Suffer no more in silence: challenging the myths of women's mental health in childbearing.

This article will challenge some of the myths surrounding women's mental health in childbearing. Pregnancy and the aftermath are very often seen as a time of joy and happiness. Yet for a significant amount of women at least ten per cent childbearing represents major emotional and psychological adjustment (Stowe et al.2005) and sadly mental health problems like post-natal depression and puerperal psychosis. It will be shown that there continues to be a need to develop new methods of caring for this client group and more women centred services. It is vital to organise and mobilize appropriate services that can assist and listen to individual women with mental health problems. It is important that women have services and space to explore their emotional and psychological problems and not have to suffer in silence. To promote mental health in childbearing their needs to be a clear emphasis in midwifery and medical education on understanding mental health in it's broadest sense. This requires developing midwifery care to where possible include partners and other family members in aiding recovery. A major step in promoting mental health is respecting the knowledge, presence and healing hands of both skilled midwives and nurses. Mental health nurses and midwives are aware of the deficits in services and care provision for women with psychological distress and mental health problems (Murray & Hamilton 2005). Care practices need to be informed by relevant interpersonal skills, research, education, prevention work, and a system of early detection and treatment of mental health problems (Cuijpers et al. 2005).