Breaking the Taboo: Resources
You may find these resources helpful if you have been affected by traumatic birth or pregnancy, or are interested in finding out more. Helpline numbers are given where available, otherwise the phone numbers listed are for general enquiries. If a contact email isn’t given that is usually because the organisation has a contact form on its website.
Charities and support organisations
Aching arms
Supports parents who have experienced baby loss.
Website: www.achingarms.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07464 508994
Action on pre-eclampsia
Provides information and support to people affected by pre-eclampsia and supports research into finding a cure.
Website: www.action-on-pre-eclampsia.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01386 761 848
Association for Postnatal Illness
Offers support to women with postnatal depression.
Website: www.apni.org
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0207 386 0868
Birth Trauma Association
Supports both mothers and fathers who have been affected by traumatic birth, and campaigns for improvements in maternity care. Its support email is staffed by peer supporters who have all themselves experienced birth trauma.
Website: www.birthtraumaassociation.org
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0203 621 6338
Bliss
Offers support for parents and families of premature and sick babies. You can request a video call if you prefer.
Website: www.bliss.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 020 7378 1122
Group B Strep Support
Works to eradicate group B Strep infection in babies, educating the public, doctors and midwives about group B Strep and providing information and support to affected families.
Website: www.gbss.org.uk
Helpline: 0330 120 0796
Little Heartbeats
Supports mothers who have experienced premature rupture of membranes.
Website: www.little-heartbeats.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Make Birth Better
Supports parents and professionals impacted by birth trauma, and offers training to professionals.
Website: www.makebirthbetter.org
Email: [email protected]
Maternal Mental Health Alliance
A network of organisations offering mental health support to mothers.
Website: https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org
Multiple Births Foundation
Offers support to parents of twins, triplets and more, as well as advice and training to professionals concerned with their care.
Website: www.multiplebirths.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07360 735 050
Multiple Births Foundation
Offers support to parents of twins, triplets and more, as well as advice and training to professionals concerned with their care.
Website: www.multiplebirths.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 07360 735 050
PANDAS Foundation
Supports parents with prenatal or postnatal depression, as well as other perinatal mental health challenges.
Website: https://pandasfoundation.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0808 1961 776
PEEPS
Supports parents, families and friends of people who have experienced hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (brain injury as a result of oxygen deprivation). It has lots of useful downloadable resources.
Website: www.peeps-hie.org
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0800 987 5422
Pregnancy Sickness Support
Offers support to women affected by hyperemesis gravidarum, and campaigns to improve the care of those affected by the condition.
Website: www.pregnancysicknesssupport.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0800 055 4361
Sands
Supports parents who have experienced baby loss. You can call the helpline if you need support after the death of a baby, whether it was recent or long ago.
Website: www.sands.org.uk
Email: [email protected].
Helpline: 0808 164 3332
The Motherhood Group
Advocates for Black women in maternity, through training and peer support.
Website: www.themotherhoodgroup.org
Email: [email protected]
Twins Trust
Offers support to parents of twins and multiples, and carries out research to improve health outcomes for twins and multiples.
Website: www.twinstrust.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 01252 332344
Action on postpartum psychosis
Offers support for mothers and families affected by postpartum psychosis.
Website: www.app-network.org
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 020 33229900
Antenatal Results and Choices
Provides emotional support and independent information relating to antenatal testing.
Website: www.arc-uk.org
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 020 7713 7486
Best Beginnings
Supports parents to give their children the best start in life, through expert advice and practical help, largely through a free parenting app, Baby Buddy.
Website: www.bestbeginnings.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 020 7443 7895
Birthrights
Provides advice and information on women’s legal rights in childbirth, trains doctors and midwives and campaigns on maternity policy.
Website: www.birthrights.org.uk
Phone: 0300 400 0103
Five X More
Campaigns for better outcomes in maternity for Black women.
Website: https://fivexmore.org
Email: [email protected]
Irwin Mitchell
The UK’s leading medical malpractice firm, helping to give you the answers and compensation you deserve.
Website: https://www.irwinmitchell.com
Phone number: 0370 1500 100
Lullaby Trust
Raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers emotional support for bereaved families.
Website: www.lullabytrust.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0808 802 6868
MASIC Foundation
Supports women who have experienced anal sphincter injuries as a result of birth.
Website: www.masic.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0808 1640 8333
Miscarriage Association
Supports anyone affected by the loss of a baby in pregnancy.
Website: www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 01924 200799
National Breastfeeding Helpline
Offers information and support to anyone needing advice on breastfeeding.
Website: www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk
Helpline: 0300 100 0212
National Domestic Abuse Helpline
The helpline, run by the charity Refuge, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers free and confidential advice. A translation service is available if English is not your first language.
Website: www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk
Helpline: 0808 2000 247
Pregnancy Associated Osteoporosis Patient Group
The Pregnancy Associated Osteoporosis Patient Group offers advice and support for women with pregnancy associated osteoporosis.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/paogroupuk/
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 0300 124 0441
PETALS
Provides counselling for parents who have experienced baby loss.
Website: www.petalscharity.org/
Email: [email protected]
Samaritans
The Samaritans helpline is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is available to anyone experiencing emotional distress, including thoughts of suicide.
Website: www.samaritans.org
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 116 123
The Ectopic Pregnancy Trust
Supports women and partners who have experienced ectopic pregnancy.
Website: www.ectopic.org.uk
Tommy’s
Researches causes and treatments to save babies’ lives, and also provides pregnancy and baby loss information and support from midwives.
Website: www.tommys.org
Email: [email protected]
Helpline: 0800 0147 800
Books
Dockrill, Laura (2021) What have I done? Motherhood, Mental Illness and Me. Vintage
Jolin, Lucy (2019) Coping with birth trauma and postnatal depression. Sheldon Press
Scotland, Mia (2015) Why Postnatal Depression Matters. Pinter & Martin
Scotland, Mia (2020) Birth Shock: how to recover from birth trauma. Pinter & Martin
Svanberg, Emma (2019) Why birth trauma matters. Pinter & Martin
Thomas, Kim (2020) Birth Trauma: A guide for you, your friends and family to coping with post-traumatic stress disorder following birth. Nell James Publishing.
Thomas, Kim and McCann, Shona (2022) Postnatal PTSD: A Guide for Health Professionals. Jessica Kingsley Publishing.
Thompson, Louise (2024) Lucky: Learning to live again. Ebury Spotlight.
Van der Kolk, Bessel (2015) The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin