The new mother had 'terrible' ideas to hurt her child

Matthew Hill

BBC News, West of England

36 -year -old Becky came to know of postpartum depression and anxiety

A mother who was plagued by the ideas of hurting herself and her newborn, has spoken amidst the increase in new mummies seeking help for her mental health.

An expert service that provides delivery mental health treatment to the west of England, has seen an increase of 80% in referral in the last three years.

Becky said to Bath that he had “absolutely terrible” ideas to hurt his son and was in danger of asking his health visitor to help his life before taking his life or leaving his family.

“Instead of judging me, they met me with so much sympathy and understanding,” said the 36 -year -old. “I learned the ideas of those infiltrations such as the people I was facing really common, especially in the new mam.”

Two Community Mental Health Team in the West, which works in Bristol, Bath, North East Somerset, South Glosterushair and Wiltshire, received 4,816 referrals in 2024-25-above 2,668 in-2022-23.

The service has been run by Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) and its clinical development lead Becky Eva said that more awareness about its services and better understanding of childhood mental health had played a “important role” in growth.

Becky Eva is expert on childbirth mental health

A woman with a short blonde, which is long on one side, smiles on the camera. He is wearing a small microphone and has a floral top. She is smiling. She is sitting in a conference room with beige walls and chairs can be seen in the background. — Becky Eva is expert on childbirth mental health

Ms. Eva said that maternal suicides were the main cause of death for a woman in the first year of her child’s life.

He said, “The hope for service is that we reach women who need our service and we are able to provide them access to psychological remedies and evidence-based treatment,” he said.

Becky was supported by service in 2023 after experienced by postpartum depression and severe concern.

In pain and recovering from birth, Becky said that she was struggling to bathe, eat and sleep, while trying to breastfeed and care for her son.

Becky said that he had “horrific” infiltration views

A woman poses a selfie with her newborn son. He has golden hair, which is slightly messed up, and wearing a jumper. She is staring at the camera with a little expression on her face. The child, who has short brown hair, is also looking at the camera. The woman is holding her closer to her face, and it seems that she is giving her a kiss on her forehead. — Becky said that he had “horrific” infiltration views

“At her top, I was really horrifying, infiltrating ideas about harming my son,” she said.

“These thoughts, they made me completely frightened.”

After experiencing the symptoms for about six months, Becky said that she had finished her house in her dressing gown one evening after reaching her husband’s house.

He said: “I went to the nearest park in the dark and I went thinking that ‘I can’t take care of my son’.

“Everyone was telling me that I should enjoy this time, that this time goes so fast, and I am not lucky? And I’m really struggling.”

‘Republic’

Becky said that she had “just holding enough on reality” that she returned home and sought help from her health visitor.

He was sent for rapid evaluation and got support from the mental health team at home until his son was one year old.

She said that she was “canceled” from the ideas of infiltration and “strict” did not want to take action on them, which means that she was not considered a threat to her or her child and was treated at home instead of a mother and child unit.

36 -year -old Becky was supported by mental health professionals until his son was not one year old

AWP A woman sits on a park bench, whose hands relax over her legs. She is sitting with a park, ignoring the bath, with roofs, fields and trees that appear in the background. It is a flat day with brown clouds that fill the sky. — 36 -year -old Becky was supported by mental health professionals until his son was not one year old

Becky told the BBC that he felt that it was “no surprise” increasing number of women was using service.

“I think it a lot comes down to lack of support within our community,” he said.

“We are rapidly separated and hope to raise our children over ourselves, while the previous generations raised them within the family, within the community.”

He said: “Without the support of colleagues and mental health team, I think I was at risk of taking my life or potentially leaving my family.”

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has said that mental health problems often become recognized and untreated, some women do not ask for help due to fear or intervention of stigma by social service.

It can also have an important and long-lasting effect on a woman and her family as well as the emotional, social and cognitive development of children.

Ms. Eva said AWP had provided training to help people supporting doctors and new mothers, who recognize signs of mental sick health.

“Mental health may deteriorate due to many reasons, with additional stress around finance and mutual relations,” he said.

“Our maternity and health visiting colleagues do those regular checks. We have done a lot of work to create a single point of access, which means that all referral experts come through the team.

“By being this single point of access, it creates a better safety net.”