16 Ways To Care For Your Mental Health During And After Pregnancy
While it can be one of the happiest times of your life, many parents do struggle with their mental health during pregnancy and as a new parent.
In fact, the Royal College of Psychiatrists reports that as many as 1 in 5 women experience low mental health during pregnancy, such as anxiety or elevated stress.
We recommend you always speak to your GP or midwife about your mental health during pregnancy or postpartum. However, this article explores ways you can help manage your mental health at home while waiting for an appointment.
What feelings are common during pregnancy and postpartum?
During pregnancy, your body produces excess hormones, particularly oestrogen and progesterone. This increase in hormones can cause pre-existing anxiety to get worse or even trigger anxiety to start. Alongside this, it’s also common to experience the following:
Low mood.
Doubt or uncertainty.
Elevated stress.
Mood swings.
Worries about pregnancy or childbirth.
Post childbirth depression is common too, with the NHS reporting 1 in 10 women experience this after giving birth. Signs of postpartum depression include:
Persistent sadness.
Feeling teary.
Loss of enjoyment in hobbies.
Sleeping difficulties.
Finding it hard to care for yourself or baby.
Withdrawing from others.
Partners can also experience post childbirth depression, and this is known as parental postnatal depression. If you or your partner are experiencing this, then it’s best to speak to your GP, as they’ll be able to help you with the right care plan for you.
6 ways to care for mental health during pregnancy
1. Go to bed early
Your energy ebbs and flows during pregnancy, so if you do find yourself feeling really tired, allow yourself to go to bed and enjoy an early night.
Getting a proper night’s sleep is good for both your mental health and the baby’s growth, but pregnancy can make falling asleep difficult, even if you’re tired. You can try relaxation techniques like breathing exercises or going for a short walk before bed to help you drift off.
You can also try improving your sleep hygiene to make falling asleep easier. This includes things like not looking at electronic devices before bed, as well avoiding tea and coffee in the evening. You can read our article on good sleep hygiene for more information.
2. Spend time with your loved ones
This is a time of change for you and your partner as well, so try to include some quality time for the two of you throughout the week.
Whether that’s spending time with each other by doing an activity you both enjoy or going to see friends and family separately. You may find it comforting to discuss any worries you have during this time as well, as this can help with mental health during pregnancy such as stress or anxiety.
3. Go easy on yourself
Your body goes through a lot of physical and hormonal changes during pregnancy, so it’s important you treat yourself with kindness.
While you may want to go about your day in the same way as before you were pregnant, it’s okay to give yourself a break if you find certain aspects to be harder than they used to be. In a similar vein, if a loved one offers to help, then accepting their offer can help take a bit of work off your to-do list.
4. Try gentle exercises
Staying active not only helps to get your body ready for, or recover from, labour, but it’s also a great way to alleviate pressure on your mental health during pregnancy too.
The NHS suggests gentle exercise is healthy and safe for pregnant women, which includes activities such as:
Swimming.
Walking.
Pregnancy yoga.
Pilates.
Try to get at least 10 minutes of gentle exercise a day but always take care when exercising during or after pregnancy. If you start to feel as thought something is wrong, then stop straight away, and give yourself time to recuperate.
5. Talk about your mental health concerns
If you do notice signs of low mood or depression during antenatal pregnancy, then it’s important to share these feelings with your support network – friends, family, and partner.
Speaking about mental health can be tricky, but sharing your feelings can help alleviate some of the stress. You may find it easier to speak to a professional about mental health during pregnancy and your midwife will be able to help you find the right source.
6. Utilise support groups
Support groups can help you manage mental health during pregnancy, as they give you a place to speak to other pregnant women, who might be feeling the same way.
There are plenty of support groups that offer online, phone, and face-to-face support, such as PANDAS (Pre and Postnatal Depression Advice and Support). In fact, here at Benenden Health, we offer a Mental Health Helpline of our own. Available 24/7 with our private healthcare, you can access mental health advice from professionals anytime, any day.
It’s always a good idea to speak to your GP or midwife about your mental health as well, as they’ll be able to advise the best steps to take.
10 ways for new parents to care for their mental health
1. Accept help with daily tasks
Everyday tasks like having a shower or cooking can feel impossible when you have a baby -but continuing with small daily tasks like these can help boost your mood.
If your friends or family offer to come round and look after the baby while you take a longer shower or offer to meal prep for you, then take them up on this. Even something as simple as having a healthy meal prepared for you can help your mental health.
Similarly, don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help from your family or friends. Even asking them to mind the baby for 30 minutes can give you the time you need to get things done.
2. Do what you can, when you can
It can be easy to lose track of smaller tasks such as putting a wash on or doing the dishes when you have a newborn to care for. This is completely normal.
While you may feel frustrated that tasks like this aren’t completed, it’s important go easy on yourself. Try taking bursts of time here and there to do the things that really have to be done, instead of trying to take on all the housework in one go.
3. Talk to loved ones about your feelings
Post childbirth depression or experiencing low mood are common in parents. If you notice you’re not feeling yourself, then talk to family and friends who are parents - chances are they might have felt something similar.
It’s important to keep talking to your partner too as they’ll be able to support you better when they understand how you’re feeling.
4. Contact support groups
Talking to someone who has felt the same can often be the best medicine for mental health.
There are support options for parents with premature or sick babies, such as local support groups and phone helplines from PANDAS or Bliss. You can also try online communities like Netmums Forums and NCT, where you can speak to other mums who may be experiencing signs of postpartum depression or struggling with their mental health.
5. Go to social parent groups
Some studies report that as many as 42% of new mums experience loneliness – however, joining a social group for parents can help you feel less alone.
You could join an exercise class for mums or take part in a baby sign language course where you can relax for a bit while also meeting other new parents. These groups are a vital lifeline for many parents, helping to break up their day and share experiences with other parents.
If you do sign up to a postnatal exercise class, always be sure to inform the instructor that you’ve recently had a baby, so they can take this into account when conducting the class.
6. Try to exercise lightly
Light exercise is great as part of a post pregnancy depression treatment plan. Even something as light as walking for 10-15 minutes a day can help keep both your body and mind healthy.
In fact, the NHS recommends a brisk walk around the park with the buggy. Ensure the handles are at a comfortable height for you and keep your elbows bent at a right angle.
However, if you’re struggling to find the time for a walk around the park, then you can fit exercise into your everyday routine by trying the following:
Pelvic floor exercises: Whether you’re sat feeding the baby or folding away clean bibs, you can do pelvic floor exercises anywhere. Start by gently squeezing your pelvic floor muscles, hold for as long as is comfortable, then release for 4 seconds. If you experience discomfort, then stop straight away, and relax your muscles.
Take the stairs instead of the lift: A simple way to build exercise into your day is to take the stairs instead of using the lift. Similarly, try to walk to reasonably close places, instead of taking the car.
Exercise while you wait: If you’ve just put the kettle on then you can use this time to do some light stretches or try walking around as you’re on the phone to get your step count up.
As with any exercise, but even more so after childbirth, it’s important to listen to your body. If you find yourself struggling or experiencing pain, then allow yourself a break.
7. Take advantage of the baby’s nap time
When the baby sleeps you’ll have some time to do things for you. Catching up on sleep yourself or getting a few small tasks done are both beneficial uses of free time to consider.
Even taking 15 minutes a day to sit down and relax will improve your mental health after pregnancy. Consider working on mindfulness with an app, as using this while resting can improve mood, decrease anxiety, and establish a positive mental wellbeing routine.
Similarly, a stacked up list of house chores and life admin can make mental health worse. If you feel you’ve got energy to take care of some house work while the baby is resting, then now is a good time to do so. If loved ones offer to help you during this time, then accepting the offer can help take a bit of work and mental stress off of your to do list.
8. Eat well and drink water
Eating and drinking well after giving birth can help keep your physical and mental health in good shape, as healthy meals give you the energy and nutrition your body needs.
The NHS recommends you drink lots of water and reduce caffeine intake especially if you’re breastfeeding. They also suggest including plenty of fibre, protein, and dairy in your diet through wholemeal foods like potatoes or brown rice, lean meat and eggs, and milk.
9. Keep a mood journal
Keeping a journal of your mood throughout the day is a great way to help manage post childbirth depression.
There may be topics of conversation, places, or habits that aren’t doing you good at the moment. Try to keep note of your feelings and thoughts, both happy and sad, as this can help you see patterns in what makes you feel worse and what makes you feel better.
You may find it useful to carve out 5 minutes before bed to write this down in a notebook, but if it’s easier, then you can just keep notes on your phone throughout the day instead.
10. Be kind to yourself
Being a new parent can change your focus and how you use your time. This can feel often feel overwhelming, so try to be kind to yourself.
Celebrate the things you do achieve and the good moments you have with your baby, and try not to over-criticise and over-focus on the things you don’t manage. If you’re struggling with low self-esteem after giving birth, then it’s always best to speak to your GP, as they’ll be able to help you with the best course of action.
How can Benenden Health help with mental health during pregnancy and after birth?
Dealing with mental health during pregnancy or after birth can be difficult, but there’s help available.
Benenden Health offers affordable private healthcare, including 24/7 Mental Health Helpline available from day one of your membership. And after six months, you can request short-term structured support with our Mental Health Support service.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for more ways to look after your health throughout the day, then you can find advice on the best foods to reduce anxiety and how to cope with loneliness over on our Be Healthy hub.
Medically reviewed by Dr Cheryl Lythgoe in May 2025.
