PREGNANT WOMEN RECEIVE six hospital and GP visits over the course of their pregnancy. These focus on the health of both the woman and the unborn child. After the baby is born, the level of support falls away dramatically.

Typically, post-natal support ends six weeks after birth, with just one GP visit for women around this time. But even this visit can sometimes be primarily focused on how well the baby is progressing.

At the same time, women can experience post-natal depression up to a year after birth. This can sometimes start with ‘baby blues’, and for many, these resolve as time goes on. For a proportion of women, these symptoms develop into more serious and more long-lasting mental health issues.

And while supports are available, we want to know how well these are working for women and families.

Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Services (SPMHS) is now available in all 19 maternity hospitals nationwide, but only six of these are consultant-led multidisciplinary teams.

The others are bespoke sites staffed by perinatal mental health midwives.

These are outpatient services that support women with mental health challenges they may face during their pregnancy and afterwards.

Please share your stories with us

Our investigative team would like to better understand this issue and hear about your experiences of post-natal care in Ireland.

Have you experienced any mental health challenges after birth? What kind of supports were available to you?

Did you feel you had enough care and support after the six-week postnatal check, or did you feel like the support ended too soon?

Were you aware that SPMHS services were available to you? Have you had to travel to access support from a SPMHS because there isn’t one near where you live?

What impact did this have on you and your family?

If you have a story to share, please contact The Journal Investigates by emailing investigates@thejournal.ie

Describe your experience in two or three paragraphs. We will reflect your experiences in a forthcoming investigation.

Please include your name and county, and let us know if you would prefer to remain anonymous.