NatChat July 2017

feel so helpless during the experience.
Mental health problems
can affect mums and
dads so talking to each other,
and also friends and family, is
so important.
Myth #9: There’s nothing I
can do to help a parent suffering
with mental health
issues
Often a friend, family member
or colleague is the first to
notice when something isn’t
right. Just being there, listening
and providing nonjudgemental
emotional and
practical support can help.
Gently encouraging them to
speak to their GP, midwife or
health visitor is also important.
You can also access
reliable information about antenatal
and postnatal mental
illness (examples below), as
this might help you understand
how you can help and
make a difference.
Myth #10: I’m never going
to feel better
Recovering from a mental
health problem takes time; it’s
not something you can simply
‘snap out of’. Here are a few
tips that may help you on the
road to recovery:
· Find what works for you
whether it’s exercise,
mindfulness, medication,
attending support groups
or therapy like counselling
or cognitive behavioural
therapy (CBT).
· Practise self-care: it could
be just a few minutes each
day to do something nice
just for you, looking after
yourself is really important.
· Sleep! This can be incredibly
difficult when you
have a baby but sleep is so
important.
· Talk to other parents –
this could be through an
online support group, attending
a peer support
group or local NCT
branch events.
·
It can be difficult to talk about
mental health issues during
pregnancy or in the early
weeks and months of
parenthood but it's so important
to seek help if you
need it. Share how you're feeling
- you are not alone.
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