During pregnancy, depression affects approximately 12% of women and anxiety affects around 13% of women.
This figure increases to around 15-20% of women affected by depression and anxiety during the first year following childbirth.
Out of hours telephone support
Sussex Mental Healthline: 0800 0309 500 – out of hours contact number.
Staying Well crisis café: 0800 023 6475 – a support service for people experiencing distress due to their mental health.
SANEline: 07984 967 708 – you can call or send a text message.
Where to access support
Baby Buddy – an interactive app with updates on baby’s development pre and post birth as well as a focus on emotional wellbeing.
Peanut – a social network for pregnant women and women with babies who can talk to other local women.
The Wonder Weeks – a personalised daily calendar of a baby’s development that will keep you informed about the (mental) leaps and bounds and the fussy phases of your baby.
Headspace App – mindfulness techniques and meditation. This can often help with some practical management of symptoms of anxiety.
PANDAS – a charitable organisation run by women who have had postnatal depression.
Mind – online support network with the charity Mind.
Openpaws – Perinatal anxiety and worry support network.
Websites
Medicines in pregnancy – BUMPS (Best Use of Medicines in Pregnancy) website to advise you on the risks and benefits of medication in pregnancy.
IAPT – Health in Mind – self refer for therapeutic intervention – perinatal people (including partners) get prioritised.
Perinatal treatment – evidence based resource for all perinatal treatment with online resources and self help courses for pregnant women and fathers.
Tommys – a wellbeing tool.
Introduction to mental health – videos to support mental health.
Every mind matters
Wellbeing centres
Support for OCD
Charities
Home Start – a charity where volunteers offer practical support to parents with children under 5 years old. You can self-refer online and access useful resources.
Family Lives
MIND
Samaritans
Sane charity
Help for parents with crying and sleepless babies
Birth Trauma
Prevention of young suicide