Mental health support during pregnancy or after birth
As many as one in five women develop a mental illness during pregnancy or in the first year after birth. If you're struggling with your mental health, the NHS recommends that you talk about your feelings to a friend, family member, doctor or midwife.
If you need some additional support, one of the organisations or services listed below may be able to help.
Midwifery services and antenatal clinics
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: You can book an appointment with your GP or directly with your midwife as soon as you find out you're pregnant. Your GP surgery or a children's centre can put you in touch with your nearest midwifery service.
Type of support: Most care will take place in the community, or at a health centre or community clinic. Consultant-led clinics at St Michael's Hospital in Bristol are held five days a week. Some specialist clinics are offered for young women, and those with substance misuse issues and/or medical disorders.
Infant feeding specialist midwives are also available, e.g. the tongue tie division service via referral from midwives, health visitors, and GPs for babies up to 12 weeks old.
Length of intervention: From 6 weeks pregnant throughout pregnancy, until 2 weeks after birth.
Referral process: GP referral.
Visit the St Michael's Hospital site.
Find out more about midwife appointments on the NHS website.
Health visiting service
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Health visitors work with families with children aged 0-5 years. Every family with a preschool child (aged 0-5 years) is allocated to a health visiting team via a GP.
Type of support: Health visitors work in partnership with a variety of health professionals who may have contact with a child. Health visitors can refer babies and children to:
- Paediatricians (community doctors)
- Speech and Language Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Orthoptist (eyes)
- Audiology (hearing)
- Child Psychiatrists
- Children’s Learning Disability Team
- Children’s Centre Family Support workers.
All health visitor teams run local drop-in sessions for children aged under 5 years at baby hubs. Baby hubs operate across the South Gloucestershire area. Baby hubs are being rolled out across the Bristol area in 2022-23.
Length of intervention: Work with children aged 0-5 years.
- Health visitors will contact mothers/parents after 28 weeks of pregnancy to offer them an antenatal contact. Health visitors will contact mothers/parents once their baby is 11-14 days old to review any family health plans and again when their baby is 6-8 weeks old.
- Health visiting contact is then:
- When child is aged 9-12 months.
- When child is 2-2.5 years. A member of a health visiting team may meet mothers/parents more often if they need extra support.
Referral process: Midwives refer all babies to a health visitor. GPs can also refer to a health visitor. Health visitors can refer to GPs, hospital doctors, and/or specialist nurses at the Bristol Children’s Hospital, and to social care.
St Michael’s Hospital maternal mental health team
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Pregnant patients with mental health difficulties.
Type of support: The maternal mental health team offer a range of support.
- Advice and guidance is provided to community midwives to ensure that their patients can access the right support for their mental health needs.
- An appointment at the Wellbeing Antenatal Clinic, to be seen by a specialist midwife and/or an obstetrician to explore specific needs during pregnancy and birth which may be related to historic or current mental health needs.
- 1:1 enhanced birth planning.
- 'Antenatal Wellbeing in Pregnancy' group for anxiety and depression.
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for pregnant patients who cannot access this from Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) or specialist services.
Referral process: Referral via community midwife if patient has booked into St Michael’s Hospital or Weston General Hospital.
Birth trauma reflection service
Geographic area: Offered by University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, who manage Bristol Royal Infirmary, St Michael's Hospital, and Weston General Hospital.
Referral criteria: You can request an appointment when your baby is 6 weeks old. The wellbeing midwife contacts the patient via telephone within two weeks to screen them and see whether they are suitable for the birth trauma service that is offered.
Type of support: Birth reflection is a confidential service run by specialist wellbeing midwives that offers the opportunity to talk about their birth experience and to share feelings and reflect on traumatic births.
Length of intervention: The birth trauma reflection service can see patients from between 6 weeks post-birth up until two years after a baby is born. You will be offered a telephone or face-to-face appointment lasting 60 minutes.
Referral process: GP, community midwife or health visitor referral.
Southmead Hospital maternal mental health team
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Pregnant patients with mental health difficulties.
Type of support:
- Emotional wellbeing support for pregnant women.
- Support and care planning for women experiencing perinatal anxiety /depression.
- Support for Tokophobia (fear of childbirth).
- Trauma therapy for birth trauma using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) courses and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR).
- 1:1 hospital tours.
- Supporting families who have experienced baby loss.
- Some capacity to offer support /therapy to fathers who have experienced birth trauma.
Referral process: Community midwife referral if birth has been booked into Southmead Hospital. Community midwife will continue to provide routine antenatal care.
Find out more about Southmead Hospital on the North Bristol Trust website.
Specialist community perinatal mental health service
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Women with previous mental health difficulties who want to plan their pregnancy.
- Women with a significant family history of certain mental health illnesses such as bipolar, severe anxiety, psychosis, postpartum psychosis, OCD and eating disorders.
- Women being cared for by secondary mental health services (the perinatal team usually works alongside them).
- Professionals supporting mum during pregnancy or following birth may feel extra mental health support/assessment is needed.
Type of support: The service works in conjunction with specialist perinatal staff at the maternity hospitals.
Length of intervention: Works with women between 12 week’s gestation and 9 months postnatal (but the service will accept from pre-pregnancy to 12 months postnatally), and triage on an individual need basis.
Referral process: Referral by GP, midwife, health visitor, and/or secondary mental health service.
Perinatal Infant Mental Health service (PIMH)
Geographic area: Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Parents with a serious mental health issue such as bipolar, schizophrenia, post-partum psychosis, depression, anxiety disorders, and OCD.
Type of support: PIMH specialists work with children aged up to 4 years and their mother/parent.
PIMH specialists offer services to support young children, their families, and carers from pregnancy up to the age they start primary school.
In partnership with other professionals, including children’s centres, health visitors and social care providers, PIMH specialists focus on supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of young children. PIMH specialists work directly within CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) clinics with children and families.
Referral process: Referral via GP and health visitor.
Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP)
Geographic area: Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Swindon and Wiltshire, and Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: AWP provides healthcare for people with serious mental illness, learning disabilities and autism in inpatient and community-based settings.
Type of support: Adult mental health service. AWP treats people with a wide range of severe mental health problems, including:
- severe anxiety
- severe depression
- obsessive compulsive disorders
- phobias
- borderline personality disorder
- schizophrenia
- psychosis
Through its partnerships, AWP also provides specialist care and treatment for people with more specific needs, including:
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) for children and young people requiring community services, and children and young people requiring inpatient treatment from across the South West region.
- Drug and alcohol services for people who have a drug or alcohol dependency and who may need inpatient treatment or community-based care.
- Eating disorder care for people who have an eating disorder and may require specialist inpatient or community-based treatment.
- Perinatal services for women who have mental health needs during pregnancy and childbirth.
- Specialist services for people with learning disabilities, deaf people with mental health needs, and people with a mental health disorder who pose a risk to others.
- Veteran's mental health and wellbeing.
Referral process: GP referral.
Horizon Mother and Baby Unit (AWP)
Geographic area: South West region.
Referral criteria: Women with existing mental health problems or those developed during pregnancy or postnatal. The Service is aimed at those with severe mental health problems: bipolar, schizophrenia, postpartum psychosis, depression, anxiety disorders, OCD.
Type of support: Inpatient unit with specialist psychiatric and psychological support for maternal mental health.
This service offers advice and liaison to professionals working with women in other settings in the perinatal period, which covers the time from conception to the infant’s first year.
Length of intervention: Up to 8 weeks.
Referral process: Via a GP or health care professional. Patients can be referred from 32 weeks of pregnancy. Includes emergency admission.
Find out more about the Horizon Mother and Baby Unit on the AWP website.
Antenatal Rockabye
Geographic area: Bristol.
Referral criteria: Pregnant women with anxiety and depression during pregnancy.
Type of support: Antenatal Rockabye is a small 6-week group which gives pregnant women the chance to reflect on their hopes and fears about becoming a parent.
Relaxation exercises and creative activities offered to help connect with pregnancy and the baby.
Length of intervention: Pregnant women can attend the group for up to 6 weeks.
Referral process: Midwife referral.
Visit the Antenatal Rockabye website.
Mothers for Mothers (M4M)
Geographic area: M4M groups are based in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Parents with anxiety and depression of children aged up to one year, mild to moderate depression not including severe mental health difficulties.
Type of support: Peer support group set up by mothers who have experienced depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after birth.
- Service signposting to other services.
- Telephone helpline for mothers with postnatal illness. Online support.
Referral process: Self-referral, referral via family/friends, or via health professionals.
Visit the Mothers for Mothers website.
NHS Talking Therapies
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Eligibility: people aged 16+ years and are registered with a GP.
Type of support: Short-term, evidence-based psychological therapy for common mental health problems: anxiety and depression. Delivered either online, via phone, video or face to face. This service is delivered by Vita Health Group on behalf of the NHS.
Referral process: Self-referral via website or phone, or GP/health professional referral. Women and birthing people within the perinatal period (up to 2 years after birth) are prioritised to ensure shorter waiting times for treatment.
Visit the NHS Talking Therapies website for Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Nilaari
Geographic area: Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Eligibility: adult Black and Minority Ethnic communities.
Type of support: Adult mental health support. Social care support and talking therapies.
Referral process: Self-referral.
Home Start Bristol
Geographic area: Bristol and South Gloucestershire.
Referral criteria: Families with children aged under 5 years, where parent has a mental health issue.
Type of support: Weekly family support provided by trained volunteers, 2 to 3 hours per week (parent-to-parent support).
Referral process: Self referral or referral via a health visitor or care professional such as a GP.
Visit the Home Start Bristol website.
Home Start North Somerset
Geographic area: North Somerset
Referral criteria: Mums with a child under the age of 1 who are experiencing isolation, stress, low mood, depression or anxiety.
Type of support: Peer support group.
Referral process: Self referral or referral via a health visitor/care professional.
Visit the Home Start North Somerset website.
Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership (MVNP)
Geographic area: Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire.
Type of support: Working group of mothers/parents and health professionals whose aim it is to get feedback from local maternity services.
Black Mothers Matter
Geographic area: Bristol.
Referral criteria: Self-referral.
Type of support: Provides antenatal and postnatal support and information to Black women, including up to one year after the birth of a child.
