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We want to know more about your experience of mental health support when planning to get pregnant, during pregnancy, at the birth of your child and afterwards.News -
The NHS in England has published a ten year plan setting its priorities for the future.News -
Download and view our digital tools so that people can have their say on how to improve their local NHS.Blog -
Maxine tells us about the multitude of factors that contributed to her mental illness as a new mum, as well as the support she thinks other mothers need to help them stay well.Blog -
Rachel experienced anxiety and depression throughout her pregnancy and after her baby was born. Read her story to understand just how important it is that mums and their partners receive the right support for their mental health.Blog -
As well as a difficult pregnancy, Kristy felt pressure both to breastfeed and to produce 'the perfect family'. Thanks to the support from her husband and home birth midwives, Kristy sought the help she needed for her mental health.Blog -
After months of caring for an unwell baby who was screaming 15 hours a day, Helen found herself resenting her daughter and wanting to leave her family. She explains how speaking to a counsellor has helped her to recognise and manage her depression.Blog -
Maria faced a number of challenges as a new mum both during and after her pregnancy. The focus from staff on her weight, a history of depression and anxiety, and the mental health challenges her partner, Simon*, faced all led to a feeling of failure.Blog -
Helen had postnatal depression (PND) following the birth of her son. She explains what she thinks could have made her first weeks as a new mum better, and the importance of making sure parents get the help they need, when they need it.Blog -
It took two and a half years for Jane’s* son to be diagnosed with gastritis. She explains how months and months of pushing for him to get the help he needed affected her mental health.Blog -
After a traumatic birth, Zoe struggled to get the support she needed to prepare for the arrival of her second baby. She shares her story about the impact this had on her mental health, and how she’d like things to be different for other mums.Report -
Find out what's working well for people and what needs to improve when it comes to people about their mental health experiences before, during and after pregnancy, in our new report.Blog -
Sharelle had a traumatic experience giving birth to her first son, which caused her to become anxious when she was pregnant with her second. This is her story.News -
In our new report, we share what parents have told us about their experiences of mental health problems during and after pregnancy, and call on services to give people more opportunities to talk about their mental wellbeing.Advice and Information -
It's so important that you feel supported as a new parent. Read the article below to find out where you can go to get the help you need.News -
With a report out today highlighting that one in three women do not feel they are always given the information they need during labour, we take a look at what people have been telling local Healthwatch about maternity services.
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Women and families are getting the help they need after suffering the loss of a baby, thanks to support from people who have been through the same thing.News -
Find out about our celebration of the contribution made by local staff and volunteers who helped gather more than half a million people's views last year.Blog -
Last year, thousands of women told us about their experiences of mental health problems during and after pregnancy – including those who lost their babies. As part of Baby Loss Awareness Week, we're sharing stories people have shared.Blog -
For Baby Loss Awareness Week, we're sharing stories people have shared about the impact that miscarriage and stillbirth had on their mental health, and how the support given to parents should improve.Blog -
In our blog for Baby Loss Awareness Week, people share their experience of baby loss, the impact it had on their mental health and the support they wish they’d received.Blog -
From April, all new mothers will receive a six-week mental health check-up. Find out why this would not have happened if people had remained silent.News -
One in five local Healthwatch have identified better maternity services as a priority for their communities in the past two years. We look at the work one local Healthwatch did to find out what women think a great maternity service looks like.
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Published today, Every Voice Matters, our Annual Report to Parliament 2015-16, outlines how together we are putting people at the heart of care.News -
We are delighted to announce the shortlist for the Healthwatch Awards 2020.Response -
Maternity services in England must become safer, more personalised, kinder, professional and more family-friendly.Report -
Since COVID-19 struck, the work of the Healthwatch network to support and listen to local people became more crucial than ever. Find out more in our 2019-20 annual report to Parliament about how we have helped make care better.Report -
Our new report, published today, highlights five common concerns that people across England have shared with Healthwatch about maternity services.Advice and Information -
Understanding the symptoms of flu and what the flu vaccine is helps you make informed decisions about your health.Report -
Our new research explores experiences of maternity services.Advice and Information -
Becoming a parent can be a wonderful and exciting experience, but it can also be overwhelming. To help, we’ve broken down the pregnancy care you should expect from the NHS.News -
Pregnancy is a major life event for any family. It can be joyful and fulfilling but also challenging. We’re launching a national survey to understand if care works for new mothers and birthing parents. Share your story.News -
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has published its annual State of Care report, which highlights that gridlocked health and care system is leading to deterioration in people’s access to and experience of care.Advice and Information -
What is the six-week postnatal check for new mothers and why it’s important that you attend it? In this advice piece, we cover all the basic questions you may have about it.News -
Having a baby can bring many positive feelings and experiences but can also be overwhelming and challenging. Getting the proper support is vital to help new mums and their babies stay well. Find out how this is improving in South Gloucestershire.News -
Recent reports highlight consistent failures in maternity care. Find out what we're calling for to help people get the right care and support they need.News -
Deep-dive analysis of experiences of 2,693 new mothers and birthing parents shows that six-week postnatal checks – required of GPs in England - are failing many new mothers. We call for action.Response -
NHS maternity delivery plan includes steps that new mothers have told us would help to improve mental health support. Read our response.Blog -
Your experiences of maternal mental health care continue to shape NHS services, with NHS England recently announcing improvements to maternity and neo-natal services. Over the coming weeks, we will be sharing stories from new mothers to highlight the importance of delivering on those plans.Blog -
Research shows that continuity of carer is best practice in maternity care. Yet, the experiences of the new mothers we spoke to showed that services don’t always implement it. Read their stories.Blog -
Research shows mental health issues are widespread and of significant concern for new parents. Yet, the new mothers we interviewed faced substantial challenges in accessing mental health services. Read their stories.Blog -
The commitment to personalised care has been a cornerstone of NHS policy on maternity care for many years. A crucial part of personalised care is good communication, listening and agreeing on actions together. In this blog, we share new mothers' stories highlighting the role of communication and choice.Blog -
The statutory inquiry into how nurse Lucy Letby was able to murder seven babies is likely to result in lessons that the wider NHS needs to act on. One of the questions it will need to explore is how the NHS can tackle the culture of denial and secrecy that often lies at the heart of tragic scandals.Response -
Care Quality Commission has today published its annual State of Care report, highlighting that a combination of cost-of-living crisis and workforce pressures risks ‘unfair care’ for many people. Read our response.Report -
This briefing shows how people's experiences can be used to support the development of a long-term vision for the NHS to strengthen these services.
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Thanks to over 2,500 people who shared their views on the six-week check-up, we have ensured that the NHS prioritises mental health support for new parents.
