From your baby’s birth until their second birthday is a fundamental part of your child’s developmental journey. You’re likely to feel a range of emotions and feelings during this time and support is available for your emotional wellbeing and mental health.
It’s normal to experience different emotions and feelings and it can help to talk about how you’re feeling. You are not alone.
Getting advice
- You are not currently concerned about your emotional wellbeing OR you are experiencing some mild symptoms but do not feel these are currently impacting on day-to-day life
- You would like to learn more about your emotional wellbeing and support available
You can find out lots of general information about preparing for your birth on the Healthier Together website.
Family Hubs
Meeting and talking to other new parents, and finding they share similar anxieties and frustrations, can be reassuring. It can be a chance to talk about experiences and realise that you are not alone. Family hubs are a ‘one stop shop’ within your community – providing information, signposting and a variety of free services, activities and support for families with children up to 25 years, in one place. Take a look at their timetables of activities.
Understanding your baby (A Solihull Approach Antenatal Group)
Delivered by Home-Start Portsmouth and Health Professionals from Solent NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospital Trust.
This session is for families with a baby up to 9 months old. Understanding your baby is a ‘Solihull Approach’ postnatal group helping you to get to know and care for you new baby in a supportive environment, where you can meet other new parents too.
Find out more at Portsmouth Family Hubs and book your place by emailing the Family Hub Champions.
Getting help
- You are worried about your emotional wellbeing or mental health and are experiencing some mild – moderate symptoms that are impacting on your day – day life or relationships
- You might be feeling/experiencing:
- Sad or low in mood
- Nervous, anxious or on edge
- Worrying lots or about lots of different things
- Feeling stressed or overwhelmed
- Feelings of anger, agitation or irritability
- Not enjoying things and/or withdrawing from other people
- Changes to your sleep and/or appetite
- Not feeling confident as a parent
Self-Help Techniques via Every Mind Matters
Every Mind Matters offers free, practical tips, advice and techniques to help people with their emotional wellbeing.
NHS Talking Therapies
Run by Solent NHS Trust, NHS Talking Therapies Portsmouth provides free support to anyone struggling with difficulties such as low mood or anxiety. They can provide a range of talking therapies to help you cope and feel better. Support can be offered both via groups and one-to-one, and includes a virtual postnatal support group.
You can self-refer by visiting NHS Talking Therapies Portsmouth.
Or book a face-to-face assessment, available every Wednesday, 9am – 1pm, at Buckland Family Hub. To book, email Buckland Family Hub or call 023 9288 2588.
Families in Mind
Families in Mind aims to support parents in the transition to parenthood, improve parents’ emotional wellbeing and early relationships. The service supports families experiencing mild to moderate difficulties who would like to improve coping and overcome challenges.
The team includes Specialist Health Visitors, Community Nursery Nurses and a Mental Health Nurse who aim to deliver evidence-based support in a flexible and adaptable way. They offer a range of evidence-based support interventions, delivered flexibly, both individually and via group and in family hubs, your own home or other community site.
You can find out more and self-refer or attend one of our Chat and play sessions, every Tuesday, 9.30-11.30am, at Somerstown Family Hub.
Portsmouth Mental Health Hub
If you are not sure about what support might be right for you and would like to speak to someone you can call the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm)
The phoneline is run by a team of friendly, fully trained call handlers who will connect you to the right support for you. This could be support over the phone, an appointment with other services such as NHS Talking Therapies or Positive Minds or an offer to connect you with other local organisations.
Anyone aged 16+ can call and get support for their mental health. You do not need to go through your GP to access this service.
Your GP
If you are worried about your mental health, then you can contact GP. They can discuss options for support and make referrals. Your GP can also prescribe medication and talk to you about any worries you may have about this.
Getting more help
- You are worried about your emotional wellbeing or mental health and are experiencing moderate – severe symptoms that are significantly impacting on your day – day life or relationships
- You have experienced a sudden worsening of existing or new onset of symptoms
- You are experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide. Please see also urgent help
- You are feeling persistently incompetent (not confident) or estranged from (not connected to) your unborn baby
- Your symptoms have persistent or got worse despite accessing ‘help’
- You have a diagnosis of a severe mental health condition which is known to have some increased risk of relapse during pregnancy or after the birth such as Bipolar Affective Disorder
- You have a diagnosis of a severe mental health condition which has significantly worsened during or due to the pregnancy such as OCD, depression, anxiety, Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Personality Disorder
- You take medication for your mental health and would like to access expert advice on medication and breastfeeding
Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service
The Perinatal Mental Health Service is a specialist service for women and birthing parents who are planning a pregnancy, are pregnant or have had a baby who are experiencing severe or complex mental health needs and / or where this is impacting on or there are difficulties in the parent – infant relationship. The multi-professional team consists of consultant perinatal psychiatrists, mental health nurses, psychologists and assistant psychologists, nursery nurses, peer support and carer support workers, occupational therapists, social workers, and an administration team. They work together to provide specialist care and interventions, in the community. You cannot current self- refer to the service; talk to your GP, midwife, health visitor or mental health professional who can support your with a referral.
You can find out more information on the Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust website.
Portsmouth Mental Health Hub
If you are not sure about what support might be right for you and would like to speak to someone you can call the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub on 0300 123 6621 (Monday-Friday, 8am-6pm)
The phoneline is run by a team of friendly, fully trained call handlers who will connect you to the right support for you. This could be support over the phone, an appointment with other services such as NHS Talking Therapies or Positive Minds or an offer to connect you with other local organisations.
Anyone aged 16+ can call and get support for their mental health. You do not need to go through your GP to access this service.
Your GP
If you are worried about your mental health, then you can contact GP. They can discuss options for support and make referrals. Your GP can also prescribe medication and talk to you about any worries you may have about this.
Urgent help
- You are experiencing intense emotional distress that is difficult to bear
- You are experiencing thoughts and / or plans of violent self-harm and suicide
- You feel unable to keep yourself safe
- You are feeling hopeless for the future
- You or your family/friends have noticed changes to your behaviour and thoughts such as hallucinations, delusions or paranoia
If you need emergency medical help immediately, call 999.
If you need urgent help for something that’s not life-threatening, you can call 111. They have specialist nurses who can support both adults and young people with the mental health and connect you with local CRISIS services. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days per week and is from any phone. You can also visit NHS 111 online.
If you are currently under the Community Mental Health or Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Teams, you can call the CRISIS team direct on the number provided.
If you are worried about caring for your baby or child, you can call the Multiagency Safeguarding Hub on 023 9268 8793, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm or 0300 555 1372 out of hours.
If you need urgent help, are feeling unable to keep yourself or others safe, please call 999 immediately.
Get in touch
Our friendly team at the Portsmouth Mental Health Hub are here to help.
Get a call back
Enter your details and someone will call you back between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
If you or someone you know needs urgent mental health help, please call 111 – the NHS non-emergency number. It’s available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is free from any phone. They have specialist mental health nurses who can support adults and young people.
In a life-threatening emergency, always call 999.