Parent Mental Health

Being a new parent can be challenging, remember there is help out there

Becoming a new parent is a wonderful but challenging experience. It can be a time of great joy, but it can also be a time of great stress and anxiety. It's important to remember that it's normal to feel a range of emotions during this time, and that you're not alone.

It’s just as important to take care of your mental health as it is to look after our physical health. If your mental health is good it means you can think, feel and react in the ways you need to in order to cope with day to day life. Sometimes you may think, feel and react in ways that make it hard to cope. Everyone feels stressed, anxious, emotional or overwhelmed at times, but it’s important to make sure that sometimes doesn’t become all of the time.

Here are some tips to help you look after your mental health and wellbeing:

Take care of yourself: Make sure you're getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, and exercising regularly. Taking care of your physical health will help to improve your mental health.

Set realistic expectations: Don't expect to be perfect, and don't be afraid to make mistakes. Just do your best and be patient with yourself.

Take some time for yourself: It's important to take some time for yourself each day, even if it's just for a few minutes. Do something that you enjoy and that helps you to relax.

Practice self-care: Self-care is important for everyone, but it's especially important for people with mental health challenges. Make sure you're taking care of your physical and mental health.

Find a support system: Having a support system of people who can understand what you're going through can be very helpful. This could include your partner, family, friends, or a support group. Use our session finder to find group sessions available

Talk to someone: It's important to talk to someone about how you're feeling. This could be a friend, family member, therapist, or a trusted person. Talking about your feelings can help you to process them and feel better.

Click here to view our "Ready Steady Baby" magazine. We have a whole section on looking after your mental health and wellbeing.

If your symptoms are lasting longer or start later, you could have postnatal depression. Postnatal depression is common problem in new parents, affecting more than 1 in every 10 women within a year of giving birth. It can also affect fathers and partners. Click here for more advice and support with postnatal depression.