I'm raising £2000 for The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit by doing a 30 day hula hoop challenge for the whole of March 2025.

As many of you know when our daughter Sophie was born I became extremely poorly with severe post natal depression, anxiety and OCD having never faced mental health issues before. At just 19 days old Sophie and I were admitted to The Beeches Mother and Baby Unit at this point I was fully catatonic and felt like there was never going to be a way that I would be back to myself ever again and to the team I owe them my life. Without this incredible service I wouldn’t be here and it’s my mission to raise awareness for perinatal mental health services and to give back to the MBU that saved my life and made sure that I could be the best mother to our daughter.

Our Story In Full….

‘Know that you’re not alone and it does get better’ ❤️

Words that I never believed when I heard it. So after our previous baby loss we thought that the new born bubble would be amazing and that our luck would change because we deserved it too right?!?

Turns out that a drop in hormones, previous baby loss and a traumatic 20 minute birth with Sophie was a recipe for disaster. For someone who has never suffered with mental health the diagnosis of severe PND and anxiety was scary, out of control and so out of character for me. So much so I was admitted to a mother and baby unit in Derby fully catatonic with a team for the first weeks in their words not mine ‘ just keeping me alive and being one of the poorliest patients they have had in a long time and struggling to bond with the daughter I had longed for all my life. Then add in a hint of serotonin syndrome it’s been a wild journey and we are still riding the wave back and too to the unit for support but hoping for discharge in the NY.

I can’t thank my community midwife, perinatal services and The Beeches MBU enough for the ongoing love and support they have provided me and my family for the last 3 months. Without them I would not be here and I count myself very lucky to have asked for help when I needed it. Please do go it alone with ‘just baby blues’ as was described for me at the beginning.

Our journey is still continuing from what was the darkest hole I’ve been in. But we are excited for our future as a family of 4.

I will make it my mission to raise the much needed awareness for perinatal services. It wasn’t until I needed it that I knew it existed it I had never heard of this incredible service and to them I owe them my life and I have met the most amazing mothers and staff along the way. We will be forever grateful ❤️ here’s to the best worst thing to happen to us but we’re here to kick it’s butt.

#PND #StrongMamasClub #PerinatalServices #MBU #happymumhappybaby