Will a Mother and Baby Unit help me?

[ocdmum24]

I asked my local perinatal mental health team to find me and my three-month-old a place in a Mother and Baby Unit after reaching the point of despair after many months of struggling with intrusive thoughts, constant rumination and severe insomnia which all started during pregnancy. I’ve got some CBT lined up but it doesn’t start until May and every day is a struggle, although I am able to care for my baby. More info on that in this thread: https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/feeling_depressed/5027800-intrusive-thoughts-about-baby-ruining-my-life?reply=133749941

The team have found me a place and I need to let them know if I’ll take them up on it tomorrow and I’m not sure what to do. I’m so desperate to make some progress that I’ll try anything at this point but I don’t know if I’m being naive in thinking that an MBU could help me (I’ll only have sessions with a psychologist once a week for example, they are unlikely to be an OCD specialist and I wonder how they can really me reclaim the life I’ve lost if I’m an inpatient…).

Does anyone with experience of MBUs have a view?

I'm sorry you're going through this and while I don't have experience with an MBU, I would say that you should absolutely take up the offer. They wouldn't make it available if they didn't think you could benefit and if it becomes clear you don't need to be there then they will quickly discharge you. You have nothing to lose and from what I do know about them, they are wonderful places. Get well soon xx

I've only ever heard good things about them and they are very hard to come by. If you are struggling, i would take them up on this offer also. There's no shame in asking for help and taking it x

I’m sorry ur feeling so bad atm. I think you should definitely take the place. If they didn’t think u needed it they wouldn’t have got u the space. The fact that u r willing to take the help and work with ppl who can help you is brilliant. Hope it goes well

If you've met the threshold AND they've found you a space, take it. Give it a go. What do you have to lose? You must be really struggling to have asked for it. I assume it's informal admission so you can leave if you want to. Just try it and see. It could be the start of a whole new and better life. Good luck!

Dear OP, having worked in a MBU, please go, take the time to get better and get the support you deserve and need. Wishing you all the best 💕

A friend of mine went to one and it saved her life. She wrote a book about it. Google 'Something to Live For' by Laura Canty. Best of luck to you x

I’ve worked with and interviewed a number of mums who had spent time in MBUs. They were all very positive about the support and care they had experienced in the units and found them key in their recovery. I really hope you can access the support you need op.

A place in an MBU is not easily come by, so they must feel you could benefit. I think you should give it a try. You can always self-discharge if you feel it isn’t benefiting you after giving it a decent go. I was in an MBU for around 4 months after having my baby and it really helped me overall, although my situation was a little different in that I had puerperal psychosis and ended up under section.

There were a lot of great things about the MBU, and overall it was a great source of support, although honestly I did feel a little overly micromanaged in terms of changing my baby’s nappy in exactly the “right” way, was I interacting with him enough and in the right way and for long enough when playing etc etc. And being under section I felt frustrated at the lack of freedom to even be able to go for a walk around the grounds by myself etc.

Having said that, I got decent sleep as they looked after the baby at night for me, and we had baby yoga classes, baby massage classes, dance therapy, art therapy etc which was all great.

Plus I made some lasting friendships with other mums also struggling with mental health around pregnancy and the aftermath and that was helpful not only while we were inpatients but also in the long term for years afterwards we were able to support each other and understood each other’s struggles.

I found it helpful. I also didn't take it up on the first offer. I was first offered a bed when my daughter was about 10 weeks old and I went in when she was 10 months and has exhausted the options in the community.

In hindsight I should have accepted the offer at 10 weeks. The biggest advantage of the admissions is things move quicker. My medication was reviewed twice a week. When I went in I was breastfeeding and was down to one last option. I started of this on the Tuesday and baby went home to day on the Wednesday to see if he could get her to take a bottle. He succeeded and my medication was changed on the Monday. If I was at home it would have been 6 weeks before my medication would have been reviewed and I would have been in a much worse state and would have been at risk of mania given the medication they had me on as a last ditch attempt

My ward had 10 bed and 6 shower rooms and a bathroom. There were nursery staff to help you with baby, occupational health to help you with daily routine, staff to listen to you, group and individual therapy. Other mums that understand something about your experience as mother hood. I went in with depression and pyschosis. The other mums had a mix of depression, anxiety, health anxiety, psychosis/disorder thoughts. Not everyone wanted to engage with help which could be tricky and I did find it harder having a mobile baby there.