If you have a history of postpartum psychosis, you should talk to a healthcare professional about planning your pregnancy. They can help you manage any changes to your medication that may be needed and extra support you may need during pregnancy and as well as helping you bond with your baby.

If you have a history of postpartum psychosis, your healthcare professional will work with the other professionals involved in your care to develop a care plan. You can be referred for specialist mental health support, so that you have advice and information about the risk of a relapse of your mental health condition during pregnancy or after giving birth. The team can create a care plan for monitoring your mental health to make sure you have the right support for your mental health and your relationship with your baby.

A care plan might include:

• a summary of your mental and physical health needs
• what to look out for if you have a relapse
• what helps you to stay well
• what medication you are taking and any planned changes
• your plans for childbirth
• how you are hoping to feed your baby
• support for your relationship with your baby
• sources of support in your life
• where to get help if you have a relapse of your mental health condition or are in crisis
• other sources of support in the community that may help, such as mother and baby classes
• future family planning
• details of future appointments and which professionals are involved in supporting you.

What help is available to support me and my baby?

Services are available to support you and your baby so that you can be the parent you want to be. These include:

• your health visitor
• community organisations like home start
• specialist services, such as perinatal mental health services, the infant mental health care team or children’s early intervention services.

This 1-minute video from Tommy's goes through 5 key things to think about when planning a pregnancy when you have a severe mental illness such as schizophrenia or bipolar, or other factors that increase your risk of developing postpartum psychosis.

1. Keep taking your medication until you have talked to a healthcare professional.

2. Give up substances that could harm you and your baby.

3. Be as healthy as possible: physically and mentally.

4. Think about what support you might need.

5. Know your early warning signs of relapse and share them with those around you.

This video from the Perinatal Mental Health Network Scotland outlines the specialist support available to help you keep well while preparing for pregnancy if you have a mental health condition or have had mental health issues in the past.

Record your feelings and questions

You can use this online form to record issues and questions you want to discuss with your midwife, health visitor, family nurse or other healthcare professional. Once completed, you can save it or print it out. Click on the icon below to access the form.

This leaflet from Action on Postpartum Psychosis provides information on planning another pregnancy after you have had postpartum psychosis.