My shortlist. 0items

Parent-Infant Relationships and Perinatal Mental Health Support

Perinatal is a term that refers to the period just before and after giving birth. Perinatal mental health problems are those that occur at this time during pregnancy and the first year or two after the baby is born.

It is not uncommon for people to experience a range of thoughts and feelings about their pregnancy and about becoming a parent. Perinatal mental illness affects up to 27% of new and expectant mums and covers a wide range of conditions. These problems may have been present at a previous time in your life and may recur in the perinatal period, or it may be that the problems develop for the first time during this period.

There are specialist services available for women in Manchester who are experiencing moderate-severe mental health problems in the perinatal period, and for those with a past or family history of moderate to severe mental health difficulties. For more information on what the offer includes and how to access click on Perinatal CMHT | Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT

There is also lots of support available to help promote positive parent and child/infant relationships. In Manchester the Children and Parents Service (CAPS) offer support for parents during pregnancy and for parents of children under 5 years.

The CAPS team aim to promote positive parent and infant mental health and they can help if you are worried about:

  • Bonding with your unborn baby, infant or child – for example following a difficult pregnancy or labour, postnatal depression or anxiety, or because you have had difficult childhood experiences yourself.
  • How to understand what your baby is trying to tell you, how best to soothe your baby and how to help them feel secure.
  • How best to manage your child’s behaviour and support them to manage difficult feelings.
  • Your child’s feeding or sleeping.
  • Your child seeming very anxious or worried.

CAPS offer both group and individual sessions in Family Hubs or Sure Start, online and at health centres and you can refer yourself or ask for support through your health visitor or outreach worker at your local Family Hub or Sure Start.

You can speak to a member of the CAPs team using the following contact details:

Contact:

CAPS North and Central Manchester

Phone: 0161 203 3262 or 0161 203 3261

Email: mft.northmanchestercaps@nhs.net mft.caps.central@nhs.net

CAPS South

Phone: 0161 529 6124

Email: mft.southmanchestercamhs@nhs.net

For more information on the CAPS service and to see the wide range of courses available click on The Children and Parents Service (CAPS)