What is perinatal mental health
Perinatal mental health refers to the emotional wellbeing during pregnancy and the period after your baby is born. It’s a time of great change, and with that can come a mix of emotions and challenges.
Many parents experience anxiety, constant worry, and sleepless nights, while others may feel sadness or a lack of confidence. Guilt is also very common, as is the pressure to be the “perfect” parent. It’s common to feel overwhelmed as you adjust to parenthood, and understanding these feelings can help you to normalise things.
You’re not alone, and your wellbeing matters just as much as your baby’s.
Signs and symptoms
Symptoms of mild to moderate pre and postnatal depression and anxiety include some or any of the following:
- Trouble sleeping
- Constant tiredness or lack of energy
- No longer enjoying things that used to give you pleasure
- Feeling unable to look after your baby
- Difficulty concentrating
- Change in appetite (loss or increase)
- Feeling irritable, agitated, or detached
- Guilt, hopelessness, or self-blame
- Difficulty bonding with baby or feeling indifferent
- Frightening thoughts about harm to your baby, yourself, or others
- Suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm
Treatment
At Acacia, we provide warm, compassionate support to mums, partners, and families facing perinatal mental health challenges.
Many of our staff and volunteers have lived experience of mental health struggles themselves, so we understand what you're going through. We also know how comforting it can be to realise you’re not alone—there are others feeling the same way, and what you're experiencing is absolutely normal.
We offer caring, non-judgmental support through one-to-one befriending and group work using cognitive behavioral techniques. Together, we’ll work at your pace, supporting you as you develop coping strategies and move toward a brighter, more hopeful future.