Post-natal mental health outlook is stark for NICU families – here are the facts and how we can help.
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We need to talk about mental health after NICU and what it means for you.
I'm sorry to tell you but the statistics are stark.
Compared to mothers of healthy, full-term infants, mothers of preterm or poorly infants report significantly more anxiety, depression and stress - with rates of depression as high as 40% and anxiety as high as 77% (well, duh! We’ve had to watch our new born babies fight for their lives!).
Post-traumatic stress symptoms are also relatively common, affecting 23% of mothers with an infant hospitalised in NICU (based on self-report prior to discharge), and potentially increasing to 40% by 14 months post-delivery*.
The important part to note here is that the impact of a NICU stay doesn't go away once the baby is home.
If this sounds like you, we want you to know that you’re not alone.
Whether you’ve experienced NICU first hand, or you’re supporting a loved one with a baby in NICU, here’s how collectively we can make a difference.
The Smallest Things Charity is calling on the UK’s Health and Social Care Secretary to make urgent changes to support the mental health of neonatal families. You can sign the open letter here.
Why?
Right now, NICU families are falling through the gaps. Often, Mum’s have their 6-week check whilst their baby is still in the hospital. Thats not enough.
NICU Mum’s are at a much higher risk of mental health crisis and so often, we are too busy caregiving and being grateful that our baby came home to seek help. Even if we do seek help, we are often misunderstood and labeled as exhausted instead of supported.
The Smallest Things Charity wants to change this at a structural level. They are calling on the Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, to implement a series of changes to better support NICU families. This would include a new 6-week and 6-month ‘After NICU’ wellbeing check for parents with the GP, and improved access to appropriately specialist psychological support.
To me, this is a no-brainer. We need these changes right now.
The Smallest Things Charity are trying to reach 1000 signatures on their open letter. With only 44 signatures left to reach their goal, your signature really could make the difference in pushing this forward.
If you are worried about your own mental health right now, I encourage you to do the following (whichever feels easiest for you):
- Call or text your health visitor and say "I'm not feeling well at all. Please can you come to my home ASAP and do the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)". This is a scale which helps identify post-nantal depression;
- Call your GP (or ask a friend to) and bring your EPDS results with you and/or a list of your symptoms;
- Give @miraclemoonuk a follow on Instagram- Frankie is the only Clinical Psychologist I've heard of who is a specialist in NICU, she is also a NICU mum herself so she gets it!
- Reply to this email, I'll help you in whatever way I can.
As always, we aim for SuperDinky to be of value to the NICU and Post-NICU community. We want to change the culture around NICU to one of compassion and support. If you do one thing today, please sign the open letter.
Your signature matters more than you think. Together we can bring change.
Thank you.
Lorna
Preemie mum & co-founder of SuperDinky premature baby clothes
(Beth my biz partner and friend is currently on leave)
Copy edited by Laura Green, Stagecraft Content, SuperDinky Champion & NICU mum
SIGN IT HERE open letter - click here.