Mental Health about a range of new studies.
Find out more and book here.
Pregnancy and Postpartum Psychosis Awareness Day – Friday 5th May
The importance of Peer Support for PP
Join APP and US charities Cherished Mom and Postpartum Support International for one of three global virtual meet-ups for women with experience of PP as part of Pregnancy & Postpartum Psychosis Awareness Day 2023 (1am, 10.30am and 5pm BST).
The APP peer support team will co-facilitate the 10.30am and 5pm sessions (UK time).
If you would like to meet others and find out more about PP around the world, book your free place on Eventbrite here.
New postpartum psychosis toolkit for antenatal educators
During Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, we will launch a free online toolkit to support midwives and antenatal educators.
The toolkit will help antenatal educators deliver brief, but potentially life-saving, information about postpartum psychosis (PP) to parents-to-be in antenatal classes.
We’ve worked with families affected by PP and antenatal education providers to produce the toolkit.
A YouGov Survey in 2021 found that only 6% of expectant parents were given information about PP at their antenatal classes, but a survey carried out by APP in 2022 found that 88% of antenatal providers felt it should be included.
A big thank you everyone who has been involved so far. Special thanks go to Richard Baish, his friends and family for supporting the development of this toolkit.
Follow @ActionOnPP across social media channels to hear when the toolkit is launched and please help us share the news.
During the week, you can listen to APP’s Dr Sally Wilson and Naomi Gilbert talking to PMHP’s Eve Canavan about the research behind the campaign and read Zebi's blog in collaboration with pregnancy charity, Tommy’s showing the importance of hearing about PP before it happens.
Signs and Symptoms posters available
Our Signs and Symptoms graphic has been updated and is now also available as an A4 printed or downloadable poster.
If you could display one in your maternity hospital, GP surgery, mother and baby group, Mother and Baby Unit, or perinatal mental health clinic, please get in touch.
We can send you up to 10 posters free but if you feel you could support us to cover the cost of postage you can donate here.
Northern Ireland (NI) Mother and Baby Unit campaign
We’re continuing to work with NI charity Maternal Advocacy and Support and 40 other organisations to campaign for a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Northern Ireland.
Watch the video of our petition hand in here.
The government scoping report into a NI MBU due out in March has been delayed until the end of May. We look forward to reviewing plans, timeframes and interim solutions for families with PP in NI whilst we await a NI MBU.
If you’re in NI, join our peer support group to meet others, give and receive peer support, and help with campaigning. You could also join #TeamAPP at the Hillsborough Castle & Gardens Running Festival on 30th July this year. Email fundraising@app-network.org for more info or to reserve your place.
APP café groups during Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week
Our regional peer support café groups for women and families affected by PP meet monthly and are a mixture of virtual sessions and face to face meet-ups. You can attend whether you are newly recovering or recovered many years ago. They are a social place to chat, support each other, as well as to share ideas about improving the future for others affected by PP.
Our Black Country and Wales café groups are meeting in Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week. If you are interested in joining these or any of the other APP café groups – in Sussex & Hampshire, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire, North East, Lancashire & Cumbria, and London - please fill out this form or email app@app-network.org. New members are always welcome.
We also run a virtual peer group for dads and co-parents on the third Wednesday of every month for people who have supported a partner through PP. The next meeting is on 17th May. Our grandparents group meets approximately six times a year, with the next meeting on 11th May. If you would like to be on the mailing list for either of these groups, please email app@app-network.org.
You can find the dates of the next meet ups for all our café groups here.
Health Professional Training
A new date for APP online Health Professional training in postpartum psychosis has been released.
Book for the 15th November course here.
Onsite training days can also be commissioned by individual NHS Trusts or other workplaces for their teams. To find out more, get in touch: training@app-network.org
Plan your Big Bake for APP
Could you organise a Big Bake this May and help raise funds for APP?
Host an informal afternoon tea, have a coffee break together or organise a bake-off competition with friends, family or colleagues. It’s a lovely way to start a conversation about mental health and PP and raise funds for APP at the same time.
If you pay it in between 15th-22nd May using the following link, the amount you raise will be DOUBLED with match funding from The Big Give Kind²Mind 2023 campaign.
For more info and a Big Bake fundraising pack, email fundraising@app-network.org
Miles for Mums and Babies
A huge thank you to everyone who has signed up to be part of our Miles for Mums and Babies challenge this year – we’ve got more people than ever before involved – individuals and teams all over the UK running, walking, swimming, cycling and toddling hundreds of miles to raise awareness and funds.
Well done to Rob Rowe (pictures above, left hand side) and Natalie Varley (pictures above, right hand side) who have both completed marathons for APP this month - Rob running in Brighton and Natalie in Manchester - between them they raised over £3,000 for APP! An amazing achievement - both were first time marathon runners!
We’ll be posting a round-up of everyone taking part in Miles for Mums and Babies soon so keep an eye on our social media pages and add your support if you can – and it’s definitely not too late to join in if you’d like to – email fundraising@app-network.org.
The Big Give
We’re delighted to have been successful again in applying for match funding from the Big Give – this means all donations we receive via our Big Give Kind²Mind 2023 campaign page between 12pm on the 15th May and 12pm on 22nd May will be DOUBLED! We’ll send another reminder nearer the time but do share our social media posts if you spot them – this year our campaign is focused on support for dads and co-parents.
Thank you so much to everyone who is fundraising for APP at the moment – we are so grateful to all of you and your supporters. Every donation makes a real difference.
Dates for your diary
APP Black Country face to face café group meet up at Walsall Arboretum, Wednesday 3rd May: APP regional café groups webpage
World Maternal Mental Health Day, Wednesday 3rd May: www.wmmhday.postpartum.net
APP Wales virtual café group meet up, Thursday 4th May: APP regional café groups webpage
International Day Of The Midwife, Friday 5th May: www.internationalmidwives.org/icm-events/international-day-of-the-midwife-2023.html
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 8th May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 10th May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Grandparents virtual café group meet up, Thursday 11th May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackpool, Friday 12th May: APP regional café groups webpage
Mental Health Awareness Week, 15th-21st May: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-week
The Big Give match funding campaign, 15th-22nd May: Big Give Kind²Mind 2023
APP Dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 17th May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP London virtual café group meet up, Thursday 18th May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 19th May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Northern Ireland virtual café group meet up, Monday 22nd May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackburn, Tuesday 23rd May: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 24th May: APP regional café groups webpage
Volunteers' Week, 1st-7th June: www.volunteersweek.org
APP Sussex and Hampshire virtual café group meet up, Thursday 8th June: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackpool, Friday 9th June: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 12th June: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 14th June: APP regional café groups webpage
APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 16th June: APP regional café groups webpage