Becoming a new parent is a wonderful but challenging experience. It can be a time of great joy, but it can also be a time of great stress and anxiety. It's important to remember that it's normal to feel a range of emotions during this time, and that you're not alone.
It’s just as important to take care of your mental health as it is to look after our physical health. If your mental health is good it means you can think, feel and react in the ways you need to in order to cope with day to day life. Sometimes you may think, feel and react in ways that make it hard to cope. Everyone feels stressed, anxious, emotional or overwhelmed at times, but it’s important to make sure that sometimes doesn’t become all of the time.
Here are some tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing:
- Take care of yourself: Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly. Taking care of your physical health will help to improve your mental health.
- Set realistic expectations: Don't expect to be perfect, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just do your best and be patient with yourself.
- Take some time for yourself: It's important to take some time for yourself each day, even if it's just for a few minutes. Do something that you enjoy and that helps you to relax.
- Practice self-care: Self-care is important for everyone, but it's especially important for people with mental health challenges. Make sure you're taking care of your physical and mental health.
- Find a support system: Having a support system of people who can understand what you're going through can be very helpful. This could include your partner, family, friends, or a support group. Use our session finder to find group sessions available
- Talk to someone: It's important to talk to someone about how you're feeling. This could be a friend, family member, therapist, or a trusted person. Talking about your feelings can help you to process them and feel better.
Local support for Mum and Dad
Home-Start perinatal mental health peer support
Volunteers provide emotional and practical support and friendship to families who are pregnant or have children under the age of five.
Visit the Home-Start Blackburn with Darwen website
Email hello@home-start-bnd.org.uk
Call 01254 692613
Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PaIRS)
The first two years with your new baby can be an exciting time, but it can also be confusing and not what you were expecting.
The PaIRS service provides support for families with children from late pregnancy until the child's second birthday.
Talking Therapies
Brief one to one therapies for parents experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression.
If you are in the perinatal period (pregancy up until a child is 2 years old) you will be offered a sooner appointment.
Visit the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust website
Call 01254 226037
Lancashire Women - family wellbeing service
One to one support for families who may be struggling with their mental health during the perinatal period (pregnancy up until a child is 2 years old).
Visit the Lancashire Women website
Email talktous@lancashirewomen.org
Call 0300 330 1354
Blackburn with Darwen Parent and Infant Relationship Service (PaIRS)
The first two years with your new baby can be an exciting time, but it can also be confusing and not what you were expecting. This support service can help you.
Visit the PaIRS webpage for more information.
Dad Matters
Support for dads to have the best possible relationship with their families.
One to one peer support to dads
Signposting and support to access services and information to help make sense of being a dad
Supporting dads with anxiety, stress and mental health awareness
Visit the Dad Matters website
Together After Loss - Lancashire Mind
Emotional support for anyone who has experienced miscarriage and baby loss, with free one-to-one therapy and peer support.
Visit the Together After Loss website for more information.
Extra support
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Reproductive Trauma Service has been set up to offer support and therapies to those experiencing more moderate to severe mental health symptoms following:
- birth trauma
- a fear of childbirth (tokophobia)
- perinatal loss - including: early miscarriage, recurrent miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal death, termination of pregnancy for any reason, parent infant separation at birth
The Specialist Perinatal Community Mental Health Team provides support to women experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties related to pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood. We also work to minimise the risk of relapse in those women who are currently well but who have a history of severe mental illness.
Severe and complex mental health symptoms
Ribblemere Mother and Baby Unit and is an 8 bed, inpatient facility for mothers with serious mental health problems. They can access support and treatment whilst remaining alongside their babies.
The unit provides care for women experiencing severe mental health problems or those who may be at high risk of becoming mentally unwell in the perinatal period. This includes very serious conditions such as post-partum psychosis.
Ribblemere enables treatment and recovery for mothers while allowing their relationships with their babies to develop.