Letters to help mums with postnatal depression

Thousands of mums have written letters of support to women suffering mental health issues after giving birth.

The Letters of Light Project was set up by Liv Siegl, of Birmingham, to support new mothers.

Ms Siegl had post-partum psychosis after the birth of her two daughters and said she wanted people to know "recovery is possible".

"I had no experience of mental health issues, so it really came out of left field when I got ill," she said.

Post-partum psychosis is a form of mental illness that affects around one in 500 mothers in the weeks after giving birth.

Symptoms can include hallucinations, depressions and confusion, but it can be treated and most women make a full recovery.

"It's pretty terrifying and for me, it was really life-changing after having the girls," said Ms Siegl.

After recovering, she decided to set up the letter-writing project in November 2019, with just a few women at first, sending handwritten messages of support to other mums experiencing the same problems.

Since then thousands of letters have been sent from women all over the world.

"It's really lit a passion in me to really help mums and in particular, mums who are going through maternal mental health illness at the moment to show them that recovery is possible and that with the right help and support, there is life after maternal mental health illness," said Ms Siegl.

A campaign to share messages of support on social media, called Dear Fellow Mum, was also launched to coincide with Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week (3-9 May).

The Letters of Light Project has been backed by a number of celebrities including actress and presenter Gemma Atkinson, Coronation Street stars Catherine Tyldesley and Hayley Tamaddon, presenter Jenny Powell and poet Laura Dockrill.

Atkinson said she "struggled a little" mentally after the birth of her daughter, because of the impact it had on her body.

She said Letters of Light was a "lovely page for mums who have been going through [or are currently] going through a difficult time. Very supportive community with lots of encouragement and just all-round niceness".

The group has also worked with NHS trusts to deliver letters.

Claire Price, associate director of midwifery at George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton, said: "The women who've received these letters found them to be so authentic and supportive at what can be a really lonely and difficult time, particularly during the pandemic."

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]