Organisations, blogs and communities for support around wellbeing

Organisations, blogs and communities that provide support with issues around wellbeing and mental health in pregnancy and afterwards

Organisations that support on various topics

Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP)

Information and support on postpartum psychosis, online chatroom, peer support network.

Visit the APP  website.

Anxiety UK

Organisation run by with anxiety disorders, offering information, support and therapies for people experiencing anxiety.

Helpline: 08444 775 774.

Visit the Anxiety UK website.

B-EAT

Eating disorders charity providing information, support, local groups and an online chatroom.

Helpline: 0845 634 1414.

Visit the B-EAT website.

Bipolar UK

Information and support, local groups and an online chatroom for people with bipolar disorder.

Visit the Bipolar UK website.

Bipolar Fellowship Scotland

Information, support and advice for people with bipolar disorder.

Visit the Bipolar Fellowship Scotland website.

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Provides information for those who are considering some form of counselling.

Call them on 01455 883316.

Visit the BACP Website.

British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP)

Can provide details of accredited therapists.

babcp.com

Counselling Directory

For professional counsellors and psychotherapists.

counselling-directory.org.uk

Maternal OCD

Maternal OCD is a voluntary organisation dedicated to raising the profile of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) for mothers. 

Call the OCD Action helpline on 0845 390 6232 or 0207 253 2664.

Email: [email protected]

Visit the Maternal OCD website

MIND

Mental health charity providing information, support, local groups and an online chatroom

Call them on 0300 123 3393.

Visit the MIND website.

Mumsnet

Although they do not provide advice Mumsnet has a very supportive mental health forum.

Visit the Mumsnet mental health forum.

No Panic                          

Online and telephone support for people suffering from panic attacks, phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and anxiety disorders.

Helpline: 0800 138 88 89

Visit the No Panic website.

OCD Action

Provides telephone advice, online chatroom, local support groups for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Helpline: 0845 390 6232

Visit the OCD Action website.

OCD-UK

Provides telephone advice, online chatroom, local support groups for people with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

Helpline: 0845 120 3778.

Visit the OCD-UK website.

PANDAS (Pre and Postnatal Depression Advice and Support)

Provides telephone support, online information and local support groups for pregnancy depression and postnatal depression.

Helpline: 0843 2898401.

Visit the PANDAS website.

Rethink

Supports people across England to get through mental health crises, to live independently and to realise they are not alone. Find a support group in your area.

Call the mental illness advice service on 0300 5000 927 (10am-2pm Mon-Fri) or use the contact form on their site

Visit the Rethink website

Samaritans

Confidential service offering emotional support to those in need.

Call them on 08457 90 90 90.

Visit the Samaritans website.

Respond

A range of services to people with learning disabilities, including victims of sexual abuse. 

respond.org.uk

Mencap

Information and advice for people with a learning disability, families and carers

mencap.org.uk

Victim Support

Support and information to people affected by crime, including rape and sexual abuse, as a victim or a witness. 

victimsupport.org.uk

NAPAC (National Association for People Abused in Childhood)

Support, advice and guidance for adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse – sexual, physical or emotional

napac.org.uk

Samaritans

24-hour support for anyone experiencing distress, despair or suicidal thoughts.

samaritans.org 

Refuge

0808 2000 247 Freephone 24 hour National Domestic Violence Helpline run with Women’s Aid

refuge.org.uk

Women's Aid (UK)

The National Domestic Violence charity

womensaid.org.uk

Women's Aid (Wales)

helpline: 0808 80 10 800 
welshwomensaid.org.uk

Ashiana

Aims to help prevent murder and serious harm to black, Asian, minority ethnic and refugee women in England, Wales and Scotland as a result of domestic abuse and forced marriage and 'honour'-based violence. Also supports children and young people.

ashianasheffield.org 

The Forced Marriage Unit

020 7008 0151

Joint initiative between the Foreign Office and Home Office. It assists actual and potential victims of forced marriage, as well as professionals working in the social, educational and health sectors.

[email protected]
gov.uk/forced-marriage 

Maternity allowances and benefits

Find out about all the benefits you may be able to access during and after pregnancy

https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/families

Citizens Advice

The Citizens Advice website offers a range of self-help advice:

Disability DIAL

There are around 120 local Disability Information and Advice Line services (DIALs) throughout Great Britain run by and for disabled people. To find out if there is a DIAL that covers your area:

(01302) 310 123 
www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/dial/about

Disability Rights UK

Website offers a range of information about benefits for disabled people
disabilityrightsuk.org

Gov.uk

Government benefit adviser facility

gov.uk/benefits-adviser

SEAP

Tool available to help people prepare for benefits assessments

seap.org.uk

Shelter

For information about housing benefit and council tax

england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/advice_services_directory

Turn2us

Help to understand more about the welfare benefits system and what might be available to you, depending on your personal situation.

turn2us.org.uk 

British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Provides information for those who are considering some form of counselling.

Call them on 01455 883316.

Visit the BACP Website.

The Couple Connection

Relationship advice and support.

Visit the Couple Connection website

Contact a Family

Offers advice and information for families with disabled children.

Helpline: 0808 808 3555.

Visit the Contact a Family website.

Family Lives

Support for anyone parenting a child.

Helpline: 0808 800 2222.

Visit the Family Lives website.

Gingerbread

Information and support for lone parents online and through a network of local groups.

Helpline: 0808 802 0925.

Visit the Gingerbread website.

Home-Start

Support for families with young children.

Call them on 0800 068 63 68.

Visit the Home-Start website.

Rainbow Trust

Supports families with children who suffer from a life-threatening or terminal illness.

Call them on 01372 363438.

Visit the Rainbow Trust website.

Communities where you can get pregnancy and parenting peer support

Off and online communities are great ways to meet new mums and get peer support on all sorts of issues.

Offline

NCT antenatal classes

The National Childbirth Trust runs paid-for antenatal classes to prepare mums for having a baby. You need to join these yourself by looking for classes available in your area.

www.nct.org.uk

NHS antenatal classes

The NHS organises free antenatal classes to prepare mums for having a baby. You will be told about your local classes and times as part of your antenatal care.

Read more about NHS antenatal classes here 

Online

Don't forget to check for local forums as well. They often have pregnancy/baby/parenting threads where you can arrange local face-to-face meet-ups.

Babycentre

Forum with threads on all issues related to pregnancy, birth and parenting.

www.babycentre.co.uk

Made for Mums

Forum with threads on all issues related to pregnancy, birth and parenting.

www.madeformums.com

Mumsnet

Forum with threads on all issues related to pregnancy, birth and parenting.

www.mumsnet.com

Netmums

Forum with threads on all issues related to pregnancy, birth and parenting. Has local groups as well as a national forum

www.netmums.com

Apps

These two parent/community apps allow you to meet other mums or pregnant women in your area.

Mush

https://letsmush.com/

Peanut

https://www.peanut-app.io/

"When my son was stillborn, I couldn’t find anything to read about the mum’s personal experiences and what to expect. I could only find charity pages and formal information. I needed something real, something I could relate to. It’s now been some time since my son passed away and I’m hoping by doing this families can find comfort that they are not alone and it’s okay." Hannah Pontillo

This is a list of blogs and social accounts from women who have suffered pregnancy loss/es or preterm birth. Some have worked with us to raise awareness and the importance of research in reducing loss. All write movingly about their experiences of loss, life after loss and, in some cases, pregnancy and parenting after loss.

Legacy of Leo 

Jess shares the story of Leo Phoenix, her son who was stillborn in 2016, and what followed his birth. She is passionate about raising awareness, supporting others and sharing the honest truth of fertility treatment, baby loss, stillbirth, miscarriage and pregnancy after loss. As well as blogging she is on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

https://thelegacyofleo.com/

From the other chair 

Michelle's daughter Orla was stillborn. As a clinical psychologist, Michelle talks openly and honestly about loss and mental health from both the personal and professional viewpont. As well as blogging she is on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

www.fromtheotherchair.co.uk

The uterus monologues

Jennie Agg is a writer and journalist and started her blog in 2017, writing about her experience of recurrent miscarriage. 

https://uterusmonologues.com/about/

https://www.instagram.com/jenniemonologues/

Feathering the empty nest

Elle Wright's son Teddy died 3 days after he was born. She writes about life after loss in her book 'Ask me his name' as well as in her blog and social accounts.

http://www.featheringtheemptynest.co.uk/

Mama Prozac

Laura Deadman Jones suffered 6 miscarriages in total before having her rainbow baby Ivy.

www.instagram.com/mamaprozac

This is my brave face

Amy Campbell is a mother of twins, Charlotte and Esme, who was born on the 10th July 2016 and died 30th August 2016. 

https://thisismybraveface.blog/about/

Francesca Segal

When novelist Francesca Segal’s identical twin daughters were born 10 weeks prematurely – one weighing just 2lb, the other even less – she and her husband Gabe had no idea whether they would survive. Here, she shares her intimate diary of that first agonising month in neonatal intensive care

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/diary-premature-birth-twins-weight-apples-couldnt-come-now/ www.instagram.com/francescasegal

Help a mummy out

In 2017 Louise was pregnant with twins. At 28 weeks she lost one baby and the other, daughter Eva was born too soon. 

https://www.helpamummyout.co.uk/ 

www.instagram.com/helpamummyout

Hannah Pontillo

Hannah started her blog because when her son Dexy was stillborn. She wants to help others navigate life after loss as well as raising awareness of baby loss in the UK.

https://hannahpontillo.com/about-me/

www.instagram.com/hannahpontillo