Pregnancy, family and mental health
During an ordinary journey to becoming a parent, anyone’s mental health can be more vulnerable, especially if during this journey extra ordinary things happen such as loss, trauma, conflict, ill health or isolation.
You’re not alone. There’s a range of support available online and from local peer support groups
Mental health problems during pregnancy and around the time of having a baby are common and can happen to anyone. This might include the parent who is pregnant or who has given birth or the partner. Infants can also be vulnerable in their mental health. In Greater Manchester we keep the whole family in mind. We want to support and help families get off to the best start together, and for families who’ve lost a little one we want to offer you support to help with your healing.
In Greater Manchester we’re working hard to develop a range of support to suit everyone regardless of how much or how little support you need.
We’re developing this page to provide a space for you to find out more about how to access the help which is right for you. Our IAPT (psychological therapy services provide talking therapy to help with a range of common mental health problems which can happen around the time of having a baby and our specialist perinatal community mental health teams can provide extra mental health support if needed.
There are also Locality parent infant mental health teams who are specialist services focusing specifically on supporting the bond/relationship with parents and their babies.
Need support now?
If ever you feel you are not able to keep yourself or your family safe, please seek urgent help – 24 hours a day you can contact NHS direct on 111 who will help you find a safe way forward.
Or you can contact the local 24 hour NHS Mental health helplines
- Pennine Care for Tameside, Glossop, Stockport, Bury, Rochdale Heywood, Middleton and Oldham: 0800 014 9995
- GMMH for Manchester, Salford, Trafford, Bolton : 0800 953 0285
- GMMH for Wigan: 0800 051 3253
If you are at immediate risk call 999 or go directly to your nearest A and E department where mental health specialists will be able to offer you an urgent review.
For 24 hour support
- Text support text BABYBUDDY to 85258. This will connect you with a trained volunteer who can support you to a place of calm through text messaging
- Call the Samaritans on 116 123
Other support available
- Dad Matters – Supporting Dads in Greater Manchester to have the best possible relationships with their families
- Spoons Charity – Neonatal Family Support
- Home-Start UK (home-start.org.uk) supporting young families under stress
- Home (proud2bparents.co.uk) -supporting LGBT+ parents and carers
- HOME | findingrainbows supporting families who have lost a little one
- National Maternity Voices – Networking Maternity Voices Partnerships in England
- Sands | Stillbirth and neonatal death charity
- Baby Buddy app | Best Beginnings -support and information during pregnancy and the early days of being a parent
- The Period of PURPLE Crying | PURPLECrying.info information and guidance around infant crying
- BASIS – Baby Sleep Information Source (basisonline.org.uk
- HOME | themotherhoodgroup supporting the maternal experience of black mums
Useful resources