How to look after your emotional wellbeing as a new or expectant parent
Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (4-10 May) shines the light on the difficulties many women can face during pregnancy and after welcoming a child. It offers the chance to talk openly about the impact of how being a parent can affect our emotional wellbeing and to raise awareness of the help that’s available, through a service like TALKWORKS, to people during the perinatal period.
Is it normal to feel low during pregnancy or after birth?
It is very common for new parents to experience low mood during pregnancy or after the birth of their child. Starting a family is a big lifestyle change - while it can bring happiness and joy, it can also be a time of increased stress and anxiety which can directly impact our mood. Disruptions to sleep, changes in routine and adjusting to parenthood can make many feel low in mood.
For some, feeling low can be temporary and will improve with support from family and friends. For others, it may become prolonged and impact day-to-day life more significantly. When someone is experiencing depression, they may feel worthless and more tearful than usual. They may also feel anxious, fearful, restless or irritable. Postnatal depression is treatable and is not something you need to go through by yourself. If you are struggling, it’s important to reach out for help.
How can anxiety impact new parents?
Anxiety is another condition that is very common for new and expectant parents. It can be hard to relax or switch off as you adjust to this lifestyle change, and you may be constantly second guessing whether you’re doing things in the ‘right’ way as a new parent. When we are feeling anxious, we may experience racing thoughts, feeling on edge or uncontrollable worry - which can get worse at night and lead to sleep difficulties. Like depression, is a common mental health problem and is treatable. Talking to a friend, family member or someone you trust is a good first step. You may also prefer to talk to someone external, which is where TALKWORKS can help.
How TALKWORKS can help new and expectant parents?
TALKWORKS is a free NHS Talking Therapies service and we are here to help adults, age 18+, living in Devon (outside Plymouth) experiencing a mild to moderate common mental health problem. This includes low mood, postnatal depression, anxiety and difficulties with sleep. Everything we offer is free and confidential. Our therapists are here to listen to your difficulties and help you to build coping strategies, so that you can regain your confidence in day-to-day life.
If you are struggling, please don’t wait until things get worse until you get help. The earlier you reach out to us, the easier it is for us to help you.
You don’t need a referral from a GP to access our service. Simply fill out our online self-referral form on our website or call our team on 0300 555 3344 (our phone lines are open Monday to Friday from 9am - 4:45pm). If you have a question about our service or would like to find out more about TALKWORKS, please email dpt.talkworks@nhs.net.