What’s happening in Northampton for Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week?
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week is a chance to talk openly about emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and early parenthood, and to highlight the specialist support available locally. Mental health is just as important as physical health, and many women and families experience challenges during this time ,support is available, and you are not alone.
During this year's awareness week, NHFT's Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service will be hosting a series of drop in sessions and a Maternal Mental Health Awareness Walk across Northamptonshire. These activities are open to mothers, expectant mothers, families and the wider community, offering opportunities to learn more about perinatal mental health in relaxed, supportive settings.
About the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service
Our Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service provides assessment and treatment for women who are experiencing, or are at increased risk of experiencing, moderate to severe mental health conditions during pregnancy and up to 12 months after having a baby.(With care and treatment provided for up to 24 months where there is an ongoing perinatal mental health need.)
The service also offers counselling prior to conception, for women who have previously experienced a severe mental illness and would like to plan a pregnancy.
The facts about perinatal mental health
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Around 1 in 5 women experience mental health difficulties during pregnancy or in the first year after birth
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Anxiety and depression are the most common perinatal mental health conditions
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Post partum psychosis affects around 1-2 in every 1,000 women and is considered a medical emergency
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Suicide remains the leading cause of maternal death in the UK between six weeks and one year after pregnancy
The good news is that more women than ever are accessing specialist NHS support. Referrals to NHFT's Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service have increased by 67% over the past six years, showing that help is increasingly being sought .
Drop in sessions during Maternal Mental Health Week
Throughout the week, the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team will be hosting informal drop in sessions at locations across Northamptonshire. These sessions provide a chance to meet the team, ask questions, and find out more about emotional wellbeing and available support.
Tuesday 5 May
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NGH Antenatal (Area K) - 10:00-11:30am
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Moulton Library - Wellbeing drop in - 9:30am-12:00pm
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Daventry Family Hub - Sensory under 1s - 11:00am-12:00pm
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Kingswood Family Hub - 10:00-11:30am
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Towcester Family Hub - Buggy walk - 1:00-2:00pm
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Wellingborough Library - 2:00-3:00pm
Wednesday 6 May
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Brackley Library - 10:00-11:30am
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Desborough Library - 10:45-11:30am
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Kingsthorpe Family Hub - Under 1s sensory - 1:00-2:30pm
Thursday 7 May
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Weston Favell Library - 10:00-10:30am
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Kettering Family Hub - Baby massage - 9:30-10:30am
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Kettering Family Hub - Bumps and Babies - 1:00-2:30pm
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Kingsthorpe - Buggy walk - 1:00-2:30pm
Friday 8 May
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Towcester Family Hub - Home Start group - 10:30am-12:00pm
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Oundle Library - 10:00-11:00am
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Kettering Hospital Maternity Unit - 1:00-2:30pm
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Walk
To mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, everyone is invited to join a Maternal Mental Health Awareness Walk.
Where? Delapré Abbey
When? Sunday 10 May
Time? 11:00am-1:00pm
The free walk will last approximately 30 minutes and offers an opportunity to meet and talk with members of the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team and other local services. It's open to everyone and designed to encourage open conversations about maternal mental health while connecting with families in a relaxed, outdoor setting.
Accessing the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service
The Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service is unable to accept self referrals. Referrals need to be made by a health professional involved in a woman's care. This may include:
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Midwives
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Health visitors
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GPs
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Hospital based teams
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Mental health services
Routine referrals are responded to within four weeks. If you haven't heard from the team within this time, you can ask the professional who made the referral to follow this up or contact the service for further information.