My Blog

On 17th January 2005 the first copies of my story  ‘Eyes without Sparkle – a journey through postnatal illness’ were published. This was my son and I at the launch party we held for it back then – and us at Christmas a few weeks ago.

What a ten years it has been! Little did we know then how life would change for us. My personal stories have often featured in my blog and my regular followers and friends will be aware of some of the roller coaster ride of events I have been on. Relationships and people have been lost – and many gained.  I am very happy in my life at the moment. My son and I have a lovely relationship and I am very proud that he is now away studying for his degree in photography. 10 years ago I was a school teacher – now I am an executive PA and coach for The Real Leadership Company. This allows me the flexibility to continue my passion and purpose in life in helping make early parenthood healthier and happier for others.

The publication of my book heralded a new career for me, speaking and writing about postnatal depression. I have been thrilled to appear on national television, radio and media on numerous occasions. I have spoken to many thousands of people over the years now, and hopefully increased their awareness of how postnatal illness can wreck lives – and also inspired that you can recover from a mental illness. I have been to several other countries as a result, including Australia and America. I am currently completing the final touches to my next book:

‘Another twinkle in the eye? – A guide for parents and for professionals contemplating another pregnancy after perinatal mental illness’

It should be published in June/July this year. I am excited to anticipate the effects that this may have. I shall be forever humbled and proud that my first book helped five ladies (as they have told me), giving them the hope and encouragement to keep on living as opposed to suicide.

I feel that the main way I want to mark this occasion is by saying that I feel 2015 is the most optimistic I have ever felt about the progress in getting awareness, recognition and hopefully more services for perinatal mental health in the UK than I have ever felt before.

In the last 10 years the explosion of technology and social media has enabled so much more communication. The mobile phone and the ability to text has been a great step forward in assisting new mothers (and fathers) to feel less isolated. It is often easier to send a text or to reply to one when you feel low, than it is to speak to someone.  We are beginning to see specific apps designed to support new parents, e.g. Mind the Bump, and Baby Buddy.

The internet has given us a whole new world of opportunities and information. We can now all go on-line and discover facts about conditions surrounding pregnancy and birth, for example. Websites like Netmums and PNI.org.uk have been brilliant in connecting parents who are faced with difficulties in their mental health before or after child birth. The world has become smaller as we can easily share the knowledge of good practice and advice from all over the world, e.g. Postpartum Progress in USA and  Beyond Blue in Australia. We have the incredible International Marce Society, where all the key research and development in this area is shared.

We have seen a much bigger movement of ladies and some men sharing their experiences to assist and support others and to tackle the stigma around mental illness.  People like Rosey, who up in her home in the islands off Scotland felt isolated so began with a simple idea of dedicating an hour each week on Twitter to chat to others about the challenges they are facing at #PNDHour. Congratulations to her on her one year anniversary – I know that she and many others are meeting and celebrating that in Edinburgh this weekend. I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.

I feel that the media, in general, have ‘upped their game’ in covering more reports about the awareness of perinatal ill health. Just the use of the term ‘perinatal’ referring to both the antenatal and postnatal periods is now much more used. The acknowledgement that depression and anxiety in pregnancy is also far more common knowledge now.

Sadly we are still hearing reports of ladies who are so ill that they take their own lives and sometimes the lives of their babies as well. The most recent one was Charlotte Bevan just before Christmas. I know I am not the only former sufferer who feels the pain around the news like that – it is a mixture of ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ and the anger and frustration that it was allowed to happen. Each one is one too many.

And that’s why there are so many of us now campaigning together to get the ‘parity of esteem’ between physical and mental healthcare around pregnancy and postnatally. We know what the signs and symptoms are. We know how to minimise and cure it. That is why I also celebrate the emergence of the Maternal Mental Health Alliance over the last couple of years. At long last we have reports and maps showing where we have great practice and where we have none. We now know that it costs 5 times more by NOT putting in services! If you haven’t seen this economic report, I strongly suggest that you do.

Up and down the country there are Special Interest Groups within Strategic Clinical Networks in the NHS  being run with some aimed at Perinatal Mental Health – I am involved in one here in the North West.  This is a definite way that patients can influence planning for services in their area.

The perinatal campaign is also now in the Houses of Parliament. Through the APPG 1001Critical Days we are all invited to get involved and let our MP’s know how crucial the services for perinatal mental health are to all the family.

My aim in writing my first book was to give others hope. As Dale Carnegie wrote

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all.”

I am determined to continue to drive forward with that message of hope. I know that I am alongside many others as we all strive to make early parenthood the joy that it deserves to be. Thank you if you have chosen to be part of it – there were many more I could have listed here.

Where will the next 10 years take us?

“Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope or confidence.” —Helen Keller

What will you and can you do to join in?

Elaine 🙂

P. S. And yes, my eyes sparkle again!