11 May 2023

IronMan Alex's Record Breaking Challenge for APP

APP are incredibly honoured that Team GB Triathlete Alex Heron is taking on an unbelievable, record breaking Ironman challenge for us this year. 

He shares his inspirational story here:

'I began my triathlon career in 2012 at age 64 with MVH triathlon club in Derbyshire. Like an ageing idiot, 11 years later I have successfully applied to compete in the 75 -79 age group category for Ironman Wales this September, 2023.  For all of my active life I have stubbornly said, “I will NEVER DO A FULL IRONMAN”. There really is nothing to recommend it except for the promise of getting my first manly tattoo on the back of rather puny and rapidly shrinking calves.

Tenby Ironman is one of the toughest full Ironman races in the world and has NEVER BEEN COMPLETED by a person in the 75-79 age group. It consists of a sea swim of 3.8 kilometres, a cycle race of 180 kilometres, ending with a full 42 kilometre marathon run. But the Welsh are ‘ard and their triathletes and runners (at Celtic Tri and 3 M’s Gorseinon Running club ) have embraced me; they have believed in this stringy ancient Irishman because I give them cake and anyway they smell revenge for the rugby.

I think I’m a competent triathlete; I think this because there is a shed at the bottom of my garden in Mumbles which I prefer to call a gym and it is festooned with impressive (if admittedly rusting) medals - even those hard earned British and European ones. But, there really is no guarantee that I will finish this race in the required time of under 17 hours. So : If you choose to donate/sponsor me you might prefer to do a “single sum” for finishing the event or an amount per kilometre.

Why attempt it then ? Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) is a registered UK charity. I have seen from the outset and at first hand what amazing work its brilliant team (under its CEO - my daughter Dr. Jess Heron) does for those Mums who, often out of the blue, are assaulted by PP..

PP is a severe, but treatable, form of mental illness that occurs after having a baby and affects 1400 new mums in the UK each year. APP offers information, training, and peer support, facilitates ground breaking research, raises awareness and campaigns for improved services. Its life changing peer support-network helps women and families affected by postpartum psychosis to feel understood, supported and less isolated. This charity leads the way in the field of PP and its growth in ensuring greater public understanding has been truly amazing.

Still so much to do - but though a full Ironman presents a huge challenge to me personally it is as nothing compared with the family impact of Postpartum Psychosis.'

Please support Alex on his amazing mission to become the first person in the 75-79 age group to complete the Tenby Triathlon by visiting his JustGiving page.

10 May 2023

APP has worked with the IHV on a new guide for health visitors

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) has worked with the Institute of Health Visiting on a new guide for health visitors about identifying and supporting women with postpartum psychosis (PP).

The Good Practice Points set out what health visitors need to know about PP, including the symptoms, treatment and recovery as well as preconception care for at-risk women.

The guide has been written by Dr Judy Shakespeare, retired GP and Royal College of General Practitioners Clinical Champion in perinatal mental health in association with APP.

The Good Practice Points detail: how health visitors can work in partnership with individuals and their Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service to create personalised wellbeing plans; how health visitors can support and bring hope to individuals who develop PP; and how they can help to strengthen the parent–infant relationship as well as providing crucial support to partners and older children in the family.

The resource has been designed for use by iHV members, but as part of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is freely available for a week here.

1 May 2023

APP launches postpartum psychosis toolkit for antenatal education providers

To mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (1 – 7 May 2023), Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP), the national charity for women and families affected by postpartum psychosis, has launched a free online toolkit to support antenatal educators.

The toolkit has been designed to support educators in delivering basic, potentially life-saving information following YouGov research, commissioned by APP, that discovered only 6% of expectant parents had heard about postpartum psychosis during their antenatal class. Meanwhile, in another survey conducted by APP, 88% of antenatal educators said they believed that PP should be discussed in classes.

Respondents outlined the barriers they faced in terms of delivering information, and APP’s toolkit is a direct response to this, ensuring that educators feel equipped, knowledgeable and empowered to share this invaluable content.

Postpartum psychosis (PP) is a debilitating postnatal mental illness that can occur out of the blue after having a baby. New mums with postpartum psychosis may develop high or low mood, or fluctuate between them, alongside delusions, hallucinations or severe confusion. Many of these mothers have had no previous mental health diagnosis prior to onset – although women with bipolar disorder are at higher risk. It affects around 1,400 women and their families every year in the UK and is a medical emergency. However, it is eminently treatable, and women go on to make a full recovery with the right support.

Naomi Gilbert, Campaigns Coordinator and Peer Supporter, APP, said: Our antenatal awareness campaign is a response to the voices of lived experience – the pleas women, partners and their families have made. ‘If only I had known something…I would have been able to call for help sooner’ or ‘I wouldn’t have been so afraid of what was happening.'

“Just having some basic knowledge, including the fact that the illness is highly treatable, can help families to recognise the signs of PP, seek help sooner and feel less afraid knowing that there is hope of full recovery.”

Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, added: “We know that antenatal educators have a lot to cover in an already packed schedule of classes, which is why we wanted to find out how to get this life-saving information out there in an easy to use and downloadable format. The government are aiming to halve maternal deaths by 2030, and in order to do this we need to address maternal mental health. Suicide is still the leading cause of maternal death – and we are not yet making progress.

Of the women and families we spoke to in our network, almost all said they would have greatly benefitted from having just some basic awareness of PP. They also suggested that a quick 3–5-minute conversation could be all it takes to make the difference.

“For expectant parents, just having a bit of knowledge that these unusual symptoms can occur, and knowing where to get help is incredibly important. Antenatal educators who would like to learn more about postpartum psychosis can access our specialist webinars and our training for healthcare professionals which is popular across a range of disciplines – from midwives and perinatal mental health teams to first responders more broadly.”

To access Talking About Postpartum Psychosis – A Toolkit for Antenatal Educators – click here

27 April 2023

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

A focus on fundraisers in Northern Ireland

Claire's half marathon in memory of her friend, Orlaith

Claire Tennyson is taking on the Hillsborough Castle & Gardens Half Marathon this July, in memory of her dear friend Orlaith Quinn.

Claire says:

This October will mark five years since Orlaith left us. Orlaith was charismatic, compassionate, fiercely loyal, full of sass and an absolute stunner. There are people in life you instantly connect with, and for me, she was one of them.

Orlaith’s passing was found by a court to be 'foreseeable and preventable' and at the time of the hearing the coroner also called for a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) to be established in Northern Ireland.In the absence of a functioning Executive, the possibility of this being developed in the near future is very slim but APP are continuing to do all they can to push for reform.

In that context, I want to raise money in the interim for this very worthwhile charity to assist in the support they give mothers, mothers-to-be and mothers yet to come.

It is the biggest honour of my life to be a mother and for that privilege to have been so cruelly cut short for Orlaith, and her children, is heart breaking.

So please donate if you can, share to raise awareness, and most importantly of all spare a thought for Orlaith.  She is missed.

You can support Claire here.

Also taking part in the Hillsborough Castle and Gardens Running Festival is APP volunteer Lucy who will be challenging herself to complete the 10K event on the day. Find out more and add your support for Lucy here.

Miles for Mums and Babies in Northern Ireland

We have two teams taking on our #MilesforMumsandBabies Challenge in Northern Ireland this year.

On the 13th May, Justine Lewis and a team of friends will be attempting to climb Cavehill - a challenging 1,207ft peak just outside Belfast.

Justine was diagnosed with PP after the birth of her baby in 2019, and due to the lack of MBU in NI, she was separated from her newborn for 12 days. She is undertaking this challenge to raise awareness of the need for an MBU in the area.

You can add your support for Justine here.

Then, later in the month, Shelley Browne and a group of friends will be running 5k at Stormont to highlight the fact that 1 in 5 women will experience some form of mental health issue in the postnatal period.

Shelley had PP in 2021 and really wants to raise awareness of the need for an MBU in NI. She says: 'I truly believe with this facility, my treatment would of been less traumatic and I would have not have needed to be separated from my baby so early on.'

Support Shelley and her team here.

Not only are our NI APP volunteers getting out and about fundraising for us this year, they're also helping to raise awareness of PP:

Tara helps to raise awareness in Garvargh

On Wednesday 22nd March, one of our Northern Ireland based APP volunteers arranged for an awareness-raising session at a local Women’s Group she attends. She didn’t want to talk about her own experiences with PP herself, as not everyone is comfortable or finds it helpful to do that, which is fine. So, working with APP's events and fundraising staff, she invited along another local APP volunteer who very bravely talked to the group about her experiences of PP.

Staff from APP HQ also zoomed in to the session to explain more generally about PP, the work of APP and the need for an MBU in Northern Ireland. The Women’s Group, which included both local women and health & social care professionals, were very interested and moved to hear the first-hand account of a real women’s experience of PP, as many were previously unaware of the condition.

Very positive feedback was received from the group:

“…she is a brave young woman, speaking out to help others. Thank you.”

“Very brave lady to be able to talk about everything she has been through. Can’t have been easy to do that”

“…she was lovely and very good at speaking about her experience.”

“…she definitely was very good and spoke well, and we got a lot of knowledge about this condition.”

“…it’s such a hard thing to talk about. It’s helped me understand a lot better and what to keep an eye out for.”

“…she is amazing and to be able to come and speak about her experiences so honestly will truly help women as there is still stigma around mental health.”

The local health visitor and social worker were invited to the session and already are asking if further sessions can be put on around the area for other teams of professionals and women around Northern Ireland.

****

If you'd like to find out more about raising awareness or fundraising in Northern Ireland, or accessing our peer support group, please contact app@app-network.org 

Miles for Mums and Babies 2023!

A big shout out to everyone who has signed up for our Miles for Mums and Babies challenge so far! We’ve got more people than ever before ready to run, walk, swim and cycle hundreds of miles to raise awareness of PP and funds for APP.

Fundraisers all over the UK are taking part – here’s just a little taste of what’s going on during May…

In Scotland, Alice in Dundee (pictured right) will be swimming 71km in 28 days, and Hazel in Perthshire will be cycling 65 miles in a single day later this month.

In Wales the BCUHB perinatal mental health team in North Wales who have a team of 18 aiming to cover 154 miles during May; Laura in Cardiff who is planning to walk 50 miles over the month; and Heidi, a perinatal mental health nurse in Monmouthshire who is taking on a huge 1400 miles by the end of 2023 to represent the number of women who experience PP each year.

We’re delighted to have lots going on in Northern Ireland too, with Justine and Shelley getting friends and family on board to take part in their hiking and running challenges.

And across England there are individuals and teams taking part in all sorts of different ways, including…

Jennifer Dawson who’s taking on TWO challenges – one walking 26 miles with her husband Lee and another with her Rattle and Rhyme group – who'll be getting together to toddle 5k!

Jenny and Lee aren’t the only husband and wife team working together to reach a Miles for Mums and Babies target though, we also have Hannah and Ryan in Leeds planning to walk and run 156 miles - 120 miles for the distance their family travelled to the MBU and 36 miles for each day Hannah was in the unit; and Georgina and Chris who are aiming for 108 miles - the distance to and from their nearest MBU.

Most of those taking part have chosen a number of miles that has a meaning to them - Natalie (pictured right) has chosen to walk 60 miles as that represents the distance to and from her home and the MBU she spent time in - the journey her husband had to make to be able to come and see her and their baby.

Rebecca (pictured top) is planning a mammoth 43 mile walk in a single day, with the aim of raising £2400 - the number of mums who will have been diagnosed with PP in the two years since she herself was diagnosed. And she's very close to her huge target goal already!

We’re also really delighted to have the Blue Minds and BleepKind network involved this year, taking on an epic 318 mile challenge, which is already underway!

And having whole teams getting on board is just wonderful - including the Leicester Partnership Trust Perinatal Mental Health Team who are doing a mix of walking, running and swimming; and the Margaret Oates MBU in Nottingham who will be walking, pushing buggies, toddling, running, cycling and even getting their four legged furry friends involved to reach 318 miles (which is the distance from the most westerly MBU in the UK to the most easterly).

And this isn't even everyone who has planned to get involved - we'll keep posting updates throughout the month.  A HUGE thank you to everyone who has signed up so far and to everyone who has supported them already.

It's never too late to get involved in you'd still like to, just email fundraising@app-network.org and we'll send you a free Miles for Mums and Babies pack.

25 April 2023

Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2023 – here’s how to get involved

Monday 1st – Sunday 7th May 2023 marks Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week and APP is keen to get as many people involved as possible.

Awareness weeks like this are a brilliant opportunity to get more people talking about postpartum psychosis (and the signs and symptoms to look out for), and to ensure that anyone affected doesn’t feel alone and knows where they can turn to for help and support.

As such, we’ll be sharing personal stories, signposting people to support, information and advice, and raising awareness.

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'.

Free events include:

  • Monday 1st May, 12.30-1.30pm – Creative Writing, A Lived Experience Workshop with Laura Dockrill
  • Wednesday 3rd May, 3pm – Let's talk about postpartum psychosis with APP and the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership
  • Thursday 4th May, 12-1pm – Webinar: ‘Postpartum psychosis: from research to recovery’
  • Friday 5th May – Pregnancy and Postpartum Psychosis Community Virtual Gatherings

Read on for event details below.

To find out more about the awareness week, join the free 'APP Network' community to receive our newsletter and follow @ActionOnPP on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

The hashtags are:
#TogetherInAChangingWorld
#MaternalMHMatters
#PPPAwarenessDay

How to get involved

During the week, there will be focused topic days and activities that you can get involved with by sharing our social media posts and web links to help reach more people. We’d also love to hear your stories and thoughts too – so please do tag us (@ActionOnPP) in anything you’re writing about online.

Take part in free events

You can also take part in some FREE events that APP is proud to support including:

Monday 1st May, 12.30-1.30pm – Creative Writing, A Lived Experience Workshop

Join APP Ambassador Laura Dockrill for an online creative writing workshop for mums with lived experience of postpartum psychosis.

Sign up to the free 'APP Network' lived experience community to take part (if you haven't already).

Book a place on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-writing-a-lived-experience-workshop-with-laura-dockrill-tickets-619718142647

This event is free, donations to APP are welcome.

Wednesday 3rd May, 3pm – Let's talk about postpartum psychosis with APP and the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership

Eve Canavan, APP volunteer and organiser of Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, will chat with the APP team about a new free toolkit for expectant parents and antenatal health professionals about postpartum psychosis.

Watch live on the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership Instagram page here: www.instagram.com/perinatalmhpartnership

Thursday 4th May, 12-1pm – Webinar: ‘Postpartum psychosis: from research to recovery’

Join APP and the National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) to hear from researchers and the expert voices of those with lived experience of postpartum psychosis.

Book your free place on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/postpartum-psychosis-from-research-to-recovery-tickets-611002634327

Friday 5th May – Pregnancy and Postpartum Psychosis Community Virtual Gatherings

Join one of three global virtual meet-ups 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 BST sessions.

Book your free place on Eventbrite here: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/ppp-awareness-day-2023-2031359

Join an APP regional peer support café group

See more regions and dates in May here.

Take on the #MilesForMumsAndBabies Challenge in May

Each mile you complete as part of the challenge reflects the journey mums, babies, partners and families travel to be together, whilst mums receive care in Mother and Baby Units.

To find out more, email: fundraising@app-network.org

Take part in the APP Big Bake

Dust off your aprons and pick up your wooden spoons for the APP Big Bake.

To take part, email: fundraising@app-network.org

29 March 2023

A Brother and Sister's Story - Natalie and Rob

Thank you so much to siblings Natalie and Rob for sharing their story with us.

Rob is running his first ever marathon this weekend in Brighton to help raise funds for and awareness of APP.

We were so inspired after speaking to both Rob and Nat that we asked them to share a few words about their experiences and what they mean to each other.

Nat and Rob huggingNat:
'I am Natalie, Rob’s sister. I’m so proud and thrilled for Rob to be running the 2023 Brighton Marathon. He has dug deep in his physical and mental limits during his dedicated training and it has been inspiring for me to see.

APP is a charity that means a lot to our family as I was diagnosed with Postpartum Psychosis six years ago. After a very happy and healthy pregnancy I gave birth to my son Finn in May of 2017. Seven days later I was admitted to the mother and baby unit at Royal Bethlam hospital and stayed there for three months.

It was a scary time for us all as we had never heard of Postpartum Psychosis and I was subsequently diagnosed with bipolar, but I’m pleased to say that with treatment and tremendous support I have made a full recovery and lead a very happy life.

APP are doing a great job of raising awareness of this illness that so many have never heard of. They provide amazing support to affected mums and families when they need it most and I want my story to provide hope to those reading this.'

Rob:
'I’m so excited to be running my first marathon this week and feel really proud to be representing APP.

It’s so important that we raise awareness for Postpartum Psychosis as it affects families without any warning. My sister was the last person I expected to be visiting in hospital but I’m so happy to say that she’s now living her best life and is the best version of herself that I’ve ever seen.

It goes to show how important the right support and treatment is and that everyone affected by Postpartum Psychosis should have hope for a healthy and happy future.

My sister’s strength and resilience inspires me every day and will be fuelling me on my run; can’t wait!'

You can add your support to Rob as he runs the Brighton Marathon on 2nd April by visiting his JustGiving page.

14 March 2023

March 2023 newsletter

Happy Mother's Day

The APP team would like to wish you a very happy Mother’s Day for Sunday.

However you plan to spend the day, we hope it will be a special time for you. If you would like to support APP, you can buy your Mother's Day cards at Making A Difference Cards. Browse a huge selection of both virtual and actual cards, personalise, add photos, messages and puzzles here.

For those who find the day difficult or are remembering mums who are no longer with us, APP is here to support you. Our volunteers are on the forum every day of the year, or you can request email or video call support here.

Health professional training

Book now for APP’s one-day postpartum psychosis training on 27th March. The online training is led by APP's expert trainers, including:

  • Professor Ian Jones (Professor of Psychiatry, world-leading academic in postpartum psychosis, Consultant Perinatal Psychiatrist);
  • Dr Sally Wilson (National Training Lead at Action on Postpartum Psychosis

The workshop is suitable for any health professionals working with pregnant and postnatal women and families. It draws upon cutting-edge research into PP and bipolar disorder as well as the real experiences of women and families. The course develops knowledge and confidence in identifying postpartum psychosis, managing risk, developing pregnancy and postnatal management plans and supporting women and families during recovery.

Find out more and book here: https://bit.ly/APPTraining2023

Richard's Cycle Ride

If you follow APP on social media, you will probably have seen Richard Baish’s incredibly inspiring and moving video, shared with us last month.

Richard is on a mission to raise £50,000 for APP to help fund training about PP for frontline healthcare professionals, and to raise awareness, particularly in the antenatal period.  He is raising money in memory of his amazing wife Alex who tragically died last year.

At the end of May, Richard and a group of friends will be cycling from Glasgow all the way to Witney in Oxfordshire. His training is in full swing and we are all so inspired by his dedication and positivity.

With his video and social media work, Richard has already done so much to raise awareness, and this is already making a difference to so many lives. Friends, family, colleagues and even people who have never met the family or heard of APP have been moved by his story and thanks to all of them, he is over halfway to reaching his fundraising target. We can't thank him enough for his support for APP.

We'll keep you updated on his fundraising and cycling progress each month. Please do add your support to his campaign and help him and APP create a lasting legacy for Alex.

Media Trust Women's Voices event

On International Women’s Day, APP's Jessie (APP Marketing and Digital Communications Coordinator) and Fliss (Fundraiser) took part in the Media Trust Women’s Voices event at Google HQ in London. Thirty inspiring charities that support, campaign and advocate for women and girls were invited to take part, along with 150 volunteers from media, comms and creative backgrounds.

APP was given the support of comms and media industry experts from Ogilvy, Initiative and Sense Marketing to work on our Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week campaign, identifying creative ways to increase its reach and impact. Jessie was also given the opportunity to speak at the event about APP, raising awareness of PP and our work.

Thank you to Media Trust for the opportunity, and our volunteer team for their hard work and creativity.

Bipolar Commission Survey

The Bipolar Commission is asking people aged 18 and over who are living with bipolar to take part in a survey on hypersexual behaviour.

The survey takes about 20 minutes and all data collected will be anonymised.

If you can help, you can take the survey here. It’s open until the end of this month.

Media and film

Radio 4 broadcast ‘Shocking’, a documentary about ECT featuring Tania Gergel, Director of Research at Bipolar UK in February. The programme is now available as a podcast: BBC Radio 4 - Shocking.

BBC World Service featured The Comb, the story of a Kenyan mother’s experience of PP. Listen here.

Irene's Ghost , a film supported by APP, will be screened on 21st April at Leicester’s Phoenix as part of the REAL Documentary festival. The film is a moving portrayal of the intricacies of family life, and the impact of the things we don't discuss. Part documentary and part animation, it follows Iain Cunningham’s search to find out about the mother he never knew. Iain will be talking about his story as part of the screening. Tickets will be available from 1st April.

Fundraising

A huge thank you to our amazing fundraisers who have been busy this month completing some epic challenges! Lee Smith has overcome illness to get back to his mission and is running 5k every day for a month right now – find out more and support him here.

APP volunteers Chris and Natalie Wasley (pictured above) spent a very cold Saturday in March walking more than 16 miles along a costal path from their home to the MBU where Natalie spent time after their baby was born. They raised nearly £1,000 to be shared between APP and Florence House MBU – and even managed to fit in an ice cream or two along the way!

Matt and Amy Shaw ran the Shrewsbury 10k last Sunday – raising money for APP to say thank you for the support the family received when his wife Katherine was ill after the birth of their son. Katherine has shared her story with APP here to help raise awareness and there’s still time to support Matt via his fundraising page.

Next month we have runners taking on big events for APP – Rob Rowe will be taking part in the Brighton Marathon and Natalie Varley in the Manchester Marathon. We know they are training hard right now and we’re so grateful for their commitment and dedication. Please do add your support to their fundraising pages if you can and if you fancy going along and supporting them in person on the days, do let us know!

We still have places available in lots of running, walking and other events throughout the year and across the country – we even have our first ever bungee jumper signed up for an event this summer. Or maybe you’d like to get involved with Miles for Mums and Babies this May? Pick an activity (running, cycling, walking, swimming, toddling…) and a number of miles (maybe the distance to your nearest MBU for example) and get sponsored to complete that distance – you could even rope in family, friends or colleagues and make it a team challenge. It’s a fantastic way to raise awareness of PP. Sign up now and we'll send you our Miles for Mums and Babies fundraising pack. Commit to raising more than £50 and we'll provide you with a free running vest and other goodies to help you reach your target.

Fancy taking on a challenge to raise funds for APP? Get in touch and we can provide you with lots of ideas and inspiration.

We have a limited collection of beautiful handmade glass suncatchers, lovingly made for APP by a very kind and talented supporter. They would make a lovely gift for someone special. We're asking for a suggested donation, and all the proceeds will come directly to APP to help us continue to support mums and families affected by postpartum psychosis. Find out more here.

To reserve yours, email fundraising@app-network.org - stock is very limited so be quick!

Research studies currently recruiting

Exploring Black mother’s experiences of postpartum psychosis and the role of racism

APP is supporting Emily Monger, a Trainee Clinical Psychologist at the University of Essex, who is exploring the experiences of postpartum psychosis for Black mothers, and how the role of racism and/or discrimination may have impacted women’s recovery for women. She is looking for women in the UK, aged 18+ who identify as being from a Black background and who have experience of PP to take part in her study. To find out more email em21633@essex.ac.uk

New psychological intervention to support women and families who have experienced postpartum psychosis

A research team at the University of East Anglia, led by Dr Jo Hodgekins, would like to talk to partners of women who have experienced PP. The research team is interested in learning more about what ‘recovery’ means to people with lived experience of psychosis and their families and the kinds of issues people would like additional support with, and what this support might look like. For more information, email j.hodgekins@uea.ac.uk.

The role of sleep in the development of postpartum psychosis

Birmingham University is looking for women with experience of postpartum psychosis to take part in a study to find out more about the role of sleep in the development of PP. Participants will be asked to complete a number of questionnaires about their mental health and sleep patterns, as well as participate in a focus group. For more information or to take part in the study, email: I.Morales-Munoz@bham.ac.uk or c.a.f.carr@bham.ac.uk

Inpatient hospital stays for women with postpartum psychosis

We are supporting Helen Allen, a PhD student at Bournemouth University, who is planning research exploring the experiences of inpatient hospital stay during postpartum psychosis. She is recruiting women with lived experience to help shape her research. Thank you to those who have already expressed an interest in taking part. Spaces are still available. For more information, email Helen at: helena@bournemouth.ac.uk.

If you are a researcher and would like us to support your research, please get in touch at an early stage in planning: research@app-network.org.

Dates for your diary

APP Dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 15th March: APP regional café groups webpage

Mother's Day, Sunday 19th March

World Storytelling Day, Monday 20th March

World Poetry Day, Tuesday 21st March

APP North east and Cumbria to face café group meet up, Monday 27th March: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria to face café group meet up, Tuesday 28th March: APP regional café groups webpage

World Bipolar Day, Thursday 30th March: https://www.bipolaruk.org/bipolar-awareness-day

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up, Wednesday 5th April: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Birmingham face to face café group meet up, Thursday 20th April: APP regional café groups webpage

Events

Bipolar UK conference, Thursday 30th March

Free conference on World Bipolar Day 2023 featuring world-leading expert talks, lived-experience insights and interviews. Book tickets here.

The Mental Health & Wellbeing Show, Thursday 11th May

More than 60 charities, organisations and companies will be promoting their resources, services and initiatives designed to support positive mental health and wellbeing at Cardiff City Hall. 50% discount with code MHWYear (before 31st January). Book tickets here.

If you would like to advertise your event here, please get in touch.

Sign up to receive updates

Joining the APP Network is a brilliant way to…

  • Find out how you can help mums and families affected by postpartum psychosis (PP)
  • Receive our newsletters with information about our projects and research into PP
  • Be a part of a national network of people who have been affected by PP
  • Hear about events, workshops, conferences and opportunities to take part in research studies
  • Help us to change things for the future
Click here to sign up to the APP Network
23 February 2023

The Wasleys Walk for APP

On Saturday 4th March, parents Chris and Natalie Wasley will be walking a costal half marathon - trekking nearly 14 miles from Florence House MBU - where Natalie and her baby spent three months in 2019 - to Hengistbury Head and back again.

The Wasleys are experienced fundraisers having already completed a 10K in 2021. Everything they raise from their mammoth walk will be split between APP and Florence House.

Chris, Natalie and Chris's mum are all involved with APP via our peer support schemes for  mums, dads and grandparents, and we want to say a huge thank you to them for all they do for APP.

Chris says: "We are really looking forward to our walk, though we are really hoping that the English weather is on our side!  The walk is all along the coast, so we are being hopeful for glorious sunshine and lots of ice creams along the way!

We decided to do another fundraiser for APP and our MBU because there is no better cause. Having experienced postpartum psychosis and it being ever present in our lives we are so grateful to APP and the MBUs for all the work they do.  We really feel it is important to give something back to them and to carry on raising awareness of this rare and serious but treatable mental health illness."

You can read more about their story, and add your support here: www.bit.ly/theWasleys