Prioritising perinatal mental health: Meet our champions

Perinatal champions are therapists within TALKWORKS who are specially trained to support new and expectant parents who are experiencing a common mental health difficulty. This includes depression, problems with sleep, feeling overwhelmed and general anxiety. In our service, we have a number of perinatal champions who can support you during your pregnancy and after you have welcomed a child. We recently sat down with three of our perinatal champions to discuss their roles within the service and what advice they would give to a new or expectant parent who is struggling.

Why did you become a perinatal champion in TALKWORKS?

Nikki: I became a perinatal champion because parenthood didn’t come easily for me, and I found it very anxiety provoking. Prior to this role, I worked with children in the care system and am passionate about supporting parents to help to them cope better in an ever-changing role of parenthood. I am also now a grandparent and am supporting my daughter with her parenting when needed.

Miranda: I have an interest in all things perinatal and always looking to learn more and support others during this time. This comes from a warm place of recognising that, whilst pregnancy is something that many women will experience, it can also be very different for individuals who may need some additional support. Having experienced pregnancy and a birth that had its own complications, I can empathise and understand that pregnancy and birth isn’t always plain sailing. But, with the right support, this can feel much more manageable.

Nicola: I was a midwife for many years prior to joining TALKWORKS and was very keen to bring some of my knowledge and skills/experience to this role. I believe that support during the transition to parenthood is so important and it is wonderful to be able to offer this to pregnant women and new/expectant parents.

What is different about your role as a perinatal champion in comparison to your day-to-day work at TALKWORKS?

 Nicola: Firstly, as a Service, TALKWORKS prioritises perinatal parents in order that they can be seen shortly after referral. I use perinatal specific cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) resources which focus on bonding and attachment, transition to parenthood and support systems. I also facilitate perinatal groups which are regularly run by perinatal champions and consist of 6 weekly sessions offered to expectant/new parents.

Nikki: I prioritise the needs of parents during their assessments as part of my role. I ask them how they may be coping, what impact being a parent is having on them and how is the partner coping. I then consider what additional support we might be able to offer them, including signposting to relevant services or providing helpful resources. As a perinatal champion, I have specific perinatal clinical skills and meetings with the other perinatal champions, as well as additional training to help us support people in the perinatal period.

Miranda: Offering perinatal support gives me the opportunity to talk to parents about their experiences and what may be helpful approaches to try to help overcome anxieties and low mood.  I love meeting pregnant ladies and helping them to feel relaxed in preparation of the birth. I also find that meeting the new little ones when they arrive is very rewarding.

What would you say to a new or expectant parent who is feeling anxious, overwhelmed or impacted by sleep difficulties? 

Nicola: My advice would to be kind to yourselves and allow as much time as you can to rest, accept help from family and friends so that you can perhaps have a nap or even put your feel up for a while. Try to lower your expectations around housework/jobs and just prioritise yourself and your baby. Remember that this time won't last forever and your sleep will improve in time.

Miranda: We can expect to experience sleep difficulties for a range of reasons and these are quite commonly experienced by many women, so try not to worry about them too much:

1: We start to think (worry) more about all the things we need to prepare for the birth and baby and this can whir in our minds preventing us from getting to sleep or disturbing our sleep if we wake with the thoughts. We can support you with a range of strategies to help manage worries and problem solving which can help to ease those thoughts from spiralling.

2: When pregnant, our body shape changes as the baby grows and this can affect sleep as we may need to sleep in different positions, so cushioning and pillows to support our back, bump and hips can help to make things feel a little more comfortable.

3: Our hormones are changing as we prepare for the birth of our new baby.  This can impact our sleep too, as once baby is here, you’ll need to be more alert in your sleep to listen out for your little one and possibly meet their needs several times a night, but your hormones will help you prepare for this.

Nikki: Feeling anxious, overwhelmed and sleep deprived is normal as a new or expectant parent. Then, I would talk about being kind to themselves and not have too higher expectations of themselves and what they are able to achieve day. It’s ok to ask for help if you are struggling – you don’t need to go through everything by yourself.