What we help with

We help with a variety of mental conditions and symptoms that arise during pregnancy and after birth.

If you have these feelings ...

In the section below we have listed some common conditions and the symptoms associated with each one. We’re providing this information to help guide you towards making a decision about making an appointment with us.

It’s very important to speak to a professional and to not self diagnose yourself. Remember just because you have one or two symptoms it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re suffering from that specific condition.

Low Mood

Feeling low every now and again is part of life. Everyone feels upset, sad or disheartened from time to time, but for some of us, it can be a real problem.

Restless
Spaced-out
Hopelessness
Lacking motivation
Lack of energy

Phobias

A phobia is an excessive and irrational fear reaction. If you have a phobia, you may experience a deep sense of dread or panic.

Loss of control
Anxiety
Trembling
Intense fear
Nervousness

Depression

Symptoms of depression can vary from sadness to fatigue. Here are some warning signs to look out for if you think you might be depressed.

Sad
Unwell
Pointlessness
Darkness
Loneliness

OCD

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterised by repetitive, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and irrational, excessive urges to do certain actions.

Fear
Perfectionism
Need for order
Repetitive actions
Intrusive thoughts

Post traumatic stress disorder

PTSD is a mental health condition triggered by a terrifying event, causing flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety.

Flashbacks
Nightmares
Anger
Sleeplessness
Trouble focusing

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders are more than just temporary worry or fear. For people with anxiety disorders, the anxiety doesn’t go away and can get worse over time.

Struggling to sleep
Tiredness
Nervous
Panicked
Excessive worry

Personality Disorder

A person with a personality disorder thinks, feels, behaves or relates to others very differently from the average person. There are several different types of personality disorder, here are some symptoms to look out for.

Emotional instability
Suicidal thoughts
Self harm
Intrusive thoughts
Impulsive behaviour

Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is a mental health condition that affects your moods, which can swing from one extreme to another. It used to be known as manic depression.

Depression
Mania
Easily agitated
Severe mood swings
Delusional

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a severe long-term mental health condition. It causes a range of different psychological symptoms.

Hallucinations
Delusions
Withdrawn
Upset
Anxious

Confidentiality

Your privacy is important to us. We know this can be an incredibly anxious time for people who are expecting or who are in the post-partum stage as well as their families. So,we want you to know that when you speak to us everything you tell us is confidential and you will not be judged.

To find out more about confidentiality, please follow the link.

Our Process and what we can offer you

We provide advice for, and assessment and signposting to other services that include:

Care and treatment

Following an initial assessment, your care plan will be created to meet your individual needs.

Getting to know you and understanding your needs

We provide an assessment experience that embraces what is important to you in your pregnancy and in planning for the postnatal period. We also provide you with a written letter that reflects on all the points raised in your assessment.

Advice on medication and promoting your general wellbeing

We provide you and your health professionals with advice in prescribing medication for mental health reasons in pregnancy and breastfeeding, for example, antidepressants. We also focus on your overall wellbeing and relapse prevention in pregnancy and the postnatal period.

Pregnancy and birth planning

We also specialise in planning for people who are already working with a recovery care coordinator from community mental health services.

Getting Involved

In Perinatal we want to make sure that people with lived experience are at the heart of how we work and that you feel as comfortable as possible sharing your experience with us.

Resources

Find out more about the resources available.

Self Referral

We accept self-referrals from people living in the boroughs of Bedfordshire, City & Hackney, Newham or Tower Hamlets.