Today marks the start of the 3rd annual UK Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week! It is spearheaded by The Perinatal Mental Health Partnership and takes place from 29th April until 5th May 2019. This years theme is Mums Matter.
What is it?
A week long campaign dedicated to talking about mental illness while pregnant or after having a baby. The Partnership are dedicated to signposting support for all mums. They focus on advocating for mums affected by Maternal Mental Health, to access the information and help they require to enable recovery.
Who is it organised by ?
In 2014, we, a small group of 10 individuals including women with lived experience , from charities and health care professionals , came together with the dream of creating an awareness campaign for maternal mental health. They formed and created the Perinatal Mental Health Partnership (PMHP) and in 2017 , falling within the week that World Maternal Mental Health Day ran, they launched the first ever UK Maternal Mental Health Matters Awareness Week . The second week ran last year, with the theme ‘Support For All’.
How is it organised?
The week is based on themed days with their unique hashtag.
Monday 29th April – The focus of the first day of the campaign will be ‘What is Perinatal Mental Health’? They will provide an overview of the different strands of perinatal mental illness and will be running interactive Facebook Live sessions so individuals can be involved and ask questions.
Hashtag for the day will be #pmhpwhatispmh
Tuesday 30th April – What does good support look like. Support can be wide ranging from advice and help from health care professionals, medication, therapy and safe peer support to name a few.
Hashtag for the day will be #pmhpsupport
Wednesday 1st May – This is World Maternal Mental Health Day and the Partnership has been liaising with Postpartum Support International. The theme for the day will be ‘The Village’, focusing on how we work together to remove barriers to services so all mums who need services can access them .
Hashtag for the day will be #pmhpthevillage
Thursday 2nd May – The focus will be on recovery- how this can begin and how it can look different for different people. With the message of hope that recovery is possible.
Hashtag for the day will be #pmhprecovery
Friday 3rd May – To end the week, we will be encouraging the creation of a virtual ‘ Positivity Pot’ , publishing and sharing articles and blogs about recovery, looking ahead to the future and self care.
Hashtag for the day will be #pmhppositivitypot
Resources you may find helpful
– Appointment checklist – http://www.thesmilegroup.org/help-from-the-professionals/
– Postpartum Psychosis resources – https://www.app-network.org/what-is-pp/app-guides/
– Postnatal Depression leaflets – https://apni.org/leaflets/
– Perinatal resources – https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/members/your-faculties/perinatal-psychiatry/news-and-resources/building-capacity-in-perinatal-bursary-project (resources for the public)