New mums' mental health in focus at family hubs campaign launched in Peterborough

To mark Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week 2024, Peterborough City Council Family Hubs have launched a new campaign to highlight the often invisible nature of maternal mental health issues.

The campaign includes a video highlighting the inner thoughts and anxieties of parents – with a fictional children’s birthday party celebration.

Amidst a smiling group of family and friends singing happy birthday, we see the thought bubbles of mums thinking ‘I feel so alone’, ‘I’m so tired I can barely function’ and ‘I feel guilty for not being happier’.

On the same theme, ‘The Dinner’ pictures a gathering of friends and family around the dining table, with similar thoughts being revealed.

A spokesperson for Peterborough City Council Family Hubs said: “The campaign was designed and produced alongside local organisations who provide support for parents, including from the NHS, The Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Network, NCT, Maternity Voices, CPSL Mind and Barnardos, using insights, research, comments and feedback from local people who have experienced perinatal mental health problems.

“It reminds viewers that sometimes it’s the people who look like they’re coping with parenthood who are in fact struggling. The campaign targets not only parents and parents-to-be, but friends and family members too – encouraging them to look out for signs that their loved one may need help.

They went on: “Perinatal mental health spans from conception right through to the first year after birth. We wanted to create a campaign that avoided clichés and challenged stigma. Maternal mental health impacts both mums and dads and it can be difficult to spot the signs.

"We wanted to create a campaign that highlights the often invisible nature of maternal mental health and reassure parents that not only is support available but that they are not alone. We want to encourage them to take that first step and ask for help.”

The campaign runs from Monday this week, April 29, to Sunday, May 5 on Peterborough City Council’s social media channels.