UK Postnatal Care System Fails Women, Experts Warn
The UK postnatal care system is "dangerously underfunded and understaffed", according to a damning report by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). Thousands of new mothers are feeling unsafe, unsupported, and overwhelmed in the weeks and months following childbirth, with nearly nine in ten reporting feelings of overwhelm at least some of the time.
The NCT's survey of 2,000 new and expectant parents found that almost a quarter of pregnant women did not have regular access to NHS staff after birth. This lack of support is leaving many women feeling isolated and unsupported, with 62% reporting loneliness sometimes and 12% always.
Mental health concerns are also rising, with over half (59%) of pregnant women expressing worries about their mental wellbeing. The NCT chief executive, Angela McConville, describes the current system as "fail[ing] to provide safe, compassionate care" at a time when new parents need it most.
The report's findings have been backed up by other experts, who warn that feeling overwhelmed should never be considered a normal part of early parenthood. Labour MP Michelle Welsh has called for investment, staffing, training, and accountability to be prioritised to ensure every parent can feel confident and supported.
In response to the report, the government has vowed to improve maternity services, including launching a national investigation into inequalities in care. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to address the systemic failures that are leading to such distress among new parents.
With many families calling for a full statutory inquiry, it remains to be seen whether the government will take decisive action to reform the UK's postnatal care system and provide the support and care that new mothers deserve.
The UK postnatal care system is "dangerously underfunded and understaffed", according to a damning report by the National Childbirth Trust (NCT). Thousands of new mothers are feeling unsafe, unsupported, and overwhelmed in the weeks and months following childbirth, with nearly nine in ten reporting feelings of overwhelm at least some of the time.
The NCT's survey of 2,000 new and expectant parents found that almost a quarter of pregnant women did not have regular access to NHS staff after birth. This lack of support is leaving many women feeling isolated and unsupported, with 62% reporting loneliness sometimes and 12% always.
Mental health concerns are also rising, with over half (59%) of pregnant women expressing worries about their mental wellbeing. The NCT chief executive, Angela McConville, describes the current system as "fail[ing] to provide safe, compassionate care" at a time when new parents need it most.
The report's findings have been backed up by other experts, who warn that feeling overwhelmed should never be considered a normal part of early parenthood. Labour MP Michelle Welsh has called for investment, staffing, training, and accountability to be prioritised to ensure every parent can feel confident and supported.
In response to the report, the government has vowed to improve maternity services, including launching a national investigation into inequalities in care. However, critics argue that more needs to be done to address the systemic failures that are leading to such distress among new parents.
With many families calling for a full statutory inquiry, it remains to be seen whether the government will take decisive action to reform the UK's postnatal care system and provide the support and care that new mothers deserve.
this is crazy... thousands of mums feeling overwhelmed & unsupported after having a kid? it's like, we expect them to just magically adjust to motherhood without any help? 
how can we expect them to be healthy & happy if they're not getting the support they need? 62% reporting loneliness is insane... we gotta do better 
. I mean, who wouldn't expect the NHS to fail at something as important as postnatal care? Thousands of women are already struggling with feelings of overwhelm and loneliness after childbirth, and now we're just going to pretend like everything's fine and launch a national investigation that'll probably take years to sort out? 
. And don't even get me started on the government's plan to "improve" maternity services... just more empty promises 
. We need concrete action, not lip service 
.
I'm not surprised by this report. It's like they're saying, "Hey, we know you're exhausted and vulnerable after having a kid, good luck with that!" I mean, 62% feeling lonely all the time? That's just heartbreaking. We need better support systems in place for new parents, especially when it comes to mental health. 
? But seriously though, 62% reporting loneliness sometimes? That's insane. Can't our lovely NHS just get it together? I mean, I've heard horror stories from friends who had to deal with no one being available for support after giving birth 
And now we're supposed to trust the government to fix it? Give me a break...
. The lack of regular access to NHS staff is just ridiculous – what even is the point of having a hospital if you can't get proper care? 
And don't even get me started on mental health concerns... it's like we're telling new parents that it's normal to be overwhelmed and lonely, which is not okay. We need to take concrete action to fix this system, like increasing funding, staffing, and training for midwives. Anything less is just a Band-Aid solution 
it's like they're not even human anymore, just a burden on the NHS system. gotta get some change in this country, more funding and training for midwives and nurses, it's not rocket science! 
. We need better systems in place, more staff and training, so new parents don't feel overwhelmed or alone 
.
And over half worrying about their mental wellbeing? It's no wonder with nearly all of them feeling overwhelmed some of the time 
. Every new parent deserves a safe, compassionate care system, not this broken one 
.
. I mean I know every new mom is different but like seriously 62% of women are feeling lonely all the time?! That's insane! And mental health concerns? Like what's going on?! We need to do so much better for our mums and dads, they're already dealing with so much 
. The government needs to step up and invest in some serious support systems ASAP 
. I'm all for a full statutory inquiry now, let's get some real change happening!
The fact that nearly 9 in 10 new mums are feeling overwhelmed is just heartbreaking. I feel like my aunt had to deal with some of this when she had her kids and she said it was a real struggle to get any support at all. 
.
. The thought of new mums feeling isolated and alone is really worrying, especially during those early days when they need the most support 