Tag Archives: postpartum psychosis

Join us for an APP Adventure!

Join us for our first ever APP Adventure!

Imagine taking part in an invigorating hike through beautiful Derbyshire countryside, alongside other women and families who have been affected by postpartum psychosis. Talking, sharing stories and coming together to raise awareness and funds to help make a difference for others.

Be part of our first APP Adventure.

Image of Peak District with blue sky above green hillsSaturday 21st June - Mam Tor Challenge, Peak District, Derbyshire

  • Mam Tor means 'Mother Hill' 💜
  • An 8 mile/13km circular walk, including Mam Tor and passing through the village of Hope.
  • Total ascent: 514m
  • Time: Approx 4 hours

 

Registration Fee: £25
Minimum fundraising target: £200

What's included:

  • Event run by experienced charity challenge organisers Sky Blue Adventures
  • APP fundraising pack and support with your fundraising activities
  • APP branded t-shirt
  • Goody bag
  • APP medal
  • Highly experienced mountain leaders (fully qualified and first aid trained)
  • Insurance
  • Snacks to keep your energy up on the day
  • Lots of laughs, smiles and the chance to make new friends and memories!

Pink rectangle with the words 'click here to book your place'

Places are limited so register soon to secure your place in our first APP Adventure Team!

 

If you have any questions or need more info before you register, contact Fliss - fundraising@app-network.org

We can't wait for you to join us on our first APP Adventure!

City Bridge Foundation provides significant funding for peer support

We are delighted to announce that Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) has received 5 years of funding from City Bridge Foundation – London’s biggest independent charity funder – for a project to provide peer support for London-based women and families affected by postpartum psychosis (PP).

The new funding will help APP build a PP peer support community and is for anyone living in London affected by PP - whether newly recovering or with experience of PP many years ago. The project will reduce isolation, break through stigma, and provide empathy and hope. APP groups are social, supportive, warm and fun, with a wellbeing focus. Members of the community can train as volunteers as they recover and develop new skills. 

Tragically, suicide is the leading cause of maternal death in the 12 months after having a baby. PP is the most severe form of postnatal mental illness affecting 1 to 2 in every 1000 new mums. With the right help, people recover, but the journey to full recovery can be hard. There is much work to do to raise awareness, ensure swift diagnosis, enable families to access specialist treatment and tailored peer support to help women and families feel less alone.

The City Bridge Foundation funding will provide several opportunities for us to improve support to families.

A photo of an APP peer support cafe group, with four women sitting around a table of soft and hot drinks smiling to camera

We will be recruiting an additional peer support worker to cover the London area, ensuring that more women and families have access to this powerful form of support. This will include a regular London PP community café group and one-to-one peer support.

We will also be given additional funds to focus on targeted awareness raising in the London area, connect with London Mother and Baby Units (MBUs), and to run creative workshops.

Ellie Ware, APP National Peer Support Coordinator said:

“We are so thrilled to receive this grant. This will help us to reach more families in London affected by postpartum psychosis (PP), and to offer more peer support than we currently offer. This will include running a monthly in person peer support café group. We know our peer support is life changing for women and families, and that it massively helps with the isolation, grief, and stigma people experience when they have had PP”.

To find out more about the London Peer Support Worker role, please click here.

If you have been affected by postpartum psychosis and you live in the London area, please join the APP network for updates here.

If you have been affected by suicide relating to postpartum psychosis, you can find out about our new bereavement support group here.

If you are from an MBU or Perinatal Team in the London area, please sign up for our MBU newsletter here

About City Bridge Foundation 

City Bridge Foundation is a world-class bridge owner responsible for five Thames crossings – including the iconic Tower Bridge – and London’s biggest independent charity funder. 

It awards over £30 million a year in grants to charitable organisations across London and has made a further £200 million available over the five years to 2026 to support the capital’s charity sector. 

City Bridge Foundation has been bridging London and connecting communities for over 900 years. Its sole trustee is the City of London Corporation – the governing body for the Square Mile. 

www.citybridgefoundation.org.uk





Jenni’s story: Having my baby by my side is something I’ll always be grateful for

Being able to wake up every morning with my baby daughter by my side was amazing. As sick as I was, I really held onto that and it definitely helped me in my recovery. Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) are so important for that reason. We were a long way from home, and it was devastating being sectioned, but having Isla with me throughout is something I’ll always be grateful for.

Jenni Semple at family at Disneyland, standing in front of the magical castle

Being a first time mum who was lucky enough to have an uncomplicated, happy pregnancy, I really wasn’t prepared for what followed.

The birth itself was really traumatic, resulting in a forceps delivery. But after that, I was strangely elated. I knew I would probably feel really happy because I’d just given birth to our beautiful baby girl. But, in hindsight, this was a whole different level of happiness. I couldn’t switch off. And I couldn’t sleep either.

I went home from hospital within a couple of days of giving birth and one of the first things I remember is that taking my pain relief was problematic. I couldn’t remember how to do it, and I kept writing down different dates, times and doses, but I still had no idea if I was taking too much or too little and it really scared me. On top of that, I was hit with a fear that they were going to take Isla away from me. My midwife would visit and spend several hours trying to reassure me, but no matter what she said, she couldn’t put my mind at rest.

Then I started worrying about more things and no matter what anyone said, I couldn’t stop obsessing. For example, I was convinced I was feeding Isla incorrectly and went as far as to hire a private lactation consultant. But even when she reassured me that I was doing OK, I just didn’t believe her.

I had a sense that something wasn’t right, and, because I also hadn’t slept, I wondered if I had some kind of baby blues or something. But when my mother in law came to visit and voiced her concerns, I got really angry and told her to leave. Still, I went to see the doctor with my husband genuinely believing they’d be able to give me a tablet, send me home and all would be well.

When I got there, however, I was completely unable to communicate with my GP. I couldn’t understand what she was saying, it all sounded muddled and scary. She immediately diagnosed me with PP and contacted the perinatal mental health team.

We waited in a separate consultation room but the perinatal team didn’t call back so we were sent home. It was a Tuesday, and that night was the worst. That night was when the hallucinations, the voices, started. And it felt like it went on for hours.

By Wednesday morning my husband chased the GP who chased the mental health team and a psychiatrist came to the house with a nurse and another doctor. I was immediately sectioned.

Just before they came, my behaviour became really scary for my husband. I was trying to kill myself. I remember my husband trying to hold me back from going out of the door. And when I look back on this I just feel overwhelmed with guilt that while all of this was happening, I simply wasn’t looking after Isla.

So that night I was taken by ambulance to Bournemouth MBU where I spent three weeks as an inpatient. It was an equally harrowing and scary experience because my illness convinced me that I was in prison and that I was never getting out.

At the same time, as it was early in 2020, the pandemic was just happening. So that all added to my paranoia – particularly around the belief that I wasn’t really in a hospital and it was all a set up.

Looking back though, during my three weeks in the MBU, the staff really were amazing. Not only did it mean I could recover with Isla by my side, but there were lots of activities to take part in – cooking, gardening, etc. And I bonded quite well with the other patients. It was a tough time, however, because the MBU was so far from home. We lived in Oxford at the time and our nearest MBU would have been Winchester but they didn’t have any beds so I ended up in Bournemouth. My husband literally drove 4,000 miles in three weeks in order to visit us!

After three weeks they decided I could go home, but the day I got released was the day we went into full lockdown - which did my paranoia no good! I was still very peculiar for a few weeks - I couldn’t listen to the radio or focus on the telly for a while. And I had to stay on medication.

Everything was kind of OK for a few weeks, and then depression hit. It took a really long time to come out the other end of the depression but I got there eventually.

Now, we’ve moved back to Norfolk to be near my family. I’ve changed jobs too and we’ve just got a puppy – so family life is really good.

I also have really good peer support through APP.

Jocelyn has been amazing – if ever I have a dip, she’s right there. She helped me through the acute phase but it’s so nice to know that there’s somebody else who has been through what I have who is always available to chat. Being able to share what you’ve been through with someone who just gets it is so important. I would encourage anyone going through PP to reach out for peer support.

 

Natalie’s story: When I joined an APP café group it was so reassuring to know I wasn’t alone

 Nobody in my family had heard of postpartum psychosis before, and even some of the doctors who were first treating me didn’t know what it was. But getting admitted to an MBU and finding the APP peer support community has been an amazing help.

It was 2019 when I had my first baby. Our son was born after a relatively straightforward pregnancy and a really good birth. I’d taken a hypno-birthing course, practiced relaxations and visualisations, and, on the day itself, I enjoyed a very quick labour with no need for pain intervention. I felt so lucky and it’s a nice moment to look back on because, not long after leaving hospital, things went downhill very quickly indeed.

As a first-time mum I was really anxious.

You don’t get handed a manual and every child is different, so I was always worrying about whether or not I was doing things right. I also felt as though I got a lot of mixed messages from the different midwives and health visitors, so I found everything confusing.

I started writing lots of lists and obsessing over things like the number of dirty nappies he should have, and I struggled with breastfeeding too. Add to that a total lack of sleep (I think I must have got around eight hours in total during the first week at home after birth) and not eating well and my anxiety was through the roof.

The problem is, when you’re a first-time parent, you expect big changes, so we didn’t know if all this was normal or not. However, after being at home for a week there was a turning point when things got really bad.

I remember getting a shower and hearing my baby crying. I told my husband but, in reality, we knew that I couldn’t really hear him crying because he was too far away. I think that might have been my first hallucination.

After that, my moods became really up and down.

I had low mood and tears one minute, the next I’d be normal, and the next I’d be really high, hyper and giggly. It became really obvious to my husband that something was wrong, but he had no idea what it could be.

During an evening meal, around a week after the birth of my son, I was holding my baby and could see him turning blue and choking before my eyes. I was hysterical, I truly believed my baby boy was dying in my arms. Of course, he wasn’t turning blue or choking – this was another hallucination.

Soon after the hallucination that my son was dying in my arms, we went to my mother-in-law’s for a night. On the way to her house all I could hear was the baby crying, it was so distressing. Talking to my husband more recently, he told me I was deadly silent during the journey. Once we were at my mother in law’s I actually slept really well. But the next morning things got worse. I was convinced my baby had died – and that the baby I was holding was somebody else’s.

My husband talked me into going to A&E – saying we should get our son checked over. In reality, he wanted to get me seen by a doctor as he knew that I was the one who was unwell.

During that first visit to A&E I was really delusional and paranoid. I was admitted to hospital that night – to a geriatric ward (which was really inappropriate) – but I was so desperate to go home I did everything I could to convince them there was nothing wrong with me, that it was just a case of sleep deprivation. My husband said I was quite convincing at that point and I think that’s why, after being transferred to an MBU the following day, my initial admission was so short. I was there for three and a half weeks. Of course, when I went home, having convinced everyone I was well and stable, things gradually worsened.

My confidence was shot and I was full of anxiety and kept experiencing dips in mood. I struggled to go anywhere alone and became paranoid about bad things happening to my baby, so I found it really difficult to do things like taking him swimming. The intrusive thoughts were just awful.

Around this time I started going to baby groups and meeting up with other mums and family friends. I also had support in the community from the perinatal service and we eventually tapered me off my meds. Unfortunately, it was all too soon and then Covid hit – which was also a big trigger for me.

So, nine months after having my baby, I was admitted to an MBU once again. And, once again, I tried to convince them I was well and after a few short weeks I was actually discharged for a week, but I ended up being re-admitted.

By this point I think I became resigned to the fact that I was ill, and I was no longer able to convince everyone otherwise. I started engaging with the activities and therapies in the MBU – baking, painting my nails, having psychotherapy. I was also finally on the right medication.

When I came out of the MBU after the third admission, I was much more confident. I was happier to do things with my son, happier to socialise. I went back to work which was really difficult, but since then I changed jobs and my new team and management have been so supportive.

I have now been diagnosed with bipolar which would account for the first relapse when my son was nine months old, but I’ve had my daughter since and we had no problems or relapses, so, with the right help, things can be managed.

The experience of PP, although horrible and traumatic, has also given me some positives. I think I feel more confident and able to stand up for myself these days. I know I don’t want to become unwell again so I am much more able to identify when I need to practice some self-care.

Now, things are really good for us. My husband and I have been doing lots of fundraisers for APP which have been great fun to do, and we have also joined the charity’s peer support community. I attend café groups and it’s made such a difference. Meeting people who have had what you have – especially when you’d never previously heard of it – is so powerful. My husband also goes to the partner peer support groups and my mother-in-law is also involved in APP’s peer support. We also take an annual trip to Bournemouth MBU around my son’s birthday which is such a positive thing for us, the staff love seeing us and we look forward to the trip every year.

If anyone reading this is going through PP or in the early stages of recovery my advice would be to listen to the professionals and accept all the help you can. I truly believe I would have recovered a lot sooner if I was able to accept that I was unwell. I’d also say do everything you possibly can to get as much sleep as you can, whether that’s asking the MBU staff to have the baby overnight or asking a family member to help so you can get a cat nap during the day. But perhaps most importantly, I’d like them to know that, although it’s a really tough time, you should never blame yourself. It’s not your fault and there’s nothing you did wrong.

And you can recover – I am proof of that.

Your donation, doubled!

This World Mental Health Day, 10th October 2024, we're on a mission to support even more women and families affected by postpartum psychosis, and we'd love you to help us. Between midday on 10th October and midday on 17th October, we're aiming to raise £5,000.

Donate now through our Big Give Women & Girls campaign page, and your donation will be doubled, at no additional cost to you, thanks to match funding from the Big Give.

Every donation we receive 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.

Our target of £5,000 could help us significantly increase our offer of help and support for families affected by postpartum psychosis (PP) - a treatable medical emergency that affects around 1400 women in the UK each year.

collage of pictures of women we have supported

Being diagnosed with a severe mental illness like PP is frightening and shocking for the woman and those around her. With the right treatment, nearly all women make a full recovery, but the journey can be long, have ups and downs and can feel very isolating. APP peer supporters are there for everyone affected by PP, whether the experience was recent or many years ago. By donating today, you can help us be there for everyone who needs us, for as long as they need us.

Will you donate today and get your donation doubled?

The peer support programme has helped me immensely. I regularly email a peer supporter and we share a lot about our own experiences.
Knowing that someone further along on their PP journey is there with advice and support has been a real help for my recovery.

purple and black Big Give logo
Help us be there for even more women and families.
Donate now through our Big Give Women & Girls Campaign and your donation will be doubled, at no additional cost to you.
Thank you for your support.

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.

 

Georgina’s story: I experienced postpartum psychosis while still in labour

At some point, I lost touch with reality and didn’t know what was real and what wasn’t. I was hallucinating and delusional, and I genuinely started to believe during labour that I could speak to the dead and that I too would die after the birth of my son.

I was diagnosed with postpartum psychosis. The tricky thing for me however, was that my psychosis began during labour, which is really unusual. I started acting really out of character – I got aggressive towards the nurses, shouting at the top of my voice. I developed really strong hallucinations and delusions. I genuinely thought my dead family members were in the room with me and that after I’d delivered my son, I’d die too.

Because I was so psychotic, my body just couldn’t proceed with what it was naturally trying to do – after two failed epidurals it was like my thoughts completely hijacked the process, stopping my progress in labour. Unfortunately, this stress caused our son’s heart rate to drop, which led to me being rushed to theatre for an emergency C-section.

Thankfully, Albie, our son, safely arrived. But whilst I was in recovery my psychosis continued to grow. I started to believe that if I slept, I’d die.

My delusion was so strong that I discharged myself from the hospital on the day I had my C-section because I strongly believed I wanted to go home to die. I felt no pain – I was able to stand, I even thought I could run.

After I left hospital, my parents and husband knew straight away that something wasn’t quite right. I kept saying to them, ‘if I sleep tonight, I’m going to die. You want me to sleep, so you must want me to die.’

Luckily my sister-in-law is a mental health nurse who deals with a lot of maternal mental health, so she was called to come and see me. She could tell straight away that I had postpartum psychosis – she said I had the ‘psychotic stare’, where my pupils were so large my eyes looked black. She told my husband to take me to a mental health centre for assessment.

When I arrived at the centre, I believed I was there to be locked up, and I thought my son was going to be taken away from me. I was so desperate to avoid this, I wrestled my husband to leave – and because I’d had a C-section the day before, they chose to let me leave to avoid causing any further damage to my incision. On the journey home I also attempted to take my own life by jumping out of the moving car on a dual carriageway. Luckily my husband contained me, and pulled over safely or else it could have been a very different situation.

Instead, psychiatrists and doctors were sent to my home to assess me. That’s when it became clear that I had postpartum psychosis. By that time I’d still not slept for five days, I’d lost all ability to speak and became very baby-like. I was quiet and could only write things down – it was probably one of the worst days in my life. I wanted to die. It was rock bottom for me.

It was at that point that my husband had to sign the paperwork that would allow me to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act. It was a really hard time for him too.

Postpartum psychosis doesn’t just affect you – it affects the people around you. For my parents to have to see me in a psychotic state – that’s not something any parent should see. And my husband… he was so great, but he went through so much, too. During what should have been a really special time for a new family, he actually had to sign me and our newborn over to social services.

Road to recovery

I was admitted to a mother and baby unit in a psychiatric ward, where I received treatment.

When I arrived, I was sedated and slept for 24 hours – the first time I’d slept in seven days. I began anti-psychotic medication, and slowly started coming out of the psychosis.

The nurses were excellent. And what’s so important about mother and baby units is that they take care of you, so you can look after your baby. They also believe in keeping mothers with their baby through recovery to help with the maternal bond. I was able to get the sleep and medication I needed, so I could care for Albie. During the nights, they looked after him so I could sleep – which is such a crucial part to recovery.

Within a few weeks I was able to care for Albie with less supervision; I was so grateful that my maternal instinct was still there. Despite the psychosis I still wanted to be that new mum, bonding with my baby.

I had my section lifted within three weeks.

Transitioning back to work

I’d never suffered with my mental health before, so it’s been quite an eye-opening experience and I’m still recovering. Over the past 18 months I’ve been receiving support, including therapy and medication. I’ve also found it really helpful to connect with people who have been through this before. And I’m getting lots of support from my friends, family and professional support.

My employer has been amazing too; they’ve been so good to me as I transition back to work. My manager and I have weekly check-ins and there’s been no pressure or judgment – she’s been hugely supportive and flexible to get me back into a good place during my recovery and returning to work. If I didn’t have this support, I don’t think I’d have been able to get back here.

Sharing my story and raising awareness has become so important to me. I don’t want other people who are going through this to feel alone, which is why I want to get the word out on postpartum psychosis.

 

Empowering change

It’s really important to me to use my own experience to help others. That’s why, after my experience of discharging myself on the day of my C-section, I’ve successfully lobbied for the introduction of mandatory mental health assessments of new mums before discharge from hospital following childbirth. This means mums are now screened for maternal mental health issues, including postpartum psychosis, before they can leave the hospital.

 

WITCHES, a new documentary by Elizabeth Sankey exploring perinatal mental illness

WITCHES, a powerful new documentary film by Elizabeth Sankey, examines the relationship between cinematic portrayals of witches and how we view women, motherhood, and mental health. It shows historical footage across film, television, and culture alongside personal stories.

We’re delighted that members of our community  were interviewed for the project and have their postpartum psychosis stories featured in the film, including APP trustee Catherine Cho and Dr Krystal Wilkinson. Documentary contributors also include Sophia Di Martino, David Emson, Dr. Trudi Seneviratne, Professor Marion Gibson and Shema Tariq.

Catherine Cho says: “I was asked to participate in the film as an interviewee, and I remember being struck by Elizabeth’s passion and dedication to bringing this project to life. Watching the film, I was struck by the parallels in history. Some of the most moving elements in the documentary are listening to the historical testimony of women who were found to be guilty of being a ‘witch’ or a vessel to the devil and realising that their experiences are what we would now know to be mental illness.

“The documentary weaves together Elizabeth’s perspective, her journey from being sectioned to trying to make sense of her experience, her love of cinema, and the stories of others with shared experiences of postpartum mental illness.

“There is a moment towards the end of the documentary where Elizabeth walks hand in hand with her son, and it brought me to tears, that in walking through darkness, through horrors, through a haunted place, we can emerge.

“It is not only a beautiful film, it is an important one, a shared testimony.”

Screenings take place over the next few months in London and Manchester. For further details and updates, check your local cinema listings.

LONDON

Tuesday 15 October 2024 20:30 BFI Southbank

Thursday 17 October 2024 18:00 Prince Charles Cinema

Sunday 20 October 2024 20:45 BFI Southbank

Book tickets here: https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=witches-lff24&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id= 

MANCHESTER

Friday 1 November 18:00 at Home Manchester

This includes a Q&A with writer-director Elizabeth Sankey, chaired by David Cox, Channel Editor at Film4 and co-curator of FilmFear.

Book tickets here: 

https://homemcr.org/film/witches/?utm_source=manchestertheatres 

💜 A note on the film content for our lived experience community:
Some of our team and volunteers have viewed the film and shared that certain scenes may be challenging or upsetting, depending on where you are in your postpartum psychosis journey. Please take care and decide whether it's the right time for you to watch.

If you'd like to find out more about the themes before watching WITCHES, please get in touch with us:

📧 Email: app@app-network.org

Sam & Adam share their story

Adam wearing his purple APP t-shirtThis Sunday, dad of two Adam is taking on an epic challenge - the Suffolk Whole Hog muddy obstacle course - made up of 30 obstacles round a very muddy five mile course.

Adam has chosen to do this to raise funds for and awareness of APP because his wife Sam was diagnosed with PP after the birth of their first son back in 2017.

Here, Sam shares her experience of her illness in her own words:

'I quickly became severely unwell, experiencing hallucinations, paranoia and terrifying intrusive thoughts. Just 15 days after giving birth I was sectioned under the mental health act and alongside my newborn I was placed in a Mother and Baby Unit 65 miles away from our home.  During this time I was looked after by some amazing people and now have a rainbow tattoo on my ankle in honour of the people that saved me.

At the MBU I finally felt safe. Although still so unwell I was slowly able to recover with the help of some wonderful people who I will never forget.

Sam and her sonI have since gone on to have our second son in 2020, thankfully with no repercussions. To anyone who is experiencing PP please believe you will get there. You may be a different version of yourself from before but that's OK. Put your trust in those that are helping you get better and allow yourself time. It is a traumatic experience that will never leave you but it doesn't have to define you.'

Thank you Sam for sharing your story with us, and thank you Adam for taking on the Whole Hog challenge for APP.  We're looking forward to seeing the photos!

If you'd like to support Adam's fundraising, you can visit his JustGiving page here.

Chris kicks off a new season of awareness raising

Chris and his dad inside the stadiumAPP super supporter Chris is back for another season of raising awareness of APP through attending football matches across the UK.

Since 2023, Chris has been going to football matches at grounds around and closest to the 22 Mother and Baby Units (MBUs) in the UK. He has a specially made purple APP football shirt that he wears for every match and does his best to get a mention in the matchday programme each time.

This season he's kicked off with a match at Crystal Palace FC. Chris reports back for us here:

'Match #6 complete! Football season is officially back! 
On Saturday 14th September 2024 I attended my 6th match of my football awareness tour with my dad Gary!  We went to see Crystal Palace draw 2-2 at home against Leicester at Selhurst Park. 
After a disappointing first half, The Eagles recovered from two nil down to secure a draw. The exciting second half and passionate home crowd, celebrating 100 years at Selhurst Park, made for a brilliant experience! 
I have to say a special thank you to my fellow PP dad who helped get us these tickets. I am so so grateful! This was a surprise fixture at this stage of my awareness tour, and a day neither my dad or I will forget. 
Despite very high demand I was able to get an entry about my challenge, postpartum psychosis and the MBUs in the match day programme!
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to visit the local South London and Maudsley MBU in person on this occasion. But I did manage to speak to the Ward Manager and another member of staff before my trip, to thank them for all the amazing work they do.'

UPDATE 26th October 2024

Chris's latest trip was to Bolton last weekend, another successful day - he's reported back on it for us here:

Chris in his purple APP football top outside Bolton Wanderers Stadium'Match #7 complete!

 

Yesterday, Saturday 26th October 2024, I attended my 7th match of my football awareness tour with my good friend Ross.  We went to see Bolton beat Peterborough 1-0 at home thanks to a dramatic stoppage time winner.

 

I have to be honest and say we were hoping for a goal fest given the two clubs form, but it was certainly an entertaining finish!

 

Bolton put an amazing entry in their matchday programme about my challenge, postpartum psychosis and the MBUs. It was lovely!

 

Technically I have already attended a football match close to the Chorley Ribblemere MBU, seeing Accrington Stanley last October (2023), and also visiting the MBU in person this March (2024).

 

But Bolton is less than 10 miles away from the MBU. And I know Ross has been eagerly waiting to join in on this tour and help me in raising awareness for this cause. So it was a great day out!

 

Before the game we were lucky enough to meet up with Kieran Anders from Dad Matters.  It was great to be able to meet Kieran in person, fresh with a new trim having just chopped off his hair for The Little Princess Trust and Home-Start HOST!

 

In a rare turn of events for this awareness tour, the home team won! So Kieran said I am welcome to come back again!'


UPDATE 12th November 2024

Next stop on Chris's tour took him to Derby:

Chris standing pitchside with members of the Derby team.'On Saturday 9th November 2024 I attended my 8th match of my football awareness tour with my good friend Ed!

We went to see Derby draw 1-1 against Plymouth Argyle at home at Pride Park.

The highlights of the game had to be the opening goal, a bicycle kick from Derby, and an outrageous Derby strike from the halfway line that the Plymouth goalie just clawed away.

On this occasion I wasn't able to get an entry in the matchday programme...it appears Derby don't do public notifications in their programmes... But I do have to say a massive thank you to the club! They were really interested in our experience and my awareness tour, and arranged for us to have pitch side photographs with five Derby players before the match.

I knew that we were going to have pre-match photographs, but I didn't know that we would be walking down the tunnel and having the photographs with the players! So, this was another incredible and unexpected experience on this journey!

The Pride Park stadium is less than 5 miles from the Beeches MBU. And we actually got to visit this MBU on this trip. It was really nice to be able to meet the wonderful Jo and Becky and other members of staff at the Beeches MBU on this trip, to talk about our experience and the important work they do and to see how another MBU differs.  And it is really promising to hear that there is work being done for, and more consideration being given to, our experiences as partners as well.'


UPDATE 8th January 2025

For his first match of the new year, Chris headed to Watford on the 4th January.

Chris and his dad standing outside Vicarage Road Stadium

'I have been to my 9th match of my tour today with my dad Gary. We went to see Watford lose 2-1 against promotion chasing Sheffield United at home at Vicarage Road. 
The match marked the eighth anniversary of club legend Graham Taylor's passing with the 'Graham Taylor Matchday'.
I have to say this was the coldest match I have been to on this challenge so far! It was very cold! 
And I really do seem to be a curse to the home teams!
Watford put a really nice entry in their matchday programme about my challenge, Postpartum Psychosis and the MBUs. They even included my Instagram account in the entry to help spread awareness.
I did call the local Hertfordshire Thumbswood MBU before my trip, but unfortunately didn't get to visit in person on this occasion. '

 You can follow Chris's awareness raising adventures via his Instagram here.

If you're a dad or co-parent that would like to meet and talk with others whose partners have experienced PP, join our virtual Dads and Co-parents peer support social / cafe group - 8-9pm, every 3rd Wednesday of the month.  Zoom joining link: bit.ly/PARTNERMEET. Or, email Simon: simon@app-network.org