Experience with mental health midwives.

[JessieMillz25]

Hello,
I was refereed to the mental health team 6 weeks ago but still haven't heard anything about it. My midwife saw me last week and put in an emergency referral which she said should take three days, it's been 5 days and I haven't heard anything. I was also meant to have contact with the EDEN team but haven't heard anything from them either, I was referred to them six weeks ago. I was curious about other people's experiences with the mental health midwives? I was feeling good about the extra support but it kind of hasn't materialised. I feel going to end up with endless cause for concerns on my file and no actual help :-(

I am the same. I am 19 weeks, had my booking appointment at week 8 and the referral has never materialised into support. I suffered from HG, which is thankfully easing up now, but it made me feel really low and down. I too am worried that I will never recieve any support. Fingers crossed you get something soon.

I didn't hear from them at all in my first pregnancy, despite being referred numerous times. This time I've made a nuisance of myself.

Can you get a number for them from your community midwife team and give them a call?

I was referred to MH Midwife due to tokophobia.... she contacted me to make an appointment within a couple of days of referral. If you haven't heard anything it may be worth chasing up your referral.
However I also notice you said you were referred urgently to the mental health team - mental health midwives don't usually work for the mental health team; they work for the hospital. May be worth checking out with your routine midwife who she referred you too - the MH midwife or local MH team. X

It took about 2 weeks for my first counselling appointment but I saw my GP first not my midwife.
Hope you are feeling better soon

Just be aware that not all women with mental health issues are seen by mental health midwife.. they tend to focus on women with bipolar, schizophrenia, personality disorder, previous psychosis etc, the low mood and depression referrals will often be looked at and filed, then left for you to be cared for by your community midwife. This is because there is often only 1 or 2 mental health midwives and about 75% of population have mental health disorders including depression and low mood. This isn't always the case across the country but certainly how it is in my trust. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancies

I understand they are people in more urgent need of care than me. My midwife does seem very keen for me to see someone though. It's only 8 weeks till baby is due now so though I would appreciate the extra support I am hoping I can muddle it through till the end now.

I hope you see someone soon, might be worth talking to your GP? Although they may say you've been referred to a mental health midwife already, you could push to see another mental health professional (although my experience this can take a couple of weeks unless you're putting yourself or others in immediate risk).

Have you seen the antenatal consultant? Sometimes you can get referred to them for help too.

I've been pretty lucky with my support, got consultant led help and a few appointments booked in for the mental health midwife but then I tried to end my life only 10 months ago so unfortunately I'm seen as a high risk.

Beth I hope things are a bit brighter for you now.
My GPs have always been awful when it comes to mental health. They only help the offer really is counselling during my work hours in a city over an hour away. Also I would be on a huge waiting list. I had heard that prenatal care was a little bit quicker. So far I've managed to abstain from my previous behaviour such as self harm and pulling my hair out so I haven't mentioned my history of that to a midwife. I don't know where to so she knows the full story or as I haven't done it yet just not mention it?

I definitely think you need to be completely open and honest with your midwife about your history. I also think you need to be pushy and chase up any referrals.
Good Luck,

Yes you do need to be completely open, she won't know your full mental health history. Mine only knew about my history because of the medication I'm on caused her to ask questions. Really wishing you the best of luck with this x