Thought Pieces & Videos

The fourth trimester, the first three months after the baby is born, can be a challenging and exhausting time for all people involved. Often, we have non-birthing parents ask us how they can better support their partner during this period - ‘What can I do?’, ‘What shouldn’t I do?' ‘How do I help best?’

Becoming pregnant, pregnancy, child birth and looking after a newborn baby are all challenging in their unique ways - and, if you’ve had challenges with your mental health in the past - it can be invaluable to have a preconception psychiatric assessment. But - what actually is that? What does it entail? And how can it help both you and your baby now, and in the future?

Pregnancy, birth and the fourth trimester is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, test for the human body and mind. This means that the likelihood of any illness, including psychiatric, occurring is higher in in this time of life than any other. Here Dr Livia Martucci, Consultant Psychiatrist and Perinatal Mental Health Specialist, talks through some of what she feels are the most important things to be aware of during this phase of life.

The active decision not to have children is one that more and more people are making, but is also one that can feel like it comes under scrutiny, and is subject to judgement. Dr Livia Martucci, Consultant Psychiatrist, offers her advice and words of guidance for those both struggling in this decision process, and those also now feeling challenged by how to navigate after making their decision.

Post-partum psychosis is an uncommon, but very serious, condition that can occur to new mothers, after birth. Here, Dr Livia Martucci, Consultant Psychiatrist and Perinatal Mental Health Specialist, talks through the details of what post-partum psychosis actually is, what the ‘warning’ signs and symptoms are, what you should do if you are concerned about yourself or a loved one, and how the condition is treated.

Bringing a new baby into the world is a hugely impactful event for anyone. It is therefore completely expected that you won’t feel “normal” - your own version of normal has been completely shifted, and there will be a period where you will be finding yourself again.

Many parents report that building a bond with their newborn is a process that takes time; it is not always a lightbulb moment, and there isn’t always a split-second where you suddenly connect with your baby in a profound, life-changing way. And that’s OK! Dr Isabel McMullen, Consultant Psychiatrist, talks through this bonding process, as well as gives some practical tips on what you can do to foster and promote bonding and connection.

No one exists in a vacuum. Anyone who has experienced a notable physical injury or condition, or had a period of mental ill health, will know that invariably it will also have had an impact on those around them. The same is absolutely true with PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder), and here Dr Isabel McMullen, Consultant Psychiatrist, talks to us about how partners of those of PMDD can best support their loved ones.

Deciding whether to have children is a hugely personal choice and, often, includes so many considerations and factors it can be hard to even keep track of all the aspects. Perhaps surprisingly, this internal debate is something that is often brought to mental health professionals as an independent, impartial facilitator, and a sympathetic ear.

Whilst there is thankfully a notable increase now in the understanding of menopause, and it’s impact on women as they age, there remains limits on the understanding of perimenopause - the months or years that precede the menopause, but which still has dramatic impact on women’s physical, mental and cognitive health.

Understanding when PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) meets the threshold for PMDD (pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder), the more severe condition associated with hormonal change through the menstrual cycle, is the first important step someone can make in treating what is often a truly debilitating condition. The second step, of course, is effective treatment.

There is much dialogue on how autism presents differently in men and women. While there isn’t a person with autism that presents the same as another, it is reasonable to say that there are different manifestations of the core features of autism, and these can become more pronounced in the different sexes. The diagnosis is hugely diverse, but here Dr Caryl Marshall, Consultant Psychiatrist, talks through some of the variances between autism in men and women, and how they can present.

Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) is a household name - the cluster of symptoms that come in the days and weeks before your monthly period. But what about when “PMS” symptoms are severe, and debilitating enough to seriously impact your day to day life?

A heightened sense of anxiety after becoming pregnant is entirely normal - after all, there is so much to think about, and so many new emotions and considerations that will be coming up day by day. There is an acceptable threshold however, between what we can consider anxiety as part of the human experience, and anxiety that negatively impacts and impairs your ability to life through your day to day life.

Becoming a parent is likely to be the biggest life change to date for both members of a couple. Although postpartum depression is typically associated with women, increasing numbers of new fathers have reported feelings of low mood and anxiety while adjusting to life with a newborn.