Mental Health Perinatal (Parent and Baby Unit)

The Parent and Baby Unit is an eight bedded unit situated within St. George's Hospital, Stafford.

The Unit is a specialist facility which can accommodate 8 mothers and their babies (babies who are up to 12 months prior to admission). We also admit pregnant women who are 32 weeks pregnant or above.

We aim to provide inpatient mental health services to women experiencing psychological and emotional difficulties related to the latter stages of pregnancy, childbirth and early motherhood.

• It is usual for 50 - 80% of women to experience the "baby blues" within the first 3 to 5 days of giving birth, this often resolves quickly without medical intervention.
• Approximately 10 - 15% of women suffer from postnatal depression which is usually diagnosed within the first 3 months after the baby's birth. Some of the common symptoms are low mood, sadness, not getting pleasure from anything, loss of interest in life in general, tiredness, poor sleep, appetite and concentration, as well as feelings of guilt and self-blame. These symptoms can worsen or fail to improve without treatment.
• 1 to 2 women in every 1000 deliveries experience a more serious condition called post-natal (puerperal) psychosis.
• Most women can be treated at home, however some require hospital admission.

We aim to make the Parent and Baby Unit a welcoming, calm, supportive, homely environment to facilitate recovery from pre and postnatal illness and enable you to care for your infant. Partners, husbands and family members are encouraged to help care for the mother and the infant, be involved and participate as much as they are able.