Crewe-based Doula Melanie English helps support new mothers in south Cheshire during birth and afterwards. She is a qualified Doula, an expert in post-natal depression and birth trauma, and a volunteer for the charity Motherwell Cheshire.

A New national report published by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance in March confirms that the pandemic has had a significantly negative impact on peri-natal Mental Health.

The report called "Maternal Mental Health during a pandemic" presents analysis from several recent but diverse resource sources including surveys of voluntary and community sector mental health support providers, such as Motherwell Cheshire CIO, a Crewe-based charity supporting women's mental health.

In 2020, 3,031 births were supported by teams based at Leighton Hospital's Maternity unit (4.9 per cent at home). Most of the women and new parents represented by that number have had to navigate unexpected changes in service provision, up to and including cancellation.

Even as the government's Spring Covid-19 response plans move on and general restrictions ease, some restrictions relating to partners and support people attending maternity clinic appointments and during birth itself remain, and there continues to be a significant reduction in the amount of face-to-face post-natal support, both professional and informal that is vital for ensuring a positive start to a new family's life.

Additionally, many women have increased anxieties about their own and their baby's health and are possibly also navigating intense personal loss because of Covid-19.

Leighton Hospital's Maternity Unit has reported that they are seeing more women with generalised anxiety attending clinics and labour wards than before the crisis.

For Kate Blakemore the CEO of Motherwell Cheshire CIO, the findings are no surprise.

Kate welcomes the national spotlight on the problem but is concerned that the public and charitable organisations that could support women and families will need better funding to provide the support that will be needed.

As it stands there is already a significant gap in one-to-one counselling provision in our area which is more suitable for people suffering with anxiety, say than group work.

Motherwell Cheshire have received some funding and are setting up "Wellbeing Hubs" in Crewe and Winsford to start to fill this support gap.

The Hubs will be a signposting service, particularly useful for new parents who are feeling in need of support but don't really know what they need or what's available.

They can book a one-to-one appointment at the Hub and will leave with links and information they can access locally. Contact details for Motherwell Cheshire and more information on the hubs and their other services can be found on their Facebook page and website

The Central Cheshire Maternity Voices partnership is working hard with the Maternity Unit, NHS trusts and other maternity service providers to return these restricted services to normal as soon as possible, to reduce and remove the impact that the restrictions are having on women's and young families' mental health.

The most powerful information this group can get to influence change are the stories of the women and families they serve.

Service user voices are essential to identify what services are needed and how they should be delivered.

If you have something you want to pass on about the services or support you have received in your peri-natal period you can find out about the various ways to do that on the MVPs Facebook page or by emailing [email protected]

If you, or someone you know is struggling with poor mental health in and around the peri-natal period, and needs professional support please reach out to a GP, or other health professional as soon as possible.

You can find help about birthing at Melanie's website.