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 with at least one child under the age of seven.
Visit the Home-Start Blackburn with Darwen website
Email hello@home-start-bnd.org.uk
Call 01254 692613
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
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
Extra support
You should speak to a healthcare professional if you continue to struggle with:
- low mood
- lack of motivation
- anxiety which is making it difficult to cope with day to day tasks
A healthcare professional can be a:
- midwive
- health visitor
- GP
You can ask to be referred to services such as:
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.