Tag Archives: mother and baby unit

3 June 2025

Urgent need for an NI Mother and Baby Unit under the Spotlight: APP says funding is urgent to save lives

Media release: 3rd June 2025
For immediate release

Today’s BBC Spotlight investigation into perinatal mental health care in Northern Ireland shows just how urgently a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) is needed to save lives and prevent life-long trauma, national charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) says.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without an MBU, a specialist inpatient mental health treatment centre where mothers can be admitted with their babies for care and treatment. Instead, mums are admitted to acute psychiatric wards for non-specialist treatment, separating them from their babies.

APP estimates that around 100 women a year will require hospital admission for severe mental illness in the year after birth, including about 35 with postpartum psychosis, a severe and life-threatening mental illness that can develop suddenly. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in Northern Ireland.

While APP welcomed the announcement more than six months ago that Belfast Trust will take forward plans for NI’s first MBU, we are concerned that we still haven’t seen ring-fenced funding, a firm timeline, and interim measures.

Dr Jess Heron, Chief Executive of Action on Postpartum Psychosis said:

“Tonight we heard from mums and their families who urgently need better mental health care. It’s a story APP hears all the time from the mums who attend our postpartum psychosis Northern Ireland peer support group who, like Shelley, have been separated from their babies and admitted to psychiatric inpatient wards for treatment.

“And too often we hear the stories of tragedy, with lives lost - a story we all heard tonight from Siobhan Graham about her daughter Orlaith Quinn.

“We’ve waited 16 years since Michelle O’Neil and the Stormont Health Committee agreed that Northern Ireland needs a Mother and Baby Unit, but only now are we seeing real plans for this to progress. And we keep waiting. We have a site chosen, but there still isn’t a business plan. The Minister has told the Assembly he hopes to greenlight it this calendar year, but we need a commitment that this will happen.

“We are concerned that in reality, it could be many years until an MBU opens. Years when women continue to be separated from their babies for treatment by non-specialists; where they don’t receive appropriate physical care in the weeks after giving birth; where they miss out on vital bonding with the baby; and where families struggle to provide care for babies. Years in which women continue to die by suicide because they aren’t getting the care and treatment they need.

“We’re cautious about calling for interim measures, as there is always a risk that what should be short-term solutions become long-term, or even permanent. But there needs to be a plan while we wait; we know there are women dying, and being needlessly traumatised in non-specialist units.

“Spotlight visited the Exeter MBU which is a great example not just of how an MBU supports recovery while keeping mum and baby together, but is also an example of how an interim unit has been just that – not ideal, but a safe and appropriate space where mums can be with their babies while they recover from severe postpartum mental illness while a permanent unit is built.”

For more information or to arrange an interview contact Liz Morrison on 07711 558 296, liz.morrison@me.com / Lucy Nichol on 07771 967 032, lucy@app-network.org

Anyone affected by postpartum psychosis, now or many years ago, can access support from APP, including an NI Peer Support Group for mothers who have experienced it at any time. Email app@app-network.org for more information. For more information on postpartum psychosis and support available go to www.app-network.org

Background

Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that doesn’t have a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), which provides specialist inpatient care for mums experiencing severe postnatal illness and their babies. Instead, mothers are admitted to general acute psychiatric wards for non-specialist treatment, separating them from babies.

An MBU provides specialist care for both mum and baby. Mental health teams with specialist training are able to provide the best care, for example: prescribing drugs that are suitable for use in the perinatal period; supporting the mother-infant relationship and the development of parenting skills; providing adequate postpartum physical care and appropriate facilities (such as nappy changing, milk fridges, play areas, safe places for older siblings to visit).

One in 5 women will experience mental health problems during pregnancy or after birth. Around 1000 women each year in Northern Ireland will develop a severe postnatal illness. This can include postpartum psychosis, severe depression and anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Between 84 and 122 will need admission to hospital. Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death, but with the right care is almost always preventable.

Postpartum mental health problems, in particular postpartum psychosis, can come on and escalate very quickly. This is not rare. The charity, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, who run a peer support group for women in NI who have experienced PP, estimates that 35 women in NI will develop the illness each year. While women with bipolar disorder are more likely to develop postpartum psychosis, 50% of cases are ‘out of the blue’, to women who have experienced no previous mental health problems.

The risk was highlighted at the 2022 inquest into the tragic death of Orlaith Quinn, who took her own life on a maternity ward while experiencing postpartum psychosis. The Coroner called for an MBU in NI.

According to the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths, suicide was the leading cause of maternal death in the first year after birth in the UK.

Facts about postpartum psychosis

Episodes of severe mental illness, such as mania or psychosis, follow 1-2 in 1,000 deliveries.
In Northern Ireland, around 35 women a year experience postpartum psychosis.
An average-sized maternity unit would see 8-10 cases of rapid-onset psychosis following childbirth in a year. Around 1,400 cases occur each year in the UK.
Postpartum Psychosis is a devastating illness for mothers and families.
It strikes at a time when families are full of expectation. Mothers feel loss, guilt, and responsibility for missing out on the early months of motherhood. Fathers become responsible for a newborn or are separated from their families. They do not know if their partners will fully recover.
Postpartum Psychosis can occur in women from all social classes, occupations, and educational backgrounds. Often, it occurs 'out of the blue' to women without any previous psychiatric history.
The stakes are high if the illness is not identified sufficiently early, or is poorly managed, both in terms of maternal outcome (including risk of suicide) and child outcome (including rare and tragic cases of infanticide).
According to The Confidential Enquiries into Maternal and Child Health (MBRRACE-UK https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk), suicide is the leading cause of maternal deaths. Half of these suicides occur in mothers suffering the acute onset of psychotic illness. Completed suicides are the tip of the iceberg in terms of ‘near miss’ events occurring to women who develop Postpartum Psychosis.
Postpartum Psychosis is eminently treatable, but services must respond quickly and appropriately to these psychiatric emergencies. Episodes have a rapid onset, usually within days of delivery, and may escalate to full-blown psychosis quickly - within hours or days.
Although episodes of Postpartum Psychosis are among the most severe illnesses seen in clinical practice, Postpartum Psychosis also has one of the best prognoses.
Acute symptoms are similar to those of bipolar disorder and may include: extreme elation or euphoria, rapid mood changes, or depressed mood; the rapid onset of unusual beliefs; visual and auditory hallucinations; extreme confusion; and behaviour can be very bizarre. Episodes can be very frightening for women and their families.
The causes of Postpartum Psychosis are unknown, but the dramatic hormonal and biological changes that occur at childbirth are thought to be involved. There is some evidence of a genetic component to the illness and of a link with bipolar disorder. One in 4 women with a history of bipolar disorder experience Postpartum Psychosis following childbirth.
The majority of women are substantially recovered within a few months, but full recovery and coming to terms with the illness may take 12 months or longer.
Recovery is a difficult and lengthy process. Factors that contribute to these difficulties include: limited availability of information about Postpartum Psychosis and recovery; isolation caused by lack of visible others who have experienced the illness; poor awareness in the general public and media; the stigma associated with experiencing mental illness - particularly at this time when women have high hopes of new motherhood; difficulties coming to terms with behaviour during the illness; limited availability of specialist psychological and practical support following admission to facilitate coming to terms with the episode, looking after a baby, rebuilding relationships, and mothering confidence.
Misguided portrayals in the media can contribute to mothers' feelings of isolation and to difficulties in discussing their experiences with other mothers. Often, when women or their partners search the internet for information about their illness, alarmist stories about mothers harming their babies are the first they encounter.
Postpartum Psychosis is not simply a more severe form of postnatal depression. In fact, many mothers with Postpartum Psychosis do not experience any symptoms of depression at all; rather, they experience extreme elation, spirituality, confusion, and quickly lose contact with reality. The majority of women, therefore, are unable to seek help for themselves, and others must obtain help for them.

29 May 2025

Frankie’s story: I was lucky to get a bed on an MBU – every woman with PP should have access to one

By Frankie Roe

My friend said I’m the world’s worst patient and she is absolutely right. My brain doesn’t cope well with being told what to do or being stuck indoors, so I keep it happy by being active and spending lots of time outside. So, if I’m being honest, I absolutely loathed being stuck in an MBU. But I don’t know where I’d be today without the high standard of care that I received in there.

It was after giving birth to my firstborn that I became unwell, although, when I look back on it, I was struggling with anxiety for a long time before I even got pregnant. I found the pandemic really tough - not the fear of being ill, but the fear of being confined. I was also struggling with anxiety around the pregnancy, as I miscarried the first time which was really traumatic. Due to covid restrictions my partner waited in the corridor while I sat on my own waiting for our scan to confirm the pregnancy had ended. He was briefly allowed in before being sent back outside. We weren’t offered any counselling or support.

I got pregnant a few months after the miscarriage and hated every second of the pregnancy. Even after the 12-week scan when they told me my baby was well and wriggling around, I couldn’t relax. I became convinced the baby had stopped moving and was going to die.

I told myself that when the baby arrived I’d be able to relax, but my daughter wasn’t gaining weight and seemed so vulnerable. And so after the birth my fears about dead babies intensified.

I wasn’t sleeping, I was having to drive to the other side of the city for health appointments because of the pandemic and I was exhausted. But I kept powering through. When I couldn’t sleep at night I was cooking or painting furniture at 4am, and I was putting my daughter in her baby sling and going for four-mile walks across the moors. Because I’m such an active person these things didn’t stand out too much, but in retrospect they were definitely extreme - even for me.

I saw my GP and was diagnosed with postnatal depression and given antidepressants – and things rapidly deteriorated.

After starting antidepressants, I was cycling through rapid mood swings – being absolutely manic one minute and telling my partner I felt like jumping off a bridge the next. Plus, my sleep at this point was pretty non-existent and I became convinced that it was because of the colour of my bed sheets. I was terrified that I might never sleep again and the lack of sleep would kill me. I became increasingly possessive over my baby and refused to let my partner take on his share. I was hearing babies crying when I did manage to step away from her for a shower or to rest but would come downstairs in a panic to find her sleeping peacefully.

About ten weeks post-birth I mentally hit a cliff edge, the crisis team was called, and I was admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU).

I already knew what an MBU was because they came up in my Google searches when I was trying to find out what was wrong with me. I knew something wasn’t right - I just didn’t know what - so I agreed to go in voluntarily. My partner later told me that had I not agreed, I would likely have been sectioned the following day.

It was a weird experience because it was during the pandemic, and I had to stay in 24-hour isolation upon arrival, but it was good for me because I was given lorazepam and finally slept.

They immediately took me off my antidepressants and started me on antipsychotics and the psychosis improved really quickly. Still, I didn’t enjoy being in there. I know people need MBUs and hospital care, but I resented being inside and feeing like my life was controlled – and all the pandemic restrictions on top of that were tough, too. But I knew it was the best place for me.

Although the psychosis subsided quite quickly, I had really bad anxiety and my sleep patterns were all over the place. Even after discharge, I had recurrent periods of insomnia and I lost a lot of confidence. I found myself deferring to my partner when I’m naturally independent and stubborn.

I was back at work 10 months after giving birth and, although in hindsight I probably wasn’t fully ready for it, my manager was great and I felt really supported.

After having PP, I didn’t think I’d have another baby. But after a few years I felt ready to try.

I became pregnant really quickly and have been lucky that the second time around I didn’t become mentally unwell – but I also knew I had lots of NHS professionals on the case if I did.

I feel so grateful that, when I needed it, that specialist care on an MBU was there for me – because the idea of being separated from your baby on a general psychiatric ward is inhumane. I was told there were only eight beds for Yorkshire and the Humber so I was incredibly lucky to get a place when I needed it – and that’s why we need more MBU beds available for anyone who needs them. You hope you won’t need one but if you do become seriously ill, it’s definitely the best place for you. It will probably be hard but what would be a damn sight harder is sitting at home and letting it get worse and worse.

That’s why I think, if you get the choice to go voluntarily, you should absolutely take it. You might feel as though you’re losing your freedom at first, but you’ll get your freedom back so much sooner if you accept all the specialist help on offer. And when you look back on it, you’ll feel good about making that choice and accepting that help. I know that being on a mental health unit doesn’t make me a crap parent – and that accepting the help was the best thing to do for me and my baby.

29 April 2025

Iqra's story - I kept pushing myself like I had a superpower

When a mental health professional told me that I was really poorly - but that I could be treated - I stopped running away from it. I finally knew that there was something wrong with me, that it wasn’t my fault and, with the right help I could get better. It was the most reassuring thing anyone had said to me since I gave birth to my twins.

It was 2023 when I became unwell with postpartum psychosis (PP). I didn’t actually realise I was unwell at the time, but now I can reflect on it, I can pinpoint when it all started. And I believe I started to become unwell almost straight after giving birth.

I already had three children when I was pregnant with twins. My husband and I were both really excited. We’d recently moved house and had it renovated, and I was due a c-section, so everything felt a bit more planned. But we certainly didn’t plan for me becoming so unwell. In fact, neither me nor my husband had ever heard of PP before it affected us.

After giving birth, I didn’t really feel a connection to my new babies. My husband was obviously busy trying to look after our other three children, one of who has special needs, and I just felt a bit overwhelmed. I was struggling to feed the twins and I was really low on iron, which meant I found it hard to stay awake and I kept losing consciousness.

I just couldn’t admit that I needed help and I needed to slow down.

After having a blood transfusion I was able to go home to be with my family. I was excited to be back at home but I found it really difficult. I’d be up in the night with my newborns, and my husband would be up in the night with our son who is autistic. The workload of running a home and looking after five children just became too much – but every day I kept telling myself that I was fine – I could handle it. I just couldn’t admit that I needed help and I needed to slow down.

As exhaustion started to get the better of me, I started to believe some strange and supernatural ideas. The house we live in is my husband’s late grandad’s, and I started to believe that his spirit was around me and that I could hear his voice. I didn’t feel scared at first – in fact I felt quite positive about the experience. But as time went on, I started becoming agitated as well, snapping at everyone and yet I still refused to admit that I was struggling and needed help.

I set myself really high standards, trying to breastfeed both my twins and trying not to give them dummies which was really tough. Then, when they were eight weeks old, I broke down, feeling defeated. I gave them dummies and felt really disappointed in myself.

I was losing control of my own mind.

From that point on I wasn’t sleeping at night, even when the twins were asleep and I had that time and space to myself. I remember that I would look at their faces and feel scared. My mind was playing tricks on me and, when I looked at them, their faces looked disfigured. I was losing control of my own mind.

I definitely still had some kind of grasp on reality, however, because I knew that if I said out loud what I believed and what I was thinking people would assume I was crazy. So I kept everything to myself.

My delusions and hallucinations started becoming more intense at this point. I created some kind of male figure in my mind who was telling me that I wasn’t attractive and that my hands and my hair were awful. I became obsessed with these thoughts, spending all night brushing my hair and washing my hands over and over. Then the delusion started to spiral out of control, telling me to take my own life, and that my family would be better off without me.

As a Muslim woman in the Asian community, I’d heard people talking about black magic and I started wondering if somebody had performed black magic on me. I had no understanding of maternal mental health problems, and I’d certainly never heard of PP. I was so burnt out and exhausted by this point that I did eventually take an overdose to try to end it all.

My husband found me after I fainted and called an ambulance. The paramedics took me to hospital, but I was so out of it I kept trying to run away, to run back home. Eventually, someone from the mental health team came to speak to me and that was the big turning point for me.

That’s when they told me I was unwell, that I needed help, and that I could get better. Because I had tried to take my own life, I was admitted to an MBU (Mother and Baby Unit) but at this point nobody knew about my hallucinations and delusions as I kept it all to myself – so nobody knew I had PP.

After admitting to the hallucinations and delusions and getting the antipsychotic medication the psychosis started to recede really quickly.

As soon as I was admitted I was given sleeping pills and they worked wonders. However, they certainly didn’t cure me and it wasn’t until I finally admitted to the staff about my psychotic symptoms that I was given the right medication to get me on the road to recovery.

Still, it took a while to get fully better. I took so many medications, at one point I was taking 14 pills every day! My anxiety was sky high and I felt really overwhelmed and panicky and was unable to control the amount of oxygen I needed so I kept passing out.

But after admitting to the hallucinations and delusions and getting the antipsychotic medication the psychosis started to recede really quickly.

You hold back because you think your children will be taken away or you’ll be locked up forever, but for me, being honest was the turning point. Letting the health professionals in on what was really going on was the only way to get me well.

Now I’m recovered I want to share my story because I know how reassuring it is to meet others who have been through what you have. Motherhood is really hard anyway, but adding maternal mental illness into the mix makes things incredibly difficult. One thing I have learnt, however, is that your mind is really important and, if it needs rest, you need to let it rest. Plus, if you are becoming mentally unwell, the only real way out is by being honest about it and asking for help.

Before I was able to open up, I didn’t really socialise in the MBU, where I would stay for three months in total. But when I started speaking to the other mums in there and realising I wasn’t alone and I certainly wasn’t crazy, I started to feel so much better – speaking to others definitely helped me in my recovery. Now, I hope I can play a part in helping other women and families too.

9 October 2024

MBU nurses run for APP!

Three perinatal mental health nurses are taking on the Manchester Half Marathon for APP this weekend.

Amy, Megan and Sophie all work supporting new mums being treated at Ribblemere Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) in Lancashire. Over the last few months they've been training so hard for the half marathon and they're now looking forward to taking their places on the start line in Manchester this Sunday. They've been posting updates on their training on TikTok - and you can follow them @therunningmhnurses

All three say they wanted to do this for APP because in their work they see the impact that postpartum psychosis has on mums and families:

We wanted to run for APP because we see daily the impact that a life changing diagnosis has on our ladies. It's heartbreaking and can be such a lonely time for ladies and families. APP supports them during this time and it really can be life saving support.

We see the resilience and strength our ladies and families have when it comes to postpartum psychosis and we just wanted to do something small in support of all our ladies who have experienced/are experiencing postpartum psychosis.

We see them, we are here for them and we are so proud of them. We have the best job in the world.

APP Peer Support Facilitator Jocelyn Ellams works with Amy, Megan and Sophie as part of our service providing support and information to families at Ribblemere. Jocelyn says: 'I’ve seen the impact Amy, Meg and Sophie have. They are kind, caring and empathetic and an amazing source of support for the mums on the ward. This understanding is only highlighted by the fact they are fundraising for us!'

The nurses have already raised an incredible amount but they would love any more support to help them get to the finish line on the big day. You can add your support here.

Good luck to our Ribblemere runners!
We hope you have a fantastic day. Thank you so much for your support.

1 May 2024

Miles for Mums and Babies 2024

APP's 2024 Miles for Mums and Babies challenge kicks off today, 1st May, World Maternal Mental Health Day.

With more people than ever before already signed up, we're so excited to see and hear how everyone gets on with their challenges.

There are whole teams on board from many MBUs and perinatal mental health teams including the Margaret Oates MBU in Nottingham, The Beeches MBU in Derby, the Andersen Ward in Manchester, the BCUHB team in North Wales, the Suffolk Perinatal Mental Health team and the Humber Perinatal Mental Health Liaison team. The teams will be covering thousands of miles between them - walking, running, cycling, swimming and more - we're really looking forward to all your updates!

Lots of individuals are taking part across the UK too - including Lisa who will be completing a five hour walk with a group of friends, Hannah - aiming to run 50k in May, Kate who's planning 100 miles in a month and Carly, who along with friends, is going to cover 5k a day in May. These are just a few of our amazing fundraisers getting involved this month - we'll be celebrating all of them throughout this month so keep an eye on our website and social media for updates.

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up, and to all those supporting them. You really are making a difference.

And it's definitely not too late to get involved if you'd still like to join our amazing team of Miles for Mums and Babies fundraisers - you can get going with a challenge any time you like - we focus our challenge in May as part of Maternal Mental Health Awareness week, but you're welcome to pick any time that suits you.

Find out more, and receive your free Miles for Mums and Babies pack by emailing fundraising@app-network.org or completing this short form.

15 August 2023

A day in the life of…a Peer Support Facilitator: Natalie

Natalie Thompson has worked with APP since 2019 and is based in our Birmingham and Solihull peer support teams. Having experienced PP twice herself in 2003 and 2007, and later being diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2010, Natalie helps support women and families affected by PP (or other illnesses featuring manic or psychotic symptoms). After treatment in an acute psychiatric ward and fantastic care at the Birmingham Mother and Baby Unit (MBU), Natalie knows how challenging it can be to settle back into everyday life.

Here, she shares a typical day in the life of her role with APP.

08:45

I always start the day with a cup of tea to wake me up. Steaming hot brew at the ready, I’ll check my emails to see if there’s anything urgent I need to respond to and contact any women I am due to see that day to make sure meeting is still convenient for them.

09:00

I’ll make my way over to a local children's centre where I support with NHS Perinatal groups such as Play and Stay and Baby Massage. Sometimes I help facilitate other interventions such as Tree of Life and Five to Thrive.

It's good to have a Peer in the groups to be able to support the mums as someone who’s walked in similar shoes. I know from personal experience that chatting to someone who has been through what you have is such a big help and makes you feel less alone in your recovery (which also helps to speed up recovery).

12:00

To end the morning, I might refresh my skills by taking part in training and shared learning. Sometimes this will be provided by the brilliant team at APP, but, as a partner of the local NHS Trust, we are also able to access NHS training and development too. It’s always good to keep learning and hearing best practice and I feel lucky that this is something APP is so supportive of.

12:30

Time for a lunch break and another cup of tea!

13:00

After lunch, I might attend an MDT meeting - multi disciplinary team meeting. This might be attended by clinicians, nursery nurses etc. and some of the issues we might address could include women on the high risk pathway and admissions to the MBU.

14:00

Next I’ll make sure I get moving and get some fresh air by doing a social walk with one of the women on my caseload who is recovering from PP. These ‘walk and talk’ peer support meetings are great – especially for women who feel anxious leaving the house alone and those who don’t have a great social network. Getting out is difficult for new mums as it is, but even more so when you’re recovering from severe mental illness – and we know that exercise and fresh air both contribute to wellness so it’s a win-win. From these meet ups I’ll write up my notes to make sure I am able to reflect on any areas I need to follow up on.

15:00

I will make time to contact women on my caseload to see if they want to talk through anything over the phone or indeed want to meet up in the coming weeks.

Next, I might prepare for the APP café group – a session where several women get together to share their experiences or just to socialise with others who have been through similar experiences. I’ll check out the venue, make sure they have good facilities and open space for little ones, etc. Then, I’ll email participants a little reminder of where café groups take place, and check on the dreaded weather!

16:30

Time to clock off. That’s the great thing about working for a charity that’s committed to mums and babies spending time together – they like to ensure your work doesn’t eat too much into your family time! So even when I work from home, I’m pretty strict about clocking off at the end of my shift and joining my family for a relaxing evening.

To find out more about current APP peer support job vacancies, click here.

26 July 2023

Samantha’s story: I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder after PP - but it’s not the life sentence I thought it was going to be

I’d never experienced any real mental health problems prior to being diagnosed with postpartum psychosis. However, six years later, following another psychotic episode, I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder and told I’d need medication for life. But after learning how to better manage my health and wellbeing, I’ve been symptom-free for over seven years. Now, I want to inspire others by showing that, despite your diagnosis, you can go on to live a healthy and happy life.

In 2005 I gave birth for the first time. I had quite a large baby - he was nearly 10 pounds and, following a forceps delivery, I lost a lot of blood. It was a terrifying time, I had to have a blood transfusion, I hadn’t slept for three days straight before the birth and I really believed I was going to die.

Looking back, it definitely felt as though this trauma marked the beginning of my mental health problems.

After the blood transfusion I could feel that something wasn’t right. I even joked that they’d ‘given me the blood of a mad man’. They wanted me to see a psychiatrist at this point but I denied that there was anything wrong with me and they let me go home with my baby.

After getting home my family became really concerned. I trashed the house and experienced visions, so they got the mental health team involved and I ended up being sectioned.

My memories of that time are still quite hazy and I feel I have blocked a lot of it out as a protection mechanism, but some of the visions I experienced are still very vivid. I am certain I was never suicidal and I didn’t have any worrying thoughts about my baby, but things definitely weren’t right with me.

Unfortunately, there wasn’t a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) nearby and my then husband had to make a decision for me to go into a general psychiatric ward, as I wasn’t able to articulate myself how I wanted to be treated.

My experience on the mixed ward was not a good one, and there were some awful incidents that traumatised me. I wasn’t sleeping and was continually walking around the wards apparently putting myself at risk amongst some of the unwell male patients. I remember being restrained and put in seclusion on more than one occasion. I also felt uncomfortable when there were usually just male members of staff on duty especially at night. I had already had a traumatic time giving birth and all of this just added to the distress. This would not have happened had I been sent to where I should have been – an MBU. I ended up staying on the general ward for 28 long days.

I was told that there was a 50% chance of me getting PP again if I had another baby. However, 19 months later, having given birth to my daughter, I felt more prepared.

I had a planned c-section, knew what to look out for and felt more supported. I had a mental health team keep an eye on me throughout the process but refused any type of medication. Thankfully, I didn’t experience PP following my daughter’s birth.

However, after being well for six years, I experienced a psychotic episode, which I believe was linked to the trauma and I ended up back in the psychiatric unit for 28 days again. This was in 2011 and between then and 2016 I ended up being sectioned four more times for subsequent episodes.

I was initially diagnosed with bipolar disorder and then told it was actually schizoaffective disorder which was a real shock as there is so much stigma attached to the label. My family were told that my condition was so severe I would need medication for life, which really affected me as I had always preferred a holistic approach, so I kept stopping the medication they supplied me with. Because of this they were unable to trust me and had to give me monthly injections which I also found traumatic.

My last episode was in 2016 due to a lot of stress in my life within a short period and I was hospitalised for three months. During that time my mind and body totally shut down and I couldn’t communicate with anyone. Luckily, this time, I was in a women only ward.

After this last event I was referred to an extremely good NHS psychiatrist who did not believe that everyone with this condition needed to be on medication for life. He worked with me over a long period of time and carefully weaned me off my medication so that by 2019 I was medication free. It was at this time I decided to work on healing myself and dealing with past traumas through reiki and other holistic therapies.

My experiences inspired me to want to give something back to others, and I now work full time supporting adults with learning difficulties.

Another big achievement was buying my own house in 2020 – something I never believed would be possible.

There’s a lot more to my story but for the last seven years things have been great. I have had my ups and downs like everyone else - especially during Covid and working in a care home. I have dealt with a lot during this time but have managed to stay well. I really want to express that a psychiatric diagnosis doesn’t mean you are written off and it doesn’t have to be a life sentence. I am now leading a normal and happy life and in some ways, I wouldn’t change a thing as it’s made me the strong woman I am today.

12 July 2023

Jodie jumps for APP!

On Saturday 22nd July in Glasgow the very brave Jodie McNairn bungee jumped from 160ft (nearly 50m!) to raise funds for APP and awareness of postpartum psychosis.

Jodie chose this challenge as she felt a jump like this would feel so freeing. She says she's using it as a way to leave the past behind and move on.

Jodie has also bravely shared her story with us to help ensure more people understand the signs and symptoms of PP and to bring hope to others affected by PP:

'The day I got home from hospital after giving birth to my daughter five days previous, I started hallucinating and became obsessed with my health thinking something was wrong. Me, my boyfriend and my daughter went to stay with my mum for some support but after a few days things progressively got worse. I was confused, withdrawn, erratic and was starting to have awful thoughts that were becoming dangerous. This is probably when my family realised it was more serious than they thought. I was admitted to a general mental health unit and while there ended up sectioned as again things got worse and I had no control over myself anymore.

This was during Covid so I couldn’t see my daughter while I stayed there which was even more confusing. I remember while I was there I thought I was dead and that I was living in hell repeating the same day over and over and over.

A week later a bed became available at Leverndale Mother and Baby unit which was the start of my journey to getting the right help I needed. The women there were amazing, they helped me so much. I spent my 23rd birthday there as well as mine and my daughter Lyla's first Christmas, which brings me to why I wanted to raise money for APP.

On Christmas all the girls and their babies received loads of gifts and information/support from APP and it was at this point that I knew I wasn’t alone and what I was going through was a real Illness. I was discharged on Hogmanay to continue recovering from home with the support of my family and friends and Laura the CPN that stayed in touch regularly.

Nine months later I fell pregnant with my son and the day he was born I went back on medication in case the psychosis came back which thankfully it never did and I got to enjoy my newborn without being unwell. Two and a half years ago I didn’t even think I would be here and now I get to live life with my 2 year old daughter and my 1 year old son.

Things WILL get better - you are stronger than you think.

If you managed to read all that then thank you! And thank you to APP for giving me the chance to raise money for all the amazing things you do!'

Jodie reported back after smashing her bungee: 'So, so scary but what a feeling once you jump!'
If you'd like to add your support for Jodie's jump, you can do so here:
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Jodie-Mcnairn

And if you're inspired by Jodie to take on a bungee jump for APP, contact fundraising@app-network.org and we'll send you all the info you need.

Good luck Jodie!

7 July 2023

Read APP's July 2023 newsletter

Health professional training

New dates announced! Book on to APP’s health professionals training in postpartum psychosis (PP) and stay up to date with best practice care.

Supporting dads and co-parents affected by postpartum psychosis
This half day online workshop, led by Dr Sally Wilson and APP Partners Coordinator Simon O’Mara, is informed by real life experiences of dads and co-parents whose partners have experienced postpartum psychosis. At the end of the workshop: you will have an up-to-date knowledge of the research into the impact of PP on partners; understand the needs of dads and co-parents; and have learned about strategies and interventions to improve support.
Friday 14th July / Zoom
10am - 12.30pm BST
£99
Find out more & book: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/app-training-supporting-dads-and-coparents-tickets-648045761317

Best practice care in postpartum psychosis
This one-day online course draws upon cutting-edge research in postpartum psychosis and bipolar disorder and is informed by the experiences of women and families. The course will develop knowledge, understanding, and confidence in managing this severe form of postnatal mental illness.
Wednesday 15th November / Zoom
Full day training
Early bird (to 31st July) £165, full price £195
Find out more & book: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/app-training-managing-postpartum-psychosis-for-health-professionals-tickets-496307337607

Essential knowledge for preventing maternal suicide
The Alex Baish Memorial Lecture: a free webinar for GPs, midwives, antenatal educators and frontline health professionals
Suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the UK and rates are increasing nationally. This free lunchtime webinar aimed at frontline health professionals will outline the actions needed to support and protect women who develop the condition. The webinar will include a Q&A session with APP’s clinical, academic and lived experience experts.
Wednesday 18^th October / Zoom
12pm – 1.30pm BST
Free
Register your interest at: training@app-network.org

Supporting Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic families affected by postpartum psychosis
This new online session led by APP’s National Training Coordinator, Dr Sally Wilson, and APP’s Diverse Communities Outreach Team, will focus on supporting women and families from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities who develop postpartum psychosis. By the end of the session, you will have knowledge of the support and information needs of women from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities; and have considered strategies to remove barriers and improve care.
Thursday 16th November / Zoom
12pm – 2.30pm BST
£99
Find out more & book: www.eventbrite.com/e/supporting-black-asian-and-ethnic-minority-families-affected-by-pp-tickets-671354869487

Northern Ireland campaigning update

In Northern Ireland we’re waiting for news of the next step for a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU). We campaigned hard last year for public, professional and government support for the unit. The government strategic review due in the spring has been delayed until summer and we’ve heard that’s because all five Health Trusts were keen for it to be in their area.

With no Government in Northern Ireland, and no Health Minister, even when a Trust is chosen to develop a business case, nothing can be done. But we’re not going to let an MBU fall off the agenda.

We’ve got plans to lobby when politicians are back from their summer break, and we’re staying in touch with journalists who have reported on this before.

We’ve got three questions we need answered:

What’s the timeline for building and opening an MBU?
What’s the budget and where will the money come from?
What is going to be done for mums who need admission in the meantime?

To really make our case, we need support from women in Northern Ireland who’ve experienced postpartum psychosis. We know it’s much harder to ignore people who have real stories to tell, so we’re reaching out to anyone who is prepared to talk to media - even anonymously - or to talk to an MLA about their experience.

Please also get in touch if you used to live in Northern Ireland and had access to an MBU elsewhere in the UK that you wouldn’t have had at home - we’d love you to share your story. APP volunteer, Tara, recently shared her experience of postpartum psychosis (PP) in this podcast.

We’ll support you through the process. Even if you don’t feel certain about talking, you can give us a call to discuss it. Get in touch with Ellie here.

It’s just not fair that women have to leave Northern Ireland to get the help that’s available in all other parts of the UK, and we’re determined to change that.

#MumBabyTogetherNI

We are recruiting

APP is recruiting casual Peer Support Worker(s) to join our innovative collaborative project with Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health Foundation Trust providing peer support to inpatients at Birmingham Mother and Baby Unit (MBU).

We’re looking for people with lived experience of postpartum psychosis to help support women, one-to-one and through small group activities, at the MBU. Peer Support Workers also spend time talking to partners and families of women during the acute illness phase, sharing information, giving hope and signposting to APP’s online support, community forum, and information. Part of the role will be spent helping to run monthly café groups in the Birmingham area and - working in collaboration with Black Country Healthcare Foundation Trust - at various locations around that region. You don’t need to have experience of peer supporting. Training will be provided.

Full details of how to apply for the role are on our website. The application deadline is midnight on 21^st August 2023.

Scotland Mother and Baby Unit petition

We know that some mums in Scotland who suffer from postpartum psychosis are treated in general psychiatric wards away from their baby and family.

There are currently only two specialist Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in Scotland based in Edinburgh and Glasgow.

APP believes every family affected by PP should have access to specialist care. MBU beds accessible to women in the North of Scotland are vital.

You can help us by adding your name to this petition, developed by Lesley, one of our Scotland volunteers, which is currently under consideration by the Scottish Government. Adding your name will help the Scottish government understand how strongly we feel about access to specialist care – and keeping mums and babies together: https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2017

#KeepMumsAndBabiesTogether

Celebrating Perinatal event

On 24th May, APP attended the "Celebrating Perinatal" event, organised by Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust and North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust. It was a wonderful occasion to celebrate all the work done in the region over recent years, and to look back to the start of services in the North Staffs area in the 1980s.

APP’s Hannah Bissett, National NHS Contracts Coordinator, Jo Derry, Black Country Peer Support Facilitator, and Jenny Stevenson, National Online Peer Support Coordinator joined Dr Giles Berrisford, APP's Chair of Trustees, who gave a national update on the progress of perinatal services as Specialty Advisor PMH for NHS England. Hannah is pictured above with Harriet Lambah-Heap (ward manager at Brockington Parent & Baby Unit).

Color Obstacle Rush

On Saturday, June 17th, a group of 12 APP staff and families (pictured above) from the north west took part in the Color Rush at Manchester. It was such a fun event consisting of lots of coloured powder, foam, giant inflatable obstacles and maybe some running.
As a group, they managed to raise £1,086. There is still a chance to donate here.
We are thinking of doing this again next year and there are various locations all over the world! So please get in touch with fundraising@app-network.org if you’d be interested.

Professor Louise Howard, OBE

Congratulations to Professor Louise Howard who was awarded an OBE in the first King’s Birthday Honours last month for services to women's mental health.

Louise is Professor Emerita in Women’s Mental Health at King’s College London. Her research programmes aim to improve mental health service policy and practice for women. She led research that informed the updated NICE guideline on how to identify and treat perinatal mental illness and her work has also informed pregnancy planning tools commissioned by NHS England and Public Health England.

Fabulous fundraisers

Our amazing supporter Lee Smith is continuing his epic 12 month, 12 challenge fundraiser. He’s already taken part in several running events, including a back-to-back Total Warrior event followed by the Great Run 10k, he’s also climbed Scarfell Pike, run 5k a day for a month and just last month, he and his wife Jess climbed Ben Nevis. To mark their joint achievement, their daughter made them this beautiful book as a present – she’s so proud of them and we are too. Add your support to Lee’s incredible campaign here.

Ultra Event!

We have our first APP ultra runner in action this weekend! Michael Henderson-Sowersby is taking on the mammoth 100km ‘Race to the Stones’ on 8^th July, raising money for APP in memory of his school friend Alex Baish, and for another charity close to his heart - Devizes & District Opportunity Centre. Find out more about his epic training efforts and add your support here . Good luck, Michael!

Miles for Mums and Babies

Another huge thank you to everyone who took part in our Miles for Mums and Babies challenge this year – donations are still coming in and challenges are still underway, but already our amazing fundraisers and their supporters have raised more than £20,000! This will have such an incredible impact on the work we can do supporting mums and families. Thank you so much. You can read more about our Miles for Mums and Babies adventures here.

Looking for your next challenge?

There are dozens of running events going on this October all over the country – half marathons in cities including Oxford, Glasgow, Manchester, Portsmouth and London (including the beautiful Royal Parks Half); full marathons in Chester and York, 10 milers in Leicester and Yorkshire, 10kms in Guildford, Tatton and Glasgow, and inflatable 5k fun runs in Huntingdon and Warwickshire – wherever you are and whatever level of challenge you’re looking for – we’ll find the event for you! For most events, there’s a small registration fee of just £25 and a minimum fundraising target that ranges from £100-350 depending on the race. There's still plenty of time to get your training in before October. Tempted? Email fundraising@app-network.org and we’ll sort you out with a free APP running vest and lots of support and encouragement!

Suncatchers

We’re very excited to have been donated more beautiful suncatchers, all handmade with love and care by our wonderful APP supporter, Peter the Glass. Numbers are very limited so if you’d like one, get your order in quickly. More info here.

Research

You can help improve care for the future by supporting research into PP. Please join our lived experience network, and then contact the researchers for information on each study.

Exploring Black mothers’ 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.

The causes and triggers of postpartum psychosis
The National Centre for Mental Health (NCMH) and Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) are working together to understand more about the genetic factors, and other causes and triggers of severe mental illness during pregnancy and following childbirth.

You are invited to take part in this research if you have experienced postpartum psychosis or other severe mental illness around childbirth. For more information and to sign up to participate, please visit this page.

Enhancing recovery from 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
APP is working with researchers at the Institute of Mental Health, Birmingham University, led by Dr Isabel Morales-Munoz, to investigate the role of sleep in postpartum psychosis (PP). If you have experienced PP, you can help by completing questionnaires about sleep patterns. To take part, register with APP’s Lived Experience network, and email: c.a.f.carr@bham.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 Lancashire and south Cumbria virtual café group meet up, Monday 10^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP London virtual café group meet up, Monday 10^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Grandparents virtual café group meet up, Tuesday 11th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Lancaster, Wednesday 12^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Yorkshire virtual café group meet up, Thursday 13^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackpool, Friday 14^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Dads and co-parents virtual café group meet up, Wednesday 19^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

Birth Trauma Awareness Week, 16^th-22^nd July: www.birthtraumaassociation.org.uk

APP Wales virtual café group meet up, Thursday 20^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Friday 21st July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Muslim women’s virtual café group meet up, Saturday 22^nd July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up at Walsall Arboretum, Wednesday 26^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Blackburn, Friday 28^th July: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Lancashire and south Cumbria face to face café group meet up in Preston, Saturday 12^th August: APP regional café groups webpage

APP Black Country face to face café group meet up at Walsall Arboretum, Wednesday 23^rd August: APP regional café groups webpage

Events

Improving Safety in Maternity Services, Thursday 13^th July
Online conference focussing on a multidisciplinary approach to improving safety in maternity services following the Ockenden Review. Book tickets here.

Suicide Bereavement: Practical Applications Conference, from Tuesday 5^th September
Fourth annual conference organised by Harmless featuring a series of live webinars on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The theme of this year’s event is ‘2 steps forward, 1 step back. Book tickets here.

If you would like to advertise your event here, please get in touch: app@app-network.org.

26 May 2023

Mammoth Miles for Mums and Babies efforts this May!

This year we have had more people than ever take part in our Miles for Mums and Babies fundraising challenge.

Here's just a few pictures to give you an idea of what everyone has been up to, with individuals and teams getting involved all across the UK.

Thank you to absolutely everyone who has taken part, provided moral or physical support or donated to keep our fundraisers going - it's been an incredible effort, and it's still ongoing!

Becky took on an epic 42 mile walk - find out more and check out the fab pics here.

Justine and a huge team of friends climbed Cavehill on a beautiful sunny day near Belfast.

Kayleigh and her husband Dave are walking 56 miles over 5 days - 56 miles was the distance Dave had to travel to visit Kayleigh when she was in an MBU.

A huge team from Nottingham's Margaret Oates' MBU completed 318 miles - and some dedicated team members didn't even stop when they were on holiday! The whole team completed the miles with a fabulous family walk. Find out more about what they've been up to and add your support here.

Some of our tiniest fundraisers got involved through Jenny Wren’s Rattle & Rhyme group who completed a wonderful five mile buggy push and toddle.

Emma took part in a 10k race on a sunny Wednesday evening in Northamptonshire.

The fantastic nationwide BleepKind team smashed their original 318 mile target, completing over 400 miles in total, and an incredible 92 hours of activity on bikes, on foot and in pools!

Husband and wife team Georgina and Chris are running 108 miles this month, and were even spotted in action at Trentham Gardens by an eagle eyed member of the APP Team!

Natalie is completing 60 miles over the three months, fitting it in around her already very busy life, and loving every step of the way!

Over in Spain, (yes Miles for Mums and Babies is international now!) Ruth had a 10k race planned but when an injury put a stop to her training and running, her amazing friends, Afra and Sinead, stepped in to ensure it didn't put a stop to her fundraising!
Afra completed a 21k race in early May, and Sinead is taking part in the Edinburgh marathon at the end of the month - what fantastic friends!

Hazel cycled amazing 65 miles in just one day from Dundee to Livingston, via Perth.

Hannah and Ryan are walking and running 156 miles throughout May - 120 miles for the distance their family travelled to be with Hannah when she was ill, and 36 miles for each day she was in the Mother and Baby Unit.

The North Wales Perinatal Mental Health Team have completed a MASSIVE 2000 miles between them and are finishing off in style with a team away day walking up Moel Famau meaning Mother Mountain - the highest hill in the Clwydian range in Denbighshire.

We also have a swimmer on board - up in Scotland Alice is planning on completing 71 miles of swimming in a month - 71 miles representing the number of days she spent in hospital while unwell with postpartum psychosis.

Laura D decided to tie her Miles for Mums and Babies challenge in with a Couch to 5K adventure.

Jennifer and Lee walked from their home to Nottingham MBU - a distance of more than 20 miles - in one day.

Laura C is running a fantastic 50 miles in the month of May.

Becky is running 5k EVERY DAY in May, often pushing a buggy to make it even more challenging!

Sally is walking a huge 100 miles in May and has smashed her fundraising target!

Shelley and friends completed a 5K in Stormont at the end of the month, not only to raise funds but also to highlight the desperate need for an MBU in Northern Ireland.

10 year old Annie has shown real dedication by running a mile every single day during May, not missing a single one and sometimes even having to get up early to fit her mile in before school!

Some people have even longer term plans - Emily aims to walk an amazing 1000 miles this year - and has already completed nearly half of these miles; and Heidi is aiming for 1400 miles of running this year!

It's been a huge effort this year so far by so many, and we're so grateful to all of you!

Looking ahead, Adeline is running a 10K in Battersea Park at the end of June and Robyn will be paddleboarding in Leamington Spa.

So the month might nearly be over but it’s definitely not too late to get involved – Miles for Mums and Babies can happen whenever and however you want it to! So, if you're feeling inspired and have an idea for your own Miles for Mums and Babies challenge, we’d love to hear from you!