Maternity Health

08/08/2025

🌟Birth Trauma for partners🌟

Fathers and non-birthing mothers are all too-often overlooked when it comes to traumatic birth.

In the recent birth trauma inquiry, partners spoke about how hard it was to witness a traumatic birth, and feeling fearful that their partner or their baby might be about to die.

They spoke of not being told what was happening during the birth, and of their distress at not being able to help their partner. They talked about how hard it was to go home alone after a traumatic birth, but not having anyone with whom they could share their story.

The risk of PTSD, flashbacks and long-term mental health issues such as depression is very real for both fathers and non-birthing mothers.

If you are struggling or know someone that is please share the below link and assure them there IS help out there. 💜

Please check this link:
https://www.birthtraumaassociation.org/fathers

08/08/2025

Don’t forget you have access to this service if you are booked at Basildon, Southend or Broomfield hospitals. This service is run by staff who work at those Trusts. 💜

Need a bit of maternity advice? We’ve got you covered!

Get expert guidance and personalised support from our maternity team—all from the comfort of home!

Visit Maternity Direct: https://maternitydirect.mse.nhs.uk/
Chat Hours: 7am-8pm, 7 days a week (excluding bank holidays)

Our team is just a message away! Share this with any expecting or new parents.

07/08/2025

This looks like it was great fun! Thanks Parents 1st for organising!!
We will link in for the next session - Dads hope you get involved!!! 😍

06/08/2025

Please sign up!!! ❤️

🤰 FREE Antenatal Sessions – September 2025 🌼
Expecting a baby? Come and learn about all things birth and baby in a warm and welcoming space!

Led by local peer supporters, these friendly and informal sessions are here to help you feel prepared for labour, birth, and becoming a parent.

👥 Dads and partners welcome (please book a space for each person attending).

What You’ll Learn:
✅ Session 1: You and your wellbeing (nutrition, activity, emotional support)
✅ Session 2: Preparing for labour and birth (managing contractions, birth bag, positions)
✅ Session 3: Practical baby care (safe sleep, feeding, nappy changes & more)

🗓️ Session Options – Choose Your Location:

📍 St James Family Hub, Clacton-on-Sea
Unit 4, 30 Oxford Road, CO15 3TB
🗓️ 10th, 17th & 24th September
🕙 10:00am – 12:00pm

📍 Corringham Fire Station
🗓️ 11th, 18th & 25th September
🕕 6:00pm – 7:30pm

📍 Trenham Community Centre, Ashfields, Pitsea, Basildon SS13 1HG
🗓️ 4th, 11th & 18th September
🕛 12:00pm – 1:30pm

🎁 Plus You'll Receive:
• A free information pack
• Access to a WhatsApp support group
• Invitations to coffee mornings & social events
• The chance to meet other local parents!

📣 All sessions are FREE – book your space today!
Limited spots available

https://parents1st.org.uk/expectant-mums-information-sessions

06/08/2025

05/08/2025

🥰A Little Message...🥰

05/08/2025

🌟Mental Health Support - Thurrock area🌟

Inclusions Thurrock is a free NHS psychological therapy service for adults living across Thurrock who are experiencing common mental health difficulties including depression and anxiety disorders such as OCD, PTSD, Health Anxiety, Panic Attacks and social phobia.
They offer access to a number of services such as: Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Counselling, Online Courses and Therapist guided self-help.
(They also offer support and access to Advocacy, Employment issues, Debt & Housing problems, Bereavement and Drug / Alcohol misuse)

Inclusion Thurrock IAPT offers an online referral option. Its easy to complete and your information is sent securely and confidentially.
Once received, you will be contacted by telephone to arrange an initial telephone assessment.

LINKS:
https://inclusionthurrock.org/
https://inclusionthurrock.org/treatment-available/

05/08/2025

🌟Mental Health Support - Basildon, Brentwood, Billericay & Wickford area🌟

If you are suffering from depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, excessive worry or low mood, then VitaMinds can help. VitaMinds works in partnership with the NHS to offer a range of short-term psychological therapies, known as IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) to adults 16-years and over, who are registered with a Basildon and Brentwood GP.

VitaMinds is a FREE service and you don’t need to visit a GP to get help – the fastest way to get sup-port is by entering your details into the VitaMinds Referral Assistant which pops up on the page when you click the link. Alternatively you can simply click the Self Refer button onsite or call them on 01268 977 171.

In partnership with the NHS, Vita offer a range of free psychological therapies to adults in Basildon, Brentwood, Billericay & Wickford GP.

04/08/2025

🌟Are you a good parent?...🥰

03/08/2025

Sadly this is very important to some out there ….

If you’re a survivor of with a secret or secondary phone, the government’s could reveal your phone even if it’s on silent.

There will be another test of the emergency alerts on Sunday 7th September. If you're concerned this test and any future alerts could reveal your phone, watch our guide to disable them:

iPhone - https://brnw.ch/21wUCqA
Android - https://brnw.ch/21wUCqB

01/08/2025

Generally, the more your baby feeds, the more breast milk you'll produce.

Let your baby guide you as to how often to feed, especially in the early days, rather than sticking to set times.

Here are some common breastfeeding issues, and tips on what to do:
https://www.nhs.uk/start-for-life/baby/feeding-your-baby/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-challenges/colic/

01/08/2025

🌟Depression in Fathers🌟

Becoming a father can be a stressful and isolating experience; the pressures of being a the ‘perfect’ father, lack of sleep, extra responsibilities, greater financial pressures and changes in relationships and lifestyle can all impact negatively on mental health.
Research has shown that around 1:6 new fathers experience postnatal depression, that figure may be higher as sadly there is still a taboo around the subject.

Having a history of or ongoing depression also makes fathers-to-be at increased risk both antenatally and postnatally. Research is still in its infancy but anecdotal evidence already shows that the Covid-19 pandemic has made depression even worse for new fathers and family units.

The clinical signs and symptoms of paternal depression are similar to those that we typically see in depressed mothers such as low mood and lack of enjoyment.

Many fathers struggle with feelings of guilt and worries they are ‘not good enough’. However, when fathers are depressed they tend to express their emotions differently and often feel unable to seek help and keep their feeling buried.

It is important that fathers are encouraged to access help from the GP early if they are struggling with their emotion well-being.

We encourage fathers-to-be and new fathers to access support and information services either online or in their local areas.

💜Please do not struggle alone - help IS out there.💜

Listed below are some websites, pages and Apps that may be of use to ALL fathers. If you have any other sites to share please list in comment's below!

♦DAD MATTERS: https://dadmatters.org.uk/
♦Parents 1st Dads & Partners Guide: https://parents1st.org.uk/dads-and-partners-guide
♦DOPE BLACK DADS: https://dopeblackdads.com/
♦DAD PAD: https://www.facebook.com/dadpaduk https://www.thedadpad.co.uk/
♦TOMMY's: https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/blogs-and-stories/after-birth/tommys-midwives/postnatal-depression-men
♦BBC – Tiny Happy People – Dads and PND: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/articles/zkx3sk7
♦BBC – Tiny Happy People – Dads and mental health: https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people/articles/zb7svk7