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MBU admissions questions?

2 replies

anxietyftm · 24/02/2026 08:24

ive been offered admission into a MBU. I was wondering if anyone has had any experiences in the ones in bristol
or Birmingham? Are the hospitals themselves nice and are the staff nice? Also how does it work when looking after baby? As my partner currently helps me out a lot as I’m struggling because of my mental health.
Do you have better access to therapies?

OP posts:
JennieTheZebra · 24/02/2026 08:40

I’m a mental health nurse with some experience of MBU. First of all, I wouldn’t worry about looking after baby. MBUs are staffed with nursery workers and children’s nurses to support you. You can do as much care as you feel able to and they will help and encourage you to gradually increase it. Everyone who works there understands that you are struggling with your mental health and so there’s lots of support, including medication and psychology/therapy to help you get back on your feet. This is a booklet about the Birmingham MBU but all the units are very similar in structure. Good luck ❤️ https://www.bsmhft.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/FINAL-26862_Steps-Together_Pre-Admission-Pack_digital-version.pdf

Superscientist · 24/02/2026 13:43

I went into an mbu with my daughter although not in the area you are in
There were a mix of psychiatric and nursery nurses so I had support for me with my mental health and looking after my daughter.
They would take her in the night if I was struggling or watched her whilst I napped and so on, they did some of the bottle feeds for those that were formula feeding

The ward I was on had a psychologist and he ran a weekly compassion focussed therapy group session and I had further therapy with him separately and I continued to see the psychologist I had been seeing in the community from the infant parenting service.

They also had an occupational therapist and she did a group with us once a week as well as seeing me separately although not every week.

I was there for 10 weeks and would have possibly been there a bit longer but my daughter turned 12 months 8 weeks after I was admitted and it was already a push to keep me there for the extra 2 weeks.

The ward I was in had 10 beds, they were a bit like student halls in that each bedroom had a set of drawers, chair, bed (+cot) and a sink in the corner. There were 6 showers from recollection and bathroom. There was a prep kitchen were you could make up formula if necessary, a lounge for sitting in and talking to the other women and a dining room for meals which also had a kettle, fridge and microwave. There was a 1 bed apartment too which in normal circumstances could be booked overnight by women who live further from the uni but I was there on 2021 so it could only be booked for short visits.

I saw the psychiatrist once a week for ward round on a Monday or Tuesday and they did a second review on a Friday where leave was discussed. We weren't always seen during this review but the outcome was passed on if we weren't - i.e leave until Monday or we will wait until ward round on Tuesday to discuss changes to medication for example. If they were making changes they spoke to us

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