Mental health and the journey to parenthood

Find out what's working well for people and what needs to improve when it comes to people talking about their mental health experiences before, during and after pregnancy, in Healthwatch England's new report.

The arrival of a new baby is a major life event for any family. It can be joyful, exciting, overwhelming and challenging all at once, so it's essential that parents get all the support they need to help them form strong bonds with their children and help lay the foundations for a healthy, happy life for all involved.

Over the last year, our network has gathered views and experiences from women and their partners. Each one of these stories was different and highlighted that every person's experience is unique to them.

Three common issues

  • People feel their mental health problems are triggered by a variety of issues
  • People don't know where to turn for help
  • People feel scared about how people will respond if they speak up.

We are calling on everybody who interacts with prospective and new parents to make more space for people to discuss how they're feeling, and to find out what they need to do if they need mental health support.

Find out more about what people told us in our report.

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Mental health and the journey to parenthood