Postpartum Psychosis is a severe but treatable form of mental illness that can happen after having a baby.
It affects thousands of women and birthing people in the UK each year, occurring in about 1 to 2 in every 1000 women (0.1 – 0.2%) who have a baby. It begins suddenly in the days or weeks after giving birth and the symptoms can vary and change very quickly. They can include high mood changes (feeling very low or high in mood), confusion, hallucinations (hearing, seeing, feeling, tasting or smelling things that are not there) and delusions (strange beliefs that could not be true, but which feel very believable at the time).
Postpartum psychosis is treated as a medical emergency, and people are encouraged to seek help as quickly as possible.
Postpartum psychosis can happen to any woman. It can happen ‘out of the blue’ to mums who have not experienced significant mental health problems before.
Some women may be at higher risk, for example those who have a history of bipolar disorder.
It can be a very frightening experience for women, their partners, friends and family, but the good news is that women usually recover fully after experiencing postpartum psychosis. Women do return to their normal selves and are able to be the mothers they want to be. There is no evidence that their baby’s long-term development is affected by Postpartum Psychosis.
- Action on Postpartum Psychosis – are a charity for mums, parents and families affected by postpartum psychosis and have lots of helpful information, resources and signposting to other support and information ; Tel: 0203 322 900; email: app
@app-network.org - The royal college of Psychiatrists have useful information leaflets on Postpartum psychosis for parents and families to better understand
- The Association for Postnatal Illness (APNI) - Tel: 0207 386 0868 Telephone helpline and information leaflets for women with postnatal mental illness. Also a network of volunteers (telephone and postal) who have experienced postnatal mental illness. Email: info
@apni.org - Pandas Foundation - An organisation that helps individuals and their families with pre- and postnatal depression advice and support. They also offer support to families in the antenatal period. Helpline (open 9am to 8pm) 0843 289 8401.
- Postpartum Progress - Widely read blog about postnatal mental illness. Email: help
@postpartumprogress.org