Mission

Mums-aid wants to ensure that women with PND receive early effective support as soon as possible by raising awareness and providing accessible counselling services. Postnatal Depression (PND) affects an estimated 1 in 5 new mothers and poses a significant challenge to maternal healthcare provision. It is also known that pnd impacts considerabley on the baby and families of those affected. We are now aware of the potentially long term, adverse consequences of difficulties in the mother-infant relationship, and an ever-growing body of research illustrates the impact of poor bonding on the babies of those who have experienced depression.  We know too that a depressed mother is likely to struggle to provide as much stimulation in terms of talking, touching and looking at her baby, as she might otherwise do. Such failures in interaction are not just damaging to the baby’s cognitive and linguistic abilities but may also have a detrimental effect on the baby’s emotional development with repercussions for self-regulation (ability to manage stress) and for the baby’s own attachment style and ability to form securely attached relationships. By providing support to struggling mothers we can act as an early intervention sevice preventing the problems that arise when families do not receive support, including relationship breakdown, children developing adhd and then all the associated social problems that can lead to for the family and society.  

Category

Food

Additional Information

MumsAid is a non-profit organisation that aims to improve maternal mental health. We are committed to removing the barriers which may prevent women seeking help by challenging the stigma that often surrounds postnatal depression and by raising awareness.  We have a small group of trained and experienced volunteer counsellors who deliver research informed, specialist therapeutic services, namely Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), as recommended by NICE guidelines, to individuals experiencing difficulties in their own mental health and their ability to parent.  The service is provided in children's centres and managed by a psychotherapist (unpaid) with 13 years experience and a good track record of delvering effective support to women with pnd and their famiies.