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Posted by Elaine Hanzak on 04 Dec 2014 /
6 Comments
I have just heard that the body of a woman, thought to be Charlotte Bevan, has been found in the Avon gorge. She gave birth to her daughter (as yet also missing), four days ago. She walked out of hospital with her, simply wearing thin clothes and flip flops in near freezing temperatures. I have just read that she was 30 years old; it was her first baby and according to her distraught partner, Charlotte (pictured here) suffered from schizophrenia and depression.
Of course I do not know all the full details. I do know how upset I am for another tragic death and my heart and prayers go out to her family and friends who must be reeling with the shock, horror and pain of this tragedy.
Why I am so upset for a lady I have never met? Because I came so close to ending my life as a new mother too. I also went walking in the darkness of a cold December night wearing just a nightdress. I didn’t know where I was going. I just know that my head and mind were in such chaos and confusion, that a walk in the gentle rain made me feel more peaceful. Had geography been different, I too could so easily have become another ‘suicide’ victim. Instead, I was found curled up on a church doorstep – looking for peace of mind. It wasn’t an easy journey for my family and I back to recovery, yet it happened. It IS possible to be given treatment and get better from extreme perinatal mental ill health. And that is one reason why I hurt tonight for Charlotte. I can fully empathise where her mind was – it had ‘gone’. No doubt people will judge her with comments such as ‘she should have counted her blessings’, etc. yet when you wander like that, rational thoughts just aren’t part of it.
When I was walking those cold, wet, streets 18 years ago, did I feel the cold and wet? No. Did I feel the stones and gravel under my feet? No. Did I think about my gorgeous son and my wonderful family who I would leave behind distraught? No. I did not knowingly want to die – I did want my brain to be switched off. I wanted it to stop so I could rest.
Why am I so upset for a family I have never met? Because I have known the joy that a baby can bring to a family through my sister’s little girl Sophie. I know the pleasure and pride that we all have in having her in our lives. I ‘missed’ my son’s first year by being ill. I love being a mother and count my blessings everyday with the love and life I have had with him since and for the future. Charlotte and her family have had all this snubbed out.
Why am I so upset for her partner whom I do not know? Because I know the pain that sudden death has through losing my partner when he had a heart attack almost four years ago. That intense grief is the worst pain I have ever experienced. Instead of rejoicing in a new baby, they will be planning a funeral.
Why am I so upset for the healthcare professionals whom are involved? Because I have yet to meet one who knowingly wants harm to come to those in their care. I strongly suspect that there will be an inquiry as to why Charlotte and her daughter were able to simply walk out of the hospital. My initial thoughts are why wasn’t she under greater security measures due to her existing history of mental health issues?
It does make me angry at how easily perinatal mental health can be pushed aside by some in society and for the funding of services. Each time one of these deaths hits the headlines, my resolve grows even more to continue to stand up and shout about how devastating these illnesses can be. It is NOT simply a case of a new mother ‘overacting to the pressures of motherhood’, as one GP described me a few days before I went ‘walkabout’. I wonder how they would have felt if my body had been found in bits?
I ask that we all have Charlotte’s family and friends in our thoughts and prayers. Nothing will bring her back. I continue to hope that her daughter is found safely. Just maybe she found a shred of logic to place her somewhere safe.
Yes, maternal deaths are relatively rare, yet for those involved, each one is one too many. Lives are lost and changed forever.
I ask you all to do what you can to improve perinatal mental services wherever you are.
1. Share and shout about how the cost to the public sector is 5 times the cost of improving services (this does not include the priceless personal costs). www.everyonesbusiness.org.uk . Canvass your local MP, GPs, media, etc.
2. If you have recently had a baby and are finding it more difficult than you expected – speak to someone! You can get treatment and get better.
3. As a society, let’s treat mental illness just as importantly as physical ones with parity of esteem and a non-judgemental approach.
PLEASE – let’s stop these deaths.
Very sad tonight
Elaine
6 Comments for Another death of a new mother – perinatal mental health MUST be taken seriously
Elaine Hanzak
m: 07762 148183
e: elaine@hanzak.com
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Very very well said ..
Great post. Fortunately my wife did not suffer from post-natal depression but our first daughter lost weight in the first few days due to lack of breast milk and we were forced back to hospital by a local midwife, my wife was bullied and treated like a cow in dairy by a ‘breast feeding specialist’.
My wife had had not a wink of sleep in several days after an extremely long labour. For a short time the way she was speaking didn’t even sound like the person I had known for years!
Thankfully, the milk came through and we were both delighted to be parents but we got a glimpse of how fragile mental health can be at this time, even for a perfectly normal woman with no history of mental health issues.
Tragedy again. Your words speak for the tens of thousands of us who have made that same walk on a December night. I too walked toward an end to suffering just to rest after the birth of my son. When news like this comes, everyone in the field is effected–we all feel it. I just wanted you to know that your words helped, and that while I am in the US, I feel it.
Such a wise post sadly its more common than we realise depression suicide being the leading cause of Maternal death in developed countries in the first year post partum. Certainly in the UK the support is patchy for new mums. PANDAS Foundation supports and is involved in trying to advise on changes but as anything with the NHS it is slow. RIP To both Mother and Baby
A thought provoking statement. I too suffered perinatal depression due to already having one child with multiple and profound learning difficulties. I’d had genetic counselling and was informed that if I have boys the chances of it happening again were 1:4. I’d already had 4 miscarriages but this time I was carrying for a lot longer than I dared hope. My husband and I decided not to have any testing done, or to find out the sex of the baby. It was the longest 9 months of my life. I was scared, worried, apprehensive and above all else I was wondering whether I had made the right decision.
I was in and out of hospital throughout my pregnancy. Mostly because I had pubic symphysis but mostly because I was depressed. Luckily, I was flagged up and I had a fantastic team of psychiatric nurses helping me through. Post delivery, my midwife and health visitor were a constant feature in my life for the first few months. I will be eternally grateful for this support.
My baby? He is nearly 13 now and is our little miracle! He’s in top sets for every subject, he is very athletic and sporty. He loves football and is one of the nicest people you could meet. I do count my blessings every day and I’m thankful that I had people to step in and help me. Otherwise, I too could quite easily have become a statistic.
Thank you Elaine for your comments. X
I’m so sorry to hear the news about Charlotte Bevan and her baby. I feel sad that no one was there to help My wife suffered from a mental health issue associated with child birth (puerperal psychosis). There are specialist units in the UK which can help mothers with these mental health conditions and a quick referral to these units is required. Awareness of these conditions needs to be raised in the general medical community (even in maternity wards).