In her opinion piece for the Independent, postpartum psychosis advocate Jess Heron describes the unique advantages of mother baby units (MBUs). Jess Heron is the CEO of Action on Postpartum Psychosis.
"Research conducted by our charity shows that mothers who have access to a mother and baby unit have higher levels of satisfaction with their care. They feel safer and more confident in the knowledge of the staff, and are closer to recovery by the time they leave care. They have a shorter time to full recovery and feel more confident with their baby when discharged from care.
We know also that there are fewer deaths by suicide in women who access MBUs, compared to those who are separated from their baby for care in a general ward. In the UK, suicide is the leading cause of new mothers dying. We must do more to address the fact that families are torn apart by this very treatable illness."
Unfortunately MBUs are even rarer in the United States than in the United Kingdom.
Read the original article here.