PP Leaflet (ideas needed)

[Bookwormprincess]

Dear friends,

I am currently helping to design and publish an in-house leaflet for the East Kent Early Intervention in Psychosis Service (EIP) about Postpartum Psychosis. EIP is only 5 years old in my area and 3 ½ years ago I was the first postpartum case they had come across. There have since been 4 other Mums. I would really have benefited from reading something specific about my illness rather than floundering around in the dark for what seemed like ages, even after a diagnosis.

So I was wondering if you could put your thinking caps on and pass on any pearls of wisdom about what you would like to see in a leaflet about PP.

Those of you who have had PP will have insight into the illness and can provide information that you feel would have helped you or helped friends and family understand what you were going through or what you wished you’d have known beforehand (that would be a long list probably!). Those of you who didn’t have PP can imagine what it is you would like to know had you never heard of the illness and were sitting in an antenatal clinic browsing literature, i.e. things to look out for etc.

Every expectant mother needs to be informed about PP, even those who have had another form of PNI with an earlier child because it can happen to anyone whatever their history.

One of the team suggested I include a small excerpt of my story and a photo of myself and the boys but as much as I want to make it personable and something Mums can relate to I am not sure I am brave enough for that . What do you think?

Thanks x

[Hopeful]

This sounds fab. Will have a think and get back to you - what a great idea xx

[Bookwormprincess]

Thanks.
Something I've wanted to do for a long time. I am a volunteer peer support worker for EIP now and also part of the communications group working on raising awareness so I was given the opportunity to run with my leaflet idea.

[Weeble]

I am very impressed bwp what a positive thing to do with you experience. I have a good friend who had pp and is doing a similar thing in a different part of the country, she has been an amazing support to me and convinced me to ask for more help and stop harming myself. would you like me to put you two in touch if she is willing?

Kat

[Bookwormprincess]

Hi Kat,
Thanks for the encouragement. I am finding healing in being proactive. It's all part of a journey and if you'd told me 3, 2 or even 1 years ago that I'd be doing this I'd have laughed and said it wouldn't be possible. But here I am! The leaflet is only the beginning.

Yes it would be great for you to introduce me to your friend. How would you do it? I have facebook set up so anyone can message me if you want to do it that way or just direct her to this site and specific thread. Make sure she mentions you and the reason she's getting in touch. My memory is like a sieve!

[Weeble]

Healing from the first crisis is hard I have found I am still totally haunted by mine and the situations I found myself it, so it's great that you are being so positive. I have noticed that fear of pp is a fairly common problem for women with pni so hopefully your work can help dispel that to.

I have contacted my friend about your work. If she is interested I will pop you both in touch.

Kat

[Bookwormprincess]

I think healing from traumatic events can take years so don't be hard on yourself. It's only since I have started to talk with my psychologisit about how things affected me and how the flashbacks are affecting me now that I feel I am making progress. I think I am just lucky to have been looked after by such a caring team who stick with you for 3 years in order to help you make a full recovery, so having their support even though I have been well is what has facilliatated the beginning of my healing. Also having a second child and being well has helped a long way towards that healing too.

But services for women with any kind of perinatal mental health issues are sadly very lacking so it can be hit and miss as to whether a woman is cared for well along the whole process of her recovery in my opinion. You will get there in the end Kat, and if you can allow yourself, your body and mind to process the trauma with the right support you will be able to face it more easily over time. There are ladies who've had similar experiences to me that are 2 years further down the line and they give me hope that I will find things less painful when I look back eventually. Time and courage are great healers.

I think you are right that women with PNI who visit sites like this and therefore find out about PP do fear that they may have it or develop it. Hopefully the more we can get across the symptoms and signs people will have an idea of what it is so fears such as that will be dismissed. But if a woman feels she can tick the boxes and is fearful, then she should seek help immediately. The earlier it is treated the better and quicker the recovery.

Thanks for passing on details to you friend.

[Weeble]

So true bwp. Services are so lacking. When I was at my illest I was only offered acute adult beds local to us. The nearest mbu was three hours away. I absolutely refused to be separated from my three year old and didn't want to stop feeding so I had no choice but to stay at home unless they forced me.

I have told my psychologist about my problems with what happened. She says I will only heal as I am able to talk about the other stuff, so fingers crossed it will happen.

Kat

[Weeble]

Hi bwp

Just to let you know have not heard back from my friend yet.

Kat