Our cross service collaboration with the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team – UMHL has supported the co-production of a number of key recovery education resources to help women prioritise their self care during the perinatal period (from conception to the first 12 months of motherhood).
Our Perinatal Self Care Programme now includes:
Self Care Workshops, My Perinatal Self Care Workbook, an Online Self-Paced Companion Course, My Perinatal Self Care Workbook Audiobook Version and animated “Messages of Hope“.
Background
In April 2023 Mid West ARIES in partnership with our Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team, based in University Maternity Hospital Limerick, delivered a recovery education workshop to a group of women attending the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service. Entitled “Self Care, Building My Resilience” this three hour baby-friendly, interactive workshop focused on self care and resilience, with the overarching theme of self-compassion. The feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with requests for more ideas on how to implement a daily self care routine at what can be one of the most challenging and vulnerable times in a woman’s life.
Over the next year a number of key perinatal self care resources where developed including a Self Care Workbook, self-paced companion course and Audiobook. All of which have been used by women during the perinatal period to address the all important “how to?” when it comes to practicing self care; something we know is vital for good health and wellbeing.
Our Perinatal Self Care Programme
We are delighted to share our perinatal self care resources including My Perinatal Self Care Workbook, the online self-paced companion course, the audiobook version, together with the animated “Messages of Hope” from women who helped to co-produce the workbook.
Currently these resources are being shared across the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team, Acute Pyschiatric Units, Community Mental Health and GPs and Primary Care. Please share with anyone you feel many benefit.
As SPMHS team lead Dr Mas Mahady explained: “We know that mums routinely put the needs of the baby, the family and everyone else before themselves, and many feel guilty even thinking of their own needs. But it’s important to send a message out that mums should prioritise their self-care, and not put themselves last. We should support mums to carve out time in their busy schedules to recharge and to replenish. Mums need to know that it is not a ‘selfish’ thing to practise self-care, because it benefits them and those around them too. When mums practise self-care, it helps improve their mental and physical well-being; it reduces stress and the likelihood of burnout. We hope that our Perinatal Self-Care Workbook will help mums achieve this by identifying what their needs are and what works for them.”
Meanwhile, Mike O’Neill Manager added “One great strength of this project is that women who have used the service were central to its development, right through the process. And I think the most important thing about the book, what makes it unique, is the series of inspirational quotes from the women themselves.”
Read more in HSE Health Matters, Autumn 2024 Page 32
Listen Now
For More Information Contact:
Mike O’Neill
Manager
Mid West ARIES
michael.oneill8@hse.ie
Margaret Keane
Education Training & Development Officer
margaret.keane9@hse.ie
Pauline Walsh ANP
Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Team
pauline.walsh1@hse.ie
