Mother and Baby units for PND

[SomeOneElse]

Anyone had any experience, or know anything about how they work? Do they work?

[Oakmaiden]

What do you mean "Do they work"? They are normally units within hospitals where the mother can be accompanied by her baby during her stay. Places are like gold dust though - not many around at all. I believe they are a good thing, but I have heard it argued that a mother should be concentrating on getting better, not on fulfilling a baby's needs. I would have thought that for a lot of women the guilt at being away would hinder rather than help recovery.

Don't really know what it is you want to know?

[SomeOneElse]

Just meant are they more effective then treatment whilst remaining at home, thank you for your reply though. I also wondered if they tend to general wards or rooms etc.

[Oakmaiden]

Can't be sure, so don't take my answer as gospel. My limited knowledge leads me to believe that in some cases inpatient treatment can be beneficial, but in the majority of cases it is not necessary. I think they tend to be seperate rooms.

Is this something you are considering for yourself? Has it been suggested by your GP/HV? Do they think there is much chance of getting a placement in a mother and baby unit?

I do hope that you are OK. hugs

[misspastry]

I work in mental health services and am familair with m&b units, they are used like most mental health inpatient resources as a last option , when community care will not be enough, if you have PND you will hopefully recieve good quaility cae from your health servces, referrals made by GP's or Health Visitors.

PND is very treatable and there are heaps of info on mumsnet. if you were to ever become more unwell an admission may be considered, but if there are no beds in your immediate area, then only if absolutley necessarey would a refferal be made for another area.

hope this has been useful, your inital inquiry didnt give much away so I assume it's for yourself. best of luck, need any more info post a line.

[kizzie]

Hi - when I first had PND I was 'asked' if Id like to go to a unit with my twins (I had a bad reax to a particular AD which made my symptoms much worse.)
I asked what the benefits were and the dr just said that it meant that you had medical help on hand 24 hours a day and that it would allow my husband to go to work (I was too scared to be left on my own at the time.)
The dr said that the babies would definately go with me because they strongly believe that separating a mother with PND from her children should only happen when there is absolutely no other option. She said that the problems of bonding/guilt etc just hindered recovery.
The choice was mine and I decided not go mainloy because I was terrified of the implications.
However I must say that I met a lady at my PND support group who had gone to the unit at St georges in Tooting and she said it had been a life saver for her. Just being away from home and having all the pressures of trying to pretend to be ok taken away gave her the time and space to improve. She stayed in for a few weeks and then continued her recovery at home.
She completely recovered from her PND and went on to have another baby.
Hope thats of some use.
Kizziex

[SomeOneElse]

My Doctor has mentioned it as a possiblity, and told me to come back when I have thought about it. I'm too scared to go I think. I don't want them knowing the stuff I think. Do Social Services have to get involved, I mean does the hospital notify them?

Thank you everybody for replying.

[cheeky]

I know someone who went to a mother and baby unit, but this was a parenting assessment unit? Is the kind you mean?

If so, I would advise you to go. The person I know went because she had to, well, she didnt have to, but the baby would have been taken into care otherwise as it was social services who actually arranged for her to go.

I dont mean to scare you, as you are asking if your doctor really wants you to; if you co-operate social srvices are much less likely to get involved

[SomeOneElse]

I don't think that a M&B unit is the same as a parenting assessment unit. I'm don't think Social Services can arrange for you to have psychiatric treatment unless a psyciatrist is making the recommendation. I don't know for sure though. My Doctor has said I have to go at all, he has just offered it as an option, but I don't know anything about them.

[SomeOneElse]

I think the M&B units are usually part of the psyhciatric hospital aren't they?

[Oakmaiden]

Yes, they are normally. If you are severely depressed (I think I know who you are, by the way? Though I may be wrong....) then I would give it serious thought. At the very least it will take a lot of day to day pressure from you and let you concentrate on getting better, without having to worry about what might happen. Although if you have another child, this must make the decision harder. Has your GP referred you to a Counsellor? Is there someone that you could discuss the implications of inpatient treatment with, before you have to decide?

[suedonim]

I knew someone who was in a unit with her baby, although her history is a bit different in that she had an ongoing psychiatric problem, not pnd. She was admitted in early pg (her fifth) and then had the baby at the normal Mat unit. She then went back to the M&B unit, where I think she had a room to herself with the baby. Staff were on hand to help her and I assume she had some sort of medication. As I understand it, women only need to be admitted for a few weeks at most but she was in for nearly a year before she was well enough to go home. She seems to have made a complete recovery, though.

Have you contacted Association for Postnatal Illness ? They are very helpful and knowledgeable

[misspastry]

parenting assessment units are completly different. see my previous post, if you were to be admitted to a mother and baby unit, there would be weekly ward rounds, where representatives from the community would attend, and hightly likley to be social workers, but they or should i say we !!(oops declared my proffesion now!!) would only become involved with your family if deemed necessary . hope this helps

[misspastry]

ps social services do not admit people to hospital, the only time that a sw would is if the patient is admitted under the mental health act, it you want an explanatin of this process please ask, I'd be only too happy to give correct info, I have to say that with all psychiatric care there is an awful lot of scare mongering about, people all think of on flew over the cukoos nest!

it sounds ot me if your gp is thinking of all your options and should be giving you more information abut your current mental health needsm whats best for you, your kids, family etc and should be helping you make informed decisions.

all the best

[susanmt]

I was in one - would rather not go into details as to place etc .... I had to go - I had depression which was threatening the health of my baby as well as myself.
It may well have been a lifesaver for me as I was severely depressed, with real suicidal intent, and it was fab - very homey, well looked after, was able to continue b/f as they were really supportive, but also was able to have the ECT I urgently needed (I had stopped eating and drinking altogether).
Social Services were never involved as far as I know - it was a medical problem. I had a CPN who visitied me at home for a few months after I got out (and who has had involvement in the treatment of my much milder PND after the birth of my other 2 children) - and he was great too as my HV was a waste of time. I remain under psychiatric care.
For me it wasn't an option - I was taken away in an ambulance and would have been sectioned if I had had the energy to protest. I was there for a month. I had to go away from home as my local area doen't have these kind of services. So for me it wasn't an option that was discussed, it was a medical emergency.
If you want to know more then either ask here or feel free to contact me off list.