Support with emotional well-being for new parents
It is common to experience difficulties maintaining emotional or mental health wellbeing during and after pregnancy (known as the perinatal period). Below is some information about how you can access professional support and support in the community in Wandsworth.
Specialist Support
Talk Wandsworth: Service provides free confidential help for problems such as stress, worry and low mood. Service offers talking therapies for people over the age of 18. You can refer yourself or you can be referred by a healthcare professional such as your GP or Health visitor. Talk Wandsworth can offer a range of digital options to have your therapy e.g video, phone, text or face-to-face if you would prefer.
Talk Wandsworth run regular workshops to help you maintain wellbeing as a new parent.
Course aims:
- Identify the joys and challenges of parenting a newborn, be it the first time or not.
- Acknowledge the high demands of those early days, months or years, and offer tips and strategies to help parents not only survive but find aspects to reflect and maybe even enjoy.
- Provide strategies, resources and tips to help make the page one of fulfilment.
- Focus on maintaining your wellbeing as a new parent.
- Exploring the importance of self-care and self-compassion in your new role as a parent.
Duration: 3h. To book please click here.
More information is available here.
Preparing for Parenthood - Online Workshop
This workshop aims to discuss maintaining wellbeing during the antenatal period by discussing different topics such as transitioning from pregnancy to having a baby; expectations versus reality; relationships and communication; bonding with the baby; self-care and coping strategies. Duration: 3 hours. To book a place please click here.
Merton Uplift also provide similar workshops for Merton residents (see here).
Battersea Children's Centres (x3): All of their sessions support maternal mental health, but particularly you may be interested in coffee and chat sessions which are virtual and the Thinking Babies programme. See more information here. For more about other Children Centre's see this website.
Understanding your Baby group: For Wandsworth mothers with babies under 10 months old who are experiencing feelings of low mood and/or anxiety or where there is a difficulty with the parent-infant relationship. Babies are included in the group.
2 hour group running for 8 weeks (2 groups running 3 times/year). Mothers must be able to attend at least 6/8 of the weeks. Groups are held at a local Children’s Centre.
The group aims to provide a framework for thinking about parent-infant relationships and support mothers to recognise their own feelings and needs, as well as those of their baby.
If you would like to be referred to the group speak to your Health Visitor, GP or Children’s Centre worker and they can refer you or for more information you can email the Single Point of Access (contact details below) who will link you with the Specialist Health Visitor for Perinatal and Infant Mental Health.
Parental Mental Health Support service, (formerly known as NewPIN): A supporting service for children aged 0-7 with parents requiring support with their mental health. PMHS provides play sessions across 4 sites across the week in Wandsworth, that aim to improve parent –child relationships, support healthy emotional development and increase children’s resilience
PMHS provide family support, access to mental health and wellbeing courses, parenting groups and classes, crèche and outreach support, this can include working with families in their home and in the community.
PMHS operates its service across 4 sites Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays between 9:30 to 3:30.
-Somerset
-Yvonne Carr
-Roehampton Lane
-Siward Road
To be referred please speak to your GP, Health Visitor, professional from Perinatal Mental Health Team or Community Mental Health team.
Wandsworth 0-19 Single Point of Access (SPA)
- Phone: 0330 058 1679
- Email: clcht.0-19wandsworthandrichmondadmin@nhs.net
- Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Sources of support if things are difficult to deal with:
If you find yourself feeling very low, or are having thoughts that are difficult to deal with there is support out there. If you think you or someone you know could be struggling with their mental health, then it is important to talk about it and to get help.
- Talk to your local doctor (GP).
- Speak to your health visitor or midwife – they have a role to look out for you to make sure you get the support you need, including your mental health.
- Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service at Springfield University Hospital.
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Your GP, midwife or health visitor will be able to discuss with you support from this service.
Health Visitors: Health Visitors provide advice and support to all Wandsworth families following birth of a baby and up until that child is 5 years old if you are struggling with your mental health then your health visitor can offer you additional home visits called listening visits to express how you are feeling without judgement. If you require further support then your Health Visitor can advise you about additional services and refer you to them. In some cases, your Health Visitor may also suggest a referral to the specialist perinatal mental health team.
- Contact the Wandsworth Health Visiting service 9am - 5pm, Tel 0330 058 1679, email: clcht.0-19wandsworthandrichmondadmin@nhs.net
- In an emergency, if you are in a crisis you can call Mental Health Trust’s 24/7 Mental Health Support Line: 0800 028 8000.
Other support
- Baby Steps: Peer support service for those who experience mental health difficulties in their first years of parenthood. It is hosted by two facilitators with lived experience of postpartum mental illness and are fully recovered now and working as peer supporters in SWLSTG. It is for parents under SWLST Perinatal mental health services who had babies in the last 24months and are currently struggling. Sessions take place online on Tuesdays fortnightly 7.30-9.30 pm. To book your place please contact Fiona at: Fiona.putnam@swlstg.nhs.uk
- Chelsea and Westminster Parent-Infant Psychotherapy Team: Child and Adolescent Mental Health Therapy Service (Under 5s) A free service with clinicians working with children under 5 years old to support health emotional and social development in children (referrals can be made by your Health Visitor, GP, Speech and Language Therapist, Nursery or Children’s Centre). More information here.
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Therapy Service (Under 5s): A free service with clinicians working with children under 5 years old to support health emotional and social development in children (referrals can be made by your Health Visitor, GP, Speech and Language Therapist, Nursery or Children’s Centre).
Support in the community:
- Wellbeing First: A free Get Fit class specifically designed for new mums and babies designed to increase metal wellbeing and reduce social isolation. See more information here. Duration: 1 hour per class.
- Wimbledon and Wandsworth NCT (National Childbirth Trust): Activities for babies and toddlers (e.g. Walk and Talk meetings, playgroups, support for parents and carers and parents). Find out more here.
- Home-Start: trained volunteers and expert support helping families with children under 5 through challenging times. Families struggling with postnatal depression, isolation, physical health problems, bereavement and many other issues receive the support of a volunteer who will spend around two hours a week in a family’s home supporting them in the ways they need. Specially matched volunteers can provide a range of support such as a listening ear, practical support such as playing with the children whilst a parent can have a shower or a rest and assisting parents to get to a playgroup or counselling session. Home-start also run groups, workshops and holiday outings. For more information or to be referred speak to your Health Visitor or visit Home Start Wandsworth.
- Cedar House Postnatal Depression Support Group (Balham): Group providing a safe and supportive environment for mothers experiencing postnatal depression. Meets weekly for 2 hours on Friday mornings (term-time only). Usually 10-12 mums with a crèche facility. For more information see Cedar House - Post Natal Depression Support Group (cedarhousesupportgroup.com)
- Chelsea and Westmintser Hospital Digital Living Library: This is a peer support programme for parents who have faced unexpected birth experiences/challenges and need support after leaving the postnatal ward or maternity care. The library is also able to assist grandparents who would like the support of another grandparent. Find out how to access support from the digital living library here find out how to support other parents here.
- International Islamic Publishing house have published a 'Muslim Mommy Guide to Post-natal depression' which can be found here.
Togetherall - Maternal Mental Health
Maternal mental health can feel like a big topic that’s hard to talk about, nuanced and obvious all at the same time.
What are things that contribute to the mental health of new moms?
Let’s think about the journey of motherhood. It can be filled with drastic physical changes for those who give birth, but it can also consist of emotional, mental, and relational changes and shifts.
The change in identity can be a huge part of the motherhood journey that we may not think about and that can contribute to an expectant or new mom’s mental health.
We’re used to a large part of our identity being defined by our careers, our hobbies, our social relationships, our possessions, but what happens to all those facets of our identities when we are trying to have a baby and becoming a mother?
Read more about Maternal Mental Health on the Togetherall website via the link below.
