Tag Archives: postpartum psychosis

22 April 2026

Our London Marathon 2026 APP Team

The London Marathon is one of the most iconic sporting events in the world, and APP are so excited to have our biggest ever team taking part in 2026!

Our 2026 London Marathon Team come from right across the UK, representing all parts of the APP community and we're delighted to introduce them all to you here!

To support any of our amazing runners, simply click on their name below and it will take you directly to their fundraising page. Thank you!

Sophie Ashman

Sophie was lucky enough to get a much coveted ballot space in this year's marathon and we're delighted she chose to run for APP!

Sophie works as a perinatal mental health nurse at Florence House MBU in Dorset so has seen first hand the devastating impact postpartum psychosis can have. She says: 'I’ve seen how life-changing it can be when women and families get the right support at the right time and that’s why I’m fundraising for APP, the only UK charity dedicated to supporting women and families affected by PP. They provide peer support, campaign for greater awareness, and fight for better services so no one has to face this terrifying illness alone.

This cause is incredibly close to my heart. So even when I’m dragging myself through long training runs, battling self-doubt, and questioning every life decision by mile 20, I’ll be doing it with love, purpose, and deep respect for the strength of the women and families I’ve worked with.'

This will be Sophie's first ever marathon and we can't wait to cheer her on.

Kayleigh Baggley

Kayleigh wanted to take on the London Marathon for APP after experiencing postpartum psychosis after the birth of her son in 2023. She has shared her story to help others

She says: 'I'm fundraising for APP by running the London Marathon in the hope of raising awareness for this incredible charity, and to share my story to bring hope to those mothers and families currently going through something similar.

I am now back to myself again, living a full and happy family life, alongside working full time as a high school teacher. I remember being frightened that I would never be able to do any of this again when I was unwell but now I am living proof that you can recover.'

Kayleigh completed two marathons before having her son, but the London Marathon will be her first since becoming a mum. We're so proud to have Kayleigh representing APP.

Amy Corderoy

Amy is running in memory of one of her best friends, Cara, who she tragically lost in 2024 due to a relapse in her mental health related to pre and postpartum psychosis.

Amy has had so much support from her and Cara's friends and family through the hard months of training and says she wanted to 'raise some money, and awareness on the amazing work APP does for mothers and families going through challenging times pre and post birth'.

Amy has completed the London Marathon once before in 2019, and we are honoured that she has chosen to take on this epic challenge for a second time, this time for APP in memory of Cara.

Tim Darcy

We're delighted to have Tim taking part in the London Marathon for APP after he successfully completed the Great North Run for us in 2024.

Tim says: I'm supporting APP because they have been campaigning for more Mother and Baby Units (MBU) for over 10 years.

My family have first hand experience of not being able to access a local MBU. In the summer of 2015 when our baby daughter was around 10 weeks old, my wife Jan needed mental health support as she was suffering from postpartum psychosis. There was no bed available at the nearest MBU in Leeds, so Jan and the baby were taken by ambulance to Manchester where Jan was voluntarily admitted to the Andersen Ward MBU. It was tough to separate our family - we had a six year old boy at home in York without his Mum and new baby sister.

Now, ten years on and with a healthy family, we would like to give something back to enable help to be made available for other families in a similar situation.'

This will be Tim's first London Marathon and we'll be cheering him on alongside his family.

Ian Fryer

Ian is another of our lucky ballot place entrants this year! It's taken him a long time to get here so we're even more delighted that he chose APP to support.

Ian says: 'After 11 failed attempts to get into London via the ballot, this year the odds were in my favour (I think). I haven't been a regular runner for a few years but this is a bucket list item so I'm back out denting pavements.

When it came to a charity to fundraise for I was considering a few of the big options and then a friend suggested one that helped them when they were going through a difficult time and I couldn't think of a better way to pay back people who helped someone you care about. So APP are my choice and I'll be proudly wearing purple on the day.'

We couldn't be more proud to have you wearing purple for APP Ian! Thank you for choosing APP.

Rachel Lucas & James Ingleby

The London Marathon alone is not enough for Rachel and James... they've decided to follow it up in June with an epic 85 mile run/walk from The Mount MBU in Leeds to Ribblemere MBU in Chorley along the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

They're taking on these two epic challenges together because they are passionate about the difference APP has made to their lives, as well as to so many other families. Rachel is an APP Peer Supporter herself, working at Ribblemere MBU.

'Getting support from APP and being able to give back too is so important to me and to James, as he also benefited from APP’s partner peer support.

Training for these events will be a huge physical and mental challenge. Each step we take will be driven by the strength we’ve witnessed in the women and families I support and who we have both met through APP - and in ourselves. Taking part in these challenges for APP is more than just running; it’s a celebration of recovery, a way to raise vital funds, and a promise that no one should have to face Postpartum Psychosis alone. Above all, it’s a chance to make our children proud. 💜'

We're in awe of what you're taking on for APP - what a huge challenge. Thank you so much.

Rory McBride

Rory is coming all the way from Northern Ireland to take part in the London Marathon for APP.

'In April 2023, when our son Oscar was born, our family faced one of the hardest experiences of our lives. Megan became seriously ill before and after giving birth, suffering a severe mental health crisis known as postpartum psychosis.

During those difficult weeks, Megan and Oscar were cared for in a Mother & Baby Unit (MBU) in East London—a lifeline that helped Megan make a full recovery. I found hope reading recovery stories on APP's website, and they have connected Megan with other mums who had been through the same.

I felt lucky to have access to an MBU but it really is a postcode lottery. In Northern Ireland, there are still no MBUs at all. Families here deserve better, and APP is campaigning to open the first. We’ve now moved back to Northern Ireland, where the nearest MBU is 188 miles away—seven marathons across the Irish Sea.'

Rory and his family have generously shared their story and helped to raise so much awareness. You can read more about their experience here.

Thank you Rory, we can't wait to see you in London!

Sarah McLeary

Sarah is running the London Marathon for APP after her own personal experience of PP after the birth of her son just a couple of years ago.

Sarah says: 'I was incredibly lucky to receive urgent care in the Mother and Baby Unit at St John’s, where Murray could stay with me and Robyn could visit every day. After we came home, recovery was still tough, but APP were there with understanding, compassion and vital support, alongside the amazing staff at the MBU. Because of support like this, families going through postpartum psychosis don’t have to face it alone.

Running the marathon now feels like a small way to give back and help raise awareness so other families can get the same support when they need it most.'

Sarah We are so proud of you Sarah for taking on this challenge for APP!

Kate & Zoë Parry

Mother and daughter duo Kate and Zoë are flying all the way from Canada to take part in the London Marathon for APP.

They've been training hard through the snowy Canadian winter months and are ready to take on this challenge.

They wanted to run for APP for their life long family friend (and APP trustee) Anna, who had postpartum psychosis after the birth of her baby.

Kate and Zoë say: Seeing the strength and courage Anna has shown - and the amazing work she now does with APP - has inspired us to take on this challenge. We want to run for her, and for all the women and families who have been affected.

Anna says: 'Kate was a great support to me when I was ill after having Elsa back in 2005. Zoë and Elsa have grown up together and we're so touched that they are doing this for APP.'

For Kate, this will be marathon number 6, and for Zoë, her very first marathon! Having been born in London, Zoe's excited to run through the city where she's from; and Anna and Elsa will of course be cheering for them on the side lines. It will be very special to have a mum and daughter representing APP this year.

Lily Pinsent

Lily only started running in February 2025, so taking on the London Marathon will be a massive challenge, but one she is more than ready for, and we are very proud to have her run for APP.

Lily says: 'I can't quite believe I'm saying this, but yes I am running the 2026 London Marathon! The only thing getting me through this is doing it for this special charity.'

Lily had PP after the birth of her baby five years ago, in the midst of Covid lockdowns - a terrifying experience for her and her family. Luckily she was able to receive the treatment she needed in an MBU, but she knows not everyone in the UK is able to access the essential care and treatment an MBU can provide - and this is the reason she wanted to run in London for APP.

Rob Preston

Rob is running for APP after his wife was diagnosed with PP after the birth of their baby in 2023.

Rob says: 'It was a horrible and scary thing to go through but with medication and other support, including from APP, Briony's condition is now stable.

APP's peer support services have been particularly helpful for Briony and me. The charity also facilitates research, raises awareness and campaigns for improved services.'

We are particularly grateful to Rob for accepting his place in TeamAPP this year - he only came aboard in January after another runner was injured - so it's an even more epic achievement that he's been able to take on the training and fundraising at short notice and we are excited to give him all our support on the big day.

John Wheatley

John is another last minute addition to our team - again replacing an injured runner. We're so grateful he was able to join us, and that he was already marathon ready!

John's wife Rachel recently qualified as a midwife and as the final dissertation for her degree, she chose to write about the challenges facing families with PP.

John says: 'With the level of investigation required to create this academic work, Rachel found that PP was an area of postpartum care that was terribly overlooked. Having talked to Rachel extensively about PP, I am proud to step in and offer my full support for the amazing charity that is APP.'

We are so glad you were able to join our team John, it's wonderful to have you and your family as part of our community.

If you're in London this weekend, please do head down to the marathon route and look out for our runners! Or if you're watching the coverage on the television, keep an eye out and see if you can spot them in their purple tops.

A massive thank you to everyone who has supported our London Marathon team - the funds raised through just this one event could help us run our peer support service for a quarter of a year!

Feeling inspired? We have guaranteed places in next year's London Marathon too! More details on how you could apply to be part of our 2027 team coming on Monday 28th April.

8 April 2026

Rachel’s story: I had never heard of postpartum psychosis before experiencing it – now I’m running a marathon to raise awareness

My first pregnancy was fairly straightforward – although I was incredibly anxious about something going wrong towards the end. However, after giving birth, and following my daughter’s newborn check, she was showing a few markers for Down’s Syndrome, so they decided to carry out some testing, which was a huge shock because nothing had been picked up during pregnancy.

When the results came back a few days later they confirmed that she didn’t, in fact, have Down’s Syndrome, but by that point I hadn’t slept in four days. I had been so anxious and I was convinced that if I fell asleep something bad would happen to my daughter.

While I was still on the ward I told the midwives that I didn’t feel quite right and that I was having these strange thoughts that I couldn’t make sense of, but they said I was probably just stressed and told me to try get some sleep.

After going home, however, things started to get worse. I was still unable to sleep, my thoughts were racing and I started to have delusions. One night I became convinced that I was in labour again and that I had dreamt everything up to this point. I woke my mum who had been staying to help and keep an eye on me, and my partner, James, and I said I was worried because I didn’t feel right and I wanted to go to A&E to get help.

So we went to A&E in the middle of the night and hours later I was assessed by the mental health team who thought I had heightened anxiety (which seemed reasonable given the stressful few days we had) and they were going to send me home. But while I was being assessed they realised I had a temperature, so they kept me on the ward in case I had contracted an infection.

I stayed in hospital and deteriorated a lot overnight and by the morning they realised there was more than anxiety going on. By this point I didn’t know where I was and felt trapped. I became suspicious of midwives on the ward, and even my family members visiting. I was suspected of having postpartum psychosis (PP) and they found me a bed on a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU). But because they thought I had an infection, they wanted me to stay on the ward for another few nights before being transferred as I needed IV antibiotics. Over the next night, however, I became extremely unwell. I was experiencing hallucinations and was very agitated, and it became unsafe for me to stay on a postnatal ward, so they had to section me and move me to the MBU in Leeds. I was there for six weeks.

During my first two weeks on the MBU I was convinced I was in prison and I believed I had harmed my baby. At times I even thought I had died myself. I was too unwell to care for my daughter, so it was decided that James would take her home overnight and bring her in every day to see me at first. As I started getting better week by week, I was able to have her stay with me and eventually have leave at home. I am grateful to have been able to get a bed on an MBU as even though I was unwell I was still able to be part of many of her ‘firsts’ while on the ward - her first bath and our first walk with the pram. I also continued to breastfeed when I could which helped our bond.

After returning home full time, I just wanted to put the experience behind me. I was in denial that it ever happened, and I didn’t want to talk about it. I also felt a sense of grief that so much time had passed and I’d missed out on what we pictured life with a newborn to be like. I had some APP leaflets but, at first, I didn’t reach out to anyone, and then lockdown hit.

I was quite lucky in that we had moved in with my mum before lockdown and my brother and sister were there too, so we weren’t isolated or anything and we had lots of help on hand.

But then, coming up to my daughter’s first birthday, I decided to reach out to APP. I had been reading stories on the website and the forum of people who had been through similar experiences, and I read APP ambassador, Laura Dockrill’s memoir too, and it really resonated with me. I then started joining the APP café group and, after a while, I trained as a volunteer. I was glad to finally be able to talk about my experience with people who understood, and it really helped me to get involved too.

Then we decided we wanted a second child. We knew the risks were high, but I was confident that it all happened the first time because of the stressful experience that we had. I had support from APP and the perinatal team from very early on in my second pregnancy and they helped me put a plan in place in case I did become unwell again.

The birth was great and everything seemed OK at first, but then about a week and a half later I started having similar symptoms - heightened anxiety, being unable to sleep, feeling manic and being obsessive about my newborn's safety and health. James recognised the signs and quickly helped to get me a bed on an MBU – which I went to voluntarily.

Unfortunately, I became really unwell very quickly and was sectioned again three days later. Again I thought I had harmed one of my children and I didn't trust the staff. Due to covid restrictions only James could visit at first, so I couldn't see my daughter for two weeks, and she couldn’t spend time with her new baby brother. My mum couldn't visit either which was really difficult for James, as he had our daughter to take care of at home this time too so couldn't visit us as much as the first time. Luckily the restrictions started to relax during my stay, so they could both visit after a while.

I was there for eight weeks in total, but I had my baby with me the whole time which was much better. I had the opportunity to discuss the importance of staying with my baby to the professionals during my care planning meetings. The second time was still frightening, but I knew that I was going to get better and I was able to advocate for myself more. Having the support and the knowledge made a huge difference.

After being discharged the second time, I did struggle with depression and anxiety, but I’m doing much better now and, around two years ago, I applied for a peer support role with APP and started helping to run the café groups and supporting mums on the ward, too. I’ve also shared my story for lived experience training sessions with health professionals. Getting support from APP and being able to give back too is so important to me and to James, as he also benefited from APP’s partner peer support.

That’s why we’re both training to run the London Marathon – as well as completing an 85-mile run/walk between Leeds and Chorley MBUs – the two units I was treated in.

Before I had the children I was always really active – I enjoyed running and going to the gym. After having the children I lost my love of fitness so decided to get back into it by doing the Couch to 5k programme. Running was the easiest thing to fit around family life, and I’ve built it back up from there. Running also allows me to clear my head and has had a positive impact on my mental health.

James had always wanted to take part in a challenge for APP, as he was so grateful for being able to speak to another partner for support and he said that, when he did, it was a big turning point for him. He also knows how much APP has helped me, so it was James who came up with the MBU challenge, but when we saw that APP had London marathon places, we thought we could maybe do that as well!

Having PP has been really tough, but it’s also made me a much stronger person. I think I used to have a lot of fear around challenging myself before but now I’ve been through PP I feel as though I can get through a marathon. I have met some incredibly inspiring people through APP, and their strength will be motivating me through both challenges too.

Now, I want to raise money to help APP continue to support other families but I also feel strongly about raising awareness because I had never heard of postpartum psychosis before it happened to me and having just some knowledge of it, or knowing where to find help would have made a big difference.

To sponsor Rachel and James, visit their Just Giving page here.

13 March 2026

Laura’s story: I told my doctor I was hallucinating, but they told me I had anxiety and sent me home

If postpartum psychosis (PP) was included as a formal diagnosis in the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), resulting in more awareness and consistency in approaches to treatment, I believe I could have got the help I desperately needed much sooner.

There are so many different mental health conditions in the DSM, and it makes me wonder if the barrier to PP being included is because it’s not as common as some other illnesses. But just because it’s not as common doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. And given that it is one of the most serious perinatal mental health conditions, I’d argue that we need as much awareness and clarity as possible.

It was 2024 when I experienced PP – although at first I was told it was anxiety and lack of sleep. Not everyone who experiences PP has enough insight during the illness to be able to identify what is and isn’t a hallucination, but I was lucky in that I knew I was seeing and hearing things that weren’t there. But even with me directly informing the doctors and midwives of this, they assured me I wasn’t really hallucinating, I was just exhausted, experiencing anxiety and I needed to rest. I also had other doctors acknowledging the hallucinations but telling me that it was quite normal postpartum.

But hallucinations aren’t normal postpartum. They are, however, a core symptom of PP. I just don’t think they had the knowledge or awareness of it to diagnose me.

Hallucinations weren’t the only symptom I was displaying, of course. There were delusions, confusion and strange thinking, too. I remember waking up in hospital after giving birth and asking the staff whose baby this was. And when I went home, I accused my husband of stealing my baby. Again, I was told I was just tired.

During all of this, I was prescribed sertraline for my ‘anxiety’ and I became suicidal. After several weeks struggling at home and being reassured by doctors that everything was normal, my husband called me an ambulance because I thought I was having a heart attack. It was only then that I was finally diagnosed with PP. But if I had been diagnosed sooner, all those times when I talked of hallucinations and exhibited delusional thinking, I might never have reached that critical, suicidal state.

That’s why I believe PP should be included in the DSM, and it should be included in midwife training, too. The symptoms I was displaying and informing the health professionals of were all classic symptoms of psychosis. But if it’s not formally recognised, it’s more likely that these signs will be missed, which makes misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment also more likely – which can be incredibly risky.

Nobody should reach the critical state that I did – or worse - before they are diagnosed. A formal diagnosis could raise awareness, improve training and, ultimately, save lives.

20 February 2026

Kayleigh’s story: I’m running the London Marathon to show that you can fully recover from postpartum psychosis

I had never heard of postpartum psychosis before I experienced it and do not recall it being mentioned on any of the prenatal courses that I had studiously attended! It came as a total shock as I had always thought of myself as having very good mental health. I was very excited to become a mum, however, this incredibly exciting time was clouded by a terrifying experience and I couldn’t see any way through it – I certainly didn’t think I would ever recover.

I’m now sharing my story and training to run the London Marathon to increase awareness of this condition and give hope to those currently experiencing it.

I want others to know that you can make a full recovery and go back to leading a normal and very happy life.

My story

We were absolutely delighted to find out we were pregnant, it was a little earlier in our relationship than we had planned but all the same, we couldn’t wait to be parents. I had a relatively smooth pregnancy and had done ‘all the reading’ and attended lots of prenatal classes, NCT group, a breastfeeding course, baby first aid, etc. I thought I was well prepared for postpartum.

It all started with a traumatic birth, two days of labour with a dramatic rush into theatre for a c section which was narrowly avoided. Instead, my son was delivered by forceps and I had to have an episiotomy (a surgical incision to expedite delivery).

The long labour and pain from the episiotomy meant that I didn’t sleep well for almost a whole week. Thinking that this was ‘normal’ for new parents, we laughed off these initial warning signs. Then, I started to hallucinate, forgetting who I was, or who our son was.

I, and those closest to me, noticed that I was experiencing extreme highs and lows - feeling incredibly happy one moment and in total despair the next. I was very fortunate to have community midwives throughout my pregnancy who knew me well and also noticed that this wasn’t normal for me.

I was very nervous about asking for help - I had tried to hide how I was feeling and was constantly dismissing it as ‘normal baby blues’. It was a very confusing time for me and I remember not feeling like I could trust anyone. I had racing thoughts and felt like I couldn’t switch off so I gave up trying and offered to do all of the nights with our son as I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway.

I was admitted to hospital on day three after giving birth as my husband was concerned about my very low mood. However, my more alarming symptoms were missed and they discharged me after helping me to breastfeed.

When I got back home I was very scared and knew that I needed help. On a routine visit on day seven, my community midwife advised me to contact 111 and ask for the mental health crisis team which I did. The mental health team responded very quickly and visited our house within a few hours and, at this point, my mind was constantly racing and I was very worried that I would never feel normal again. I remember finding the visits from the mental health team, perinatal team and social workers very difficult as I was struggling to retain information or sequence days, I felt like I was constantly confused and that there were too many strangers in my home. I wished that they would go away and leave us alone and I was hoping that I could say what they wanted to hear so they would leave and not come back. However, I was talking too quickly and therefore concerning the professionals even more and at one point they mentioned the possibility of sectioning me which led me into a complete panic.

However, I ended up being treated at home with daily appointments from the mental health crisis team and perinatal team. I had never heard of a mother and baby unit and now with hindsight, I believe that this would have been a brilliant option for me.

Although very reluctant to take any medication (I am the kind of person who won’t take paracetamol unless it is absolutely the last resort), I started to take Olanzapine about ten days postpartum. I didn’t get on well with it initially as the dosage was too high for me and I was very dizzy - not a great combination when caring for a new baby! But it definitely helped and allowed me to get the sleep and the break from my racing mind that I desperately needed.

The perinatal team in Suffolk were fantastic. I had regular meetings with my mental health nurse, Emma, and was lucky enough to be assigned a children’s nurse, Clare, who worked hard to ensure that I bonded with my son.

The perinatal team also organised walks and craft activities with other mothers in similar circumstances, which I found very helpful as it made me feel like I wasn’t the only new mum going through this.

Thankfully, once I started to sleep, it didn’t take too long to start feeling more like myself and I was able to start processing what had happened. I held onto the guilt for a very long time, feeling like I had spoilt the first few weeks of fatherhood for my husband and had ruined the excitement of a new baby for our whole family as they were all worrying about me. I think I am still coming to terms with what happened and making peace with it. It was a huge step forward when I felt comfortable to start speaking about what happened and that is what has led me to sharing my story more widely.

I do feel very fortunate in my experience, however, that I did maintain a bond with my son. Although at times I didn’t know who he was, which is heartbreaking, I continued to care for him all the same.

My message to others would be to trust the process - it is incredibly hard when you’re in the midst of postpartum psychosis but know that you can trust your closest family and friends to lead you back to yourself again with the support of the medical professionals. If you are not getting the support you need and are still not feeling right please continue to ask for help. Calling 111 worked for me and it's great that they now have a mental health option. Please keep reaching out if you need help, and know fantastic charities like APP are also here for you, to help signpost you and to support you as you recover.

I am now fundraising for APP by running the London Marathon in April in the hope of raising awareness for this incredible charity, and to share my story to bring hope to those mothers and families currently going through something similar.

To sponsor Kayleigh’s London Marathon fundraiser, visit her fundraising page here.

6 January 2026

Lizzy’s story: My postpartum psychosis made me re-live my birth trauma

After a smooth pregnancy I experienced a long and traumatic labour. My baby was back-to-back which put pressure on my nerves, and I didn’t sleep once throughout the labour which lasted for days. When postpartum psychosis hit, those traumatic birthing experiences came flooding back…

Before postpartum psychosis I’d never suffered any mental health problems. There were things that I was naturally anxious about relating to the birth – because you read so much about what can go wrong – but generally the pregnancy went smoothly.

The labour, however, was incredibly difficult. Because my baby, Patrick, was born back-to-back (i.e. he was facing the wrong way) he was pushing on my nerves which gave me the sensation to push when my body wasn’t ready to. My waters were also broken by the midwife with no prior warning, which made me think for a split second that I’d haemorrhaged. So my labour lasted a long time and I didn’t get any sleep. In fact, I think I only managed about two to three hours in four or five days.

Patrick was delivered by forceps and I had a Grade 3 tear that needed stitches. He was also mistakenly taken for blood tests because they thought his kidneys weren’t working (a nurse had failed to record when he’d had a wee.) At one point in the postpartum ward I noticed Patrick choking on mucus next to me but I was unable to get to him because of the epidural. I rang the buzzer and shouted but it took ages for someone to respond. Combined with the sleep deprivation, all of this was making me feel extremely anxious.

It was around then that I started to become suspicious that the midwives were talking about me being a first-time neurotic mum and I discharged myself at 4am- an incredibly out of character move.

When my husband was driving us home, I started shouting at him to be careful of the runners in the road. This was my first hallucination – there were no runners in the road.

At first, we kind of laughed it off and put it down to sleep deprivation and the tramadol I was taking. We didn’t realise it was a sign of what was to come.

When we got home, I was convinced that the house was on fire because I could see smoke. Again, we put it down to lack of sleep and painkillers, but my mum moved in to help us out anyway as everyone was starting to get worried about me.

The first evening I spent at home I remember being in agony because of the tear that I had suffered. I was terrified that the stitches were going to burst. That’s when I ran to our car with no shoes on wearing only maternity knickers and a shirt, begging Adam to take me back to hospital. I was seen in triage and sadly none of the professionals who saw me noticed the red flags of psychosis that were quickly developing. My physical health was checked and I was sent home.

I reverted to very childlike and vulnerable behaviour. I also began speaking very quickly and not making much sense. I kept forgetting Patrick’s name. A midwife visited me for the two-day check-up and I remember thinking I wished our regular midwife could be there because I knew I wasn’t myself and she would have noticed that.

At that point I was still wearing my hospital band and I hadn’t showered or brushed my hair in days. I felt like a voice in my head was almost screaming please get me help to those around me but I couldn’t actually say it out loud. My mum actually did ask the midwife for mental health support but the midwife said there was no need – she said I just needed a good night’s sleep and a walk around the block.

But my increasingly strange behaviour continued. I was rubbing my stomach a lot despite Patrick not being in there anymore. I was constantly pacing, and my mum described me as doing everything and nothing. Patrick was crying and I was zoned out and couldn’t even hear him. My mum would say maybe he needs his nappy changed but I couldn’t work out how to do it – I couldn’t even make a cup of tea. I was so confused.

I didn’t eat. I kept saying I was going for a shower but not going. I was flitting through lots of thoughts and feelings - one minute feeling positive, the next teary. That’s when I started using my notes app on my phone to keep track of my thoughts.

I could not sleep. No matter how hard I tried or how tired I felt.

My brain was wired, my thoughts going at 100mph. I was googling about postpartum insomnia, trying to understand why I couldn’t sleep.

On the morning that I was sectioned, things get hazy. I still hadn’t slept or eaten. I remember feeling a primal urge to scream. My mum tells me that I ran and attempted to throw myself at the window. I thought I had died in childbirth and I started screaming that I was in hell and reeling off goodbyes to people. Then I started believing my mum had died, and that Patrick had died. At one point I was terrified that I had killed Patrick myself. I have little to no memories of this episode, it was an out of body experience.

My mum then shouted Adam to call 999 as she thought I might have psychosis. She spent her career in social care so was vaguely familiar with it. She’d also watched Stacey’s story in EastEnders and recognised what may be happening. Meanwhile I lay on the floor in the living room, shouting and screaming. Eventually the police and an ambulance came and I was taken to hospital, terrified. When I got to A&E I was covered in my own urine because part of my psychotic episode involved pushing, as if I was still giving birth, and I thought the urine was me haemorrhaging. I was also having terrible hallucinations of Patrick choking because of my experience in the postpartum ward.

Eventually, I was sectioned and transported to Derby Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) as there was no room in the Leeds MBU nearby.

When I got there I was immediately given olanzapine. I was still psychotic for a while, eventually convincing myself I was pregnant with twins and thinking I still had to give birth to one baby (this stems from my husband being a twin). During one episode I even burst my stitches too. I couldn’t feel pain - it was an out of body experience.

Eventually, after a few days, the antipsychotics started to kick in and I very quickly returned to myself. I remember feeling really embarrassed then. I asked my parents to show the MBU staff photos of me on my wedding day and to tell them I’m a teacher because I couldn’t believe what they saw me doing.

But after all that time thinking that I was in hell, I started to realise that I was in a good place. The MBU wasn’t hell, it was more like heaven. It saved me.

I was so relieved to be over the psychosis, but then depression hit me like a ton of bricks. I adored Patrick but couldn’t show it and I struggled to be near him. I withdrew from everyone and didn’t want to leave my room. I wouldn’t wish depression like that on my worst enemy. The doctors upped my sertraline and things gradually did get better but it took a while and a lot of care from the staff.

I left the MBU at the end of January having been there since the end of November. My mum and dad got an Airbnb close by to help settle me back in and the good days started outweighing the bad. Patrick becoming more smiley and interactive healed me a lot and I started going to baby groups and opening up to people about what I’d been through.

My mum found APP. She was supported by a grandmother peer supporter, and found great comfort in this. I then reached out and met Ellie, one of the peer supporters, in York. It helped me so much speaking to someone else who has been through what I had. When you’re coming to terms with what happened to you, you think to yourself, surely that’s a unique experience. But actually there’s a huge community of people with a lot in common.

Now I’m determined to spread awareness.

I’d never had any mental health issues in the past, so postpartum psychosis hit me completely out of the blue. It really can happen to anybody, so I want to be open with people about my experience.

I would say to anyone going through postpartum psychosis that, as scary as it feels, there is a community of people waiting for you when you’re better. You feel so alone when you’re in the midst of it, but you are not, I promise. And you can, and will, recover.

19 December 2025

APP expands peer support for women experiencing postpartum psychosis in Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales

APP has been awarded a new NHS contract to provide peer support within the new Seren Lodge Mother and Baby Unit (MBU).

The new Seren Lodge MBU officially launched on 15^th December. It is a first of its kind cross-border perinatal mental health facility designed to support women from Cheshire, Merseyside and North Wales. The unit will work alongside the existing regional Community Perinatal Mental Health service who already care for thousands of women every year.

Jocelyn and Sally from Action on Postpartum Psychosis at the opening of Seren Lodge Mother and Baby Unit, Chester. December 2025

APP works with a number of MBUs around the country to provide peer support to women in hospital as well as in the community. The charity, recently acknowledged with a prestigious GSK Impact Award, also provides MBU support in Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Birmingham and Solihull as well as a huge network of in-person and virtual café groups across the UK including Northern Ireland.

Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: “As an organisation founded on lived experience, we’re delighted to be able to reach and support more women and families around the UK via this new NHS partnership. Many women have told us that having someone to speak to who has experienced postpartum psychosis themselves and come through the other side brings hope and reduces fear, so we know this new service will be an invaluable addition to Seren Lodge.”

Dr Sally Wilson, National Training Coordinator, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: “APP has been working with partners and families with lived experience to campaign for more MBUs for many years now, so we’re really excited to see the much-needed Seren Lodge MBU take shape. We know through our own research that women being treated in MBUs rather than general psychiatric wards enjoy more positive outcomes, and being able to add value to this through the provision of peer support will be truly transformative.

Seren Lodge will provide a home from home for women and their babies and include a nursery, sensory room, and multiple lounges to support quiet time and family visits. Having access to outside spaces is central to the development with two garden areas and a walking pram loop, with families benefitting from close access to the Countess Country Park. Seren Lodge will also provide dedicated space and Welsh-language resources for women from North Wales who have previously struggled to access MBU beds.

Sarah Dearden, APP Storyteller said: "When I first became unwell with postpartum psychosis when my son was six days old I was admitted to a general psychiatric ward. There were no available MBU beds and being admitted to the wrong and very scary environment made the fear and confusion so much worse. That's why Seren Lodge is so wonderful and crucial. Mums and babies can stay together and stop the anguish of being separated."

Dr Heron added: “This new unit will ensure that new mothers with severe postnatal illness will be cared for appropriately and supported with parenting, without having to travel miles from their families or ending up in adult psychiatric wards and separated from their newborn. APP has been fortunate to work with the Seren Lodge team to ensure the voices of lived experience are heard throughout the development process, so we are confident that this new facility will be a much-needed addition to the UK’s perinatal mental health provision.”

Seren Lodge MBU is the result of a partnership between Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (CWP), Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCHUB), Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, NHS England and NHS Wales. It has been supported and informed by CWP’s Helix experts by experience group.

Could you become an APP peer supporter?

If you have lived experience of postpartum psychosis and live within the Seren Lodge catchment area (Cheshire / Merseyside / North Wales) APP would love to hear from you. The charity is currently recruiting for a Peer Support Facilitator and a Peer Support Worker and will be holding a training day in Chester on 31^st January 2026. Find out more here.

10 December 2025

New research collaboration to tackle ethnic inequalities in perinatal severe mental illness

APP's Shaheda Akhtar will play a pivotal role in a ground-breaking new study that aims to transform postpartum mental health care for mothers from ethnic minority backgrounds or those living in deprived areas who experience severe mental illness.

The Improving Postpartum Outcomes of Severe Mental Illnesses in Ethnically Diverse Mothers (POSIE) project, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is a collaboration between several UK universities, including the University of Oxford, NHS Trusts and charities. It aims to identify practical ways to improve care for mothers experiencing serious mental illnesses such as severe depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and psychosis.

Suicide remains the leading cause of death among mothers in the first year after giving birth, while the number of new mothers seeking mental health support has risen sharply, increasing by 30% between 2022 and 2023.[1] Meanwhile, women from Black ethnic backgrounds are almost three times more likely to die in the year following childbirth compared to white mothers, and women from Asian backgrounds also face an increased risk.[2]

A particular focus for the research is the transition from hospital to community care, a period when many women lose contact with support services and face heightened risk.

Dr Roisin Mooney, co-lead investigator of the project at the University of Oxford, said: “Cultural and structural barriers can prevent women from receiving timely and appropriate mental health support, leaving many without access to effective treatment or follow-up care. By exploring why gaps in aftercare exist and how these differ across ethnic and social groups, this inclusive research seeks to inform new, equitable approaches to postpartum mental health care.”

Professor Kam Bhui, co-lead investigator also from Oxford, said: “The disparities between different groups highlight that current systems of care are not meeting the needs of all mothers. This exciting collaborative project aims to tackle this challenge and improve the prevention and management of severe mental illness following childbirth.”

The research team will use clinical data to investigate variations in care and outcomes, and will run workshops involving at least 120 women with lived experience of postpartum severe mental illness from Manchester, Sheffield, London and Oxford. From this data, they will design a new ‘culturally safe’ care pathway, which will be tested and evaluated at six sites across the country, before developing a toolkit and guidance to support its implementation.

Professor of Maternal and Infant Health at Sheffield Hallam University, Hora Soltani, is part of the POSIE project team and also leads the NIHR Inequalities Challenge: Maternity Disparities Consortium.

Professor Soltani said: “As lead for the perinatal mental health theme within the NIHR Maternity Disparities Consortium, I am delighted to be part of this very important project. Becoming a mother is often assumed to be a joyful and transformative experience, but for some women it can also be a period of significant vulnerability with poorer outcomes for underserved communities. This project aims to ensure that every mother, regardless of background, receives compassionate, effective, and culturally responsive support needed for recovery and long-term wellbeing. Perinatal mental health matters as its impact spans generations, making equity and inclusion a societal imperative.”

Shaheda Akhtar, a peer support facilitator from Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) and patient and public involvement (PPI) lead on the POSIE project, said: “We regularly hear from Black and Asian women who've had postpartum psychosis about delays in treatment and admission, that care and information did not feel appropriate to them, and they had difficulties finding information about this treatable medical emergency. Going to a Mother and Baby Unit can be quite frightening when you don't know anything about them. Our peer supporters help women to understand what they are experiencing and combat isolation and fear. At APP, we educate health professionals by sharing women’s powerful stories, but we know that they are crying out for evidence-based practical ways to improve care.”

Laura Kyrke-Smith MP is currently leading a private members bill though Parliament, which is calling for high-quality perinatal mental health assessments to be a routine part of antenatal care for all women in England. It has been named ‘Sophie’s Law’ in memory of Ms Kyrke-Smith’s friend who died by suicide following the death of her third child.

She said: “Research like the POSIE project is vital to addressing the unacceptable inequalities that continue to cost mothers their lives. We know that women from Black and Asian backgrounds face significantly higher risks of death following childbirth, and that the transition from hospital to community care is a particularly vulnerable period when too many women fall through the cracks.

"This research will help us understand why these disparities exist and, crucially, how we can design care pathways that work for all mothers, regardless of their background or postcode. Every mother deserves access to compassionate, culturally responsive mental health support when she needs it most.

"I welcome this collaboration and look forward to seeing how its findings can inform better practice across the NHS and help ensure no more families have to experience preventable tragedy."

This study is funded by the NIHR and in collaboration with the University of Oxford, King’s College London, University of Greenwich, University of Manchester, Sheffield Hallam University, University College London, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, The Light in Sheffield, 5XMORE, Policy Connect and The Mental Elf.

SOURCES

[1] Knight M, Bunch K, Felker A, Patel R, Kotnis R, Kenyon S, et al. Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ Care - Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths and Morbidity 2019-21 [Internet]. Oxford National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit; 2023 [cited 2024 Sep 18]. Available from: https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/assets/downloads/mbrrace-uk/reports/maternal report-2023/MBRRACE-UK_Maternal_Compiled_Report_2023.pdf

[2] MBRRACE-UK. Maternal mortality 2020-2022 | MBRRACE-UK | NPEU [Internet]. National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit: University of Oxford; 2024 Jan [cited 2024 Mar 19]. Available from: https://www.npeu.ox.ac.uk/mbrrace-uk/data-brief/maternal-mortality-2020-2022

2 December 2025

Double your donation this festive season!

‘I don’t know how we would have coped without APP. There was no one else to turn to.’

This festive season, we're on a mission to give the life changing, life saving, gift of peer support to even more families.

Between now and midday on 9th December, we're aiming to raise £10,000 - which could help us reach out to and support nearly 300 women and families affected by postpartum psychosis. We’d love you to help us.

Donate now through our Big Give Christmas Challenge campaign page, and your donation will be doubled, at no additional cost to you, thanks to match funding from the Julia Rausing Trust.

Every donation we receive this week will be worth twice as much – if you donate £5, APP will receive £10, if you donate £25, we'll receive £50, and so on. Double the donation means double the impact.

Will you donate this Christmas and get your donation doubled?

‘Finding APP and getting support from another grandma who had been through something similar was like a big online hug. I felt heard, understood and supported right from the start.’

Quotes from 2025 APP Peer Support survey

Help us be there for everyone who needs us, for as long as they need us.
Donate today if you can. Thank you.

20 November 2025

APP supports expert panel in call for postpartum psychosis to be recognised by diagnostic manuals

An international panel of women's mental health experts has, this month, issued a call for postpartum psychosis (PP) to be formally recognised in diagnosis classification manuals.

Professor Veerle Bergink of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and Erasmus University in Rotterdam, led a panel of prominent PP academics, including APP's Professor Ian Jones and Trustee Dr Clare Dolman, in developing a consensus statement. Professor Bergink said: “We argue that with its specific onset, phenotype, phenomenology, risk profile, and prognosis, postpartum psychosis has distinct prevention and treatment recommendations.”

The team have spent several years pulling together clinical and biological evidence and consulting patient groups, to demonstrate that postpartum psychosis deserves official recognition and a new classification should be created within the bipolar disorder chapters.

Although the term is used widely by clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience, official diagnostic manuals currently force doctors to classify postpartum psychosis under a range of different names in different subsections of the classification manual, leading to confusion for patients, clinicians and researchers alike.

Dr Clare Dolman, King’s College and University of Edinburgh, Trustee of Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: “The case for postpartum psychosis being recognised as a distinct condition in the diagnostic manuals is clear and is supported by the wealth of evidence provided by the Expert Panel. Both as a researcher in this area for 15 years - and a woman who has suffered a postpartum psychosis - I do not understand the reluctance to make this straightforward but much-needed change.”

Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis, said: “This is a momentous occasion. If these recommendations are accepted by the team who oversee the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) in the US, it could lead to significant improvements in patient care and research quality globally.”

The full consensus statement is available here.

The issue of diagnosis is a confusing topic for many people affected by PP and their families (partly caused by its absence from diagnostic manuals). For help and support, please reach out to APP’s peer supporters, or join a discussion on the APP forum.

30 October 2025

Hollyoaks work with APP for new issue-based storyline involving Cleo McQueen

Hollyoaks will explore Postpartum Psychosis (PP) when Cleo McQueen, played by Nadine Mulkerrin, struggles with her mental health following a traumatic birth with her first child, Joseph.

APP colleagues and storytellers have advised on the Hollyoaks storyline which will hit the screens this week.

Cleo went into early labour at 28 weeks pregnant and, assisted by Dodger (Danny Mac), was rushed to hospital. After giving birth, Cleo haemorrhaged and required emergency medical attention.

Baby Joseph needs to stay in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to being premature. Cleo, who fell ill after childbirth, is later given the green light by doctors o go home. Red flags start to appear when, at first, she doesn't believe her baby is hers.

This quickly progresses when Cleo starts losing track of time and feels guilty for struggling to produce milk. Cleo’s girlfriend Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) moves into the McQueens house to help support the new mum.

The storyline follows Cleo and her support system - Sienna, Dodger, and her McQueen family – as they convince her to seek help when they start noticing her concerning behaviour.

Cleo will be treated in a general psychiatric ward – she’s not able to go to a Mother and Baby Unit due to Joseph being in the NICU unit.

For this issue-based storyline, Hollyoaks worked with APP colleagues and storytellers, consulting with the cast members involved and advising on the storytelling process.

Nadine Mulkerrin, who plays Cleo McQueen, has said “It’s been a new challenge taking on the role of motherhood and the difficulties that being a new mum can bring, especially the strain it can have on your mental health. We had a consultation with APP [Action on Postpartum Psychosis] whilst filming this storyline, and it was helpful to hear other people’s experiences - my heart breaks for poor Cleo.”

Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis said “Responsible portrayals of PP on popular TV shows such as Hollyoaks are invaluable. With greater public awareness, partners, friends, family members and frontline health professionals will be more able to quickly spot the signs and seek specialist emergency help as soon as possible. We’re grateful to Hollyoaks for playing a part in awareness raising and for their diligent approach to producing a sensitive and accurate storyline.”

Hollyoaks is now available to stream from 7am Monday to Wednesday on Channel 4 or watch live on E4 at 7pm.

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