Perinatal mental health (PMH) problems are those which occur during pregnancy or in the first year following the birth of a child. Perinatal mental ill affects up to 20% of new and expectant mums and covers a wide range of conditions.
If left untreated, mental health issues can have significant and long-lasting effects on the woman, the child and the wider family. Specialist PMH services provide care and treatment for women with moderate to severe mental health needs and support the developing relationship between parent and baby. They also offer woman with mental health needs advice for planning a pregnancy.
You can find out more about the NHS Long Term Plan for transformation of specialist PMH services on the NHS England website.
Information from the NHS England website is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0
LPT Perinatal Mental Health Service
The Perinatal Mental Health Service is a team of health professionals that provide personalised and specialist care to people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who have moderate, complex or severe mental health problems relating to pregnancy, childbirth and the first year following a child’s birth (also known as the perinatal period).
Following an initial assessment, we can offer various treatments either in homes, community locations, clinics or via video calls.
Our aim is to help mothers and parents get the support they need to enable their family to live a happy, healthy life together.
The care we provide
Some of the support we can provide includes:
- Pre-conception advice and counselling
- Home visits
- Group therapy sessions
- Support clinics
- Nursery nurse sessions to teach you how to bond and play safely with your baby, including sensory play
- Counselling and talking therapies
- Advice and support on medications, to help people to make the best choice for them and their baby.
We develop a treatment plan in partnership with you, tailored to your own individual needs.
We are an inclusive service and will make adaptations and adjustments in line with cultural, ethnic or other backgrounds to support your needs.
You can find out more, including referral information on the Perinatal Mental Health service page.
Mum’s Mind: Perinatal mental health support service
07507 330 026
Leicestershire partnership NHS Trust runs the first dedicated perinatal mental health ChatHealth text messaging service – called Mum’s Mind. This confidential service offers advice and information to support mothers across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland who struggle with mental health issues during pregnancy and baby’s first year.
The Mum’s Mind ChatHealth text service can provide advice on a range of issues, from sleep problems, anxiety and panic attacks to depression, psychosis, OCD and medication concerns. The service can signpost users to other support available from GPs, midwives and health visitors, psychological therapies, benefits advisors, social care providers and birth reflections.
The Mum’s Mind service is not a crisis service and does not provide general advice on baby care.
It can also help with practical advice on issues, such as mums who might be experiencing bonding and attachment issues in pregnancy and after the birth of their baby.
Family members and loved ones who are concerned about the mental well-being of a new mum during the perinatal period can also use the service to get advice and guidance.
The service operates Monday to Friday between 9am and 4pm, excluding bank holidays. All texts will be responded to by a member of the perinatal mental health team within 24 hours. Outside of the working hours, you’ll receive a message back to inform you that your text will be responded to once the line re-opens.
For more support from trusted NHS professionals on babies and children under 5, visit the Health for Under 5s website.
