Why so many young mums are struggling with depression

NHS England has just pledged £20m for perinatal mental health care. Here, three mothers talk about their experiences

Picture posed by model

Around a fifth of new mums in the UK suffer from mental health problems.

It's a serious problem - and now NHS England has announced that £20m will be spent on perinatal mental health services. That's on top of the £40m committed by the government in 2016.

This money will go to the most underserved areas of the country, where pregnant women and new mums are currently missing out on important care. 

Cecily, who was 19 when she fell pregnant, was one new mum who struggled. She was in a casual relationship with the father of her child when she discovered she was expecting, and the couple soon ended the relationship. Her parents were supportive of her pregnancy, but she knew she’d still be raising her child alone.

Life changed before she even gave birth to Felix last year. She was a student about to enter her second year of university, but she felt the uni was encouraging her to leave, and she dropped out.

That was when her social circle started to shrink. She felt judged by many of her former friends, and thought strangers stereotyped her as a promiscuous young girl who had made a mistake. She began to view herself as a “burden” to her family, and the anxiety disorder she’d already suffered from since her early teens began to worsen.

Back in 2008, research, external showed that around 40% of teen mothers in the UK were affected by postnatal depression, compared to 18% of mothers aged 23-38.

Meanwhile, a survey for BBC 5Live, conducted as part of its 2017#mumtakeover event, found that more than one-third of mums have experienced mental health issues related to motherhood (along with 17% of dads). Meanwhile 25% said they felt more lonely since having children. Their research also showed that one in seven mums had been criticised by strangers.

And according to a 2014 study, only 3% of the country has good access to mental health care for new mums.

Claire Murdoch, national mental health director for NHS England, told BBC News: “[These mental health problems] can happen to anyone at any time, and it disrupts life not just for mums but the whole family – which is why we are absolutely committed to driving forward improvements in care and ensuring this important area of mental health continues to get the attention it deserves.”

Cecily and her son, Felix

After Felix was born, Cecily says: “I was isolated - I wasn't working and was on my own more than ever before. My life was suddenly unrecognisable, and I could no longer relate to my friends. I felt so self-conscious about being a mum, I wouldn’t leave the house for fear Felix would cry and attract attention to me.”

The fear of having Felix taken away from her by social services stopped her from going to her GP. “I didn’t want to be labeled with an illness or disorder,” she says. But, eventually, Cecily confided in a midwife. That was when she was diagnosed with postnatal depression (PND).

Psychotherapist Dr Amanda Jones says teen mums are more likely to be diagnosed with PND because of the combination of a lack of practical and emotional support.

“The loss of approval within the family and from society is an important risk factor for younger mothers, and can trigger depressed and anxious feelings," she says. "Young mothers may also criticise themselves and their self-esteem can suffer, especially if a mother feels her own plans and ambitions are wrecked.”

Social stigma is one of the biggest issues for younger mums.

Juvin was 17 and about to start Year 12 at school when she gave birth to her son, Given. She had been in a relationship with her partner for four years, and they were “in love.” But she still felt judged by society.

“When I got pregnant, I felt like there was this assumption I must have been out in a short skirt, sleeping with as many people as possible. That wasn’t me at all," Juvin says.

Juvin had grown up with sex education classes at school focusing on avoiding pregnancy at all costs, and teen mums being held up as the worst thing a young girl could possibly become. “I believed my life was over when I got pregnant, because that is what I had been told,” she says.

This stigma inevitably led to feelings of loneliness and low self-esteem.

Juvin’s family were in complete shock when she revealed she was having a baby, and she says they initially struggled to offer their support. “When I gave birth I had £85 to my name. I felt like I had disappointed so many people,” she says.

Juvin was diagnosed with depression, which she still battles with. But she's in a much better position today, having founded the Young Mamas Initiative, which helps other mums dealing with loneliness. Juvin split from the father of her son four years later, and is now seeing someone else.

“I wouldn’t say I am over it now, but looking at my son makes me feel better every day. I try and feed off his energy and make life better for both of us.”

Many of the issues younger mums face are financial. The Young Women’s Trust found that, external more than a quarter of young mums under 25 have used food banks, while 46% do not eat proper meals so they can ensure their kids are fed instead.

Lucy was 18 when she found herself expecting. Her relationship, which was already strained, buckled under the pressure of the unplanned pregnancy, and she eventually left her partner. She developed mental health issues, including PND.

“Becoming a single parent just before my 19th birthday was not what I expected,” she says, seven years later. “I felt misunderstood by midwives and treated as though I was a child myself.”

Lucy was advised by her university to put her nursing degree on hold to bring up her daughter - which she agrees was the right thing to do. She qualified a year later than planned, and now works as a palliative care sister. Her daughter, Kara, is now seven.

“I still struggle financially, but I'm doing my best to bring up my daughter and would never depend on state handouts – despite what people tend to think of single mums," she says.

Compared to many other young single mums, Lucy is lucky. Last year, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found that, external young mums are six times more likely than older mums to lose their jobs during pregnancy or maternity leave.

If they are able to keep their jobs, they deal with the same employment discrimination, external and high childcare costs as older mothers, but often with a fraction of their financial resources.

When Laura had her son, Max, she was 20 and working in retail. Her story is familiar to many mums: “My employer told me I wasn’t flexible enough because I couldn’t work at the drop of a hat, so I had to leave. The fact is, in my experience, most bosses don’t appreciate what parenting requires. I’ve had to retrain, and my partner has three jobs just to get a decent income. We’ve also worked out that we’d be worse off if we both worked full-time, because of the price of childcare.”

"Gone are the days where people could be accused of ‘having a baby to get a council flat’. Accommodation just isn’t there anymore,” says Fiona Smalls, director of the Young Mums Support Network, which strives to educate and inform young parents. This has ramifications. “If your living environment isn’t stable, then how can you expect your mind to be? There is a real housing issue when it comes to young parents. These are vulnerable people living in tough conditions.”

Cecily’s son is now six months old, and while some days are still a struggle, things are improving. She’s received medical support for her PND, and has found a network of new friends in similar situations via Instagram. She's also making money as a freelance photographer.

“I used to think being a single parent would be a nightmare,” she says. “But there are definite positives. I love my son, and I have so much energy to take care of him. When he’s 18, I won’t even be 40. I’ll understand him so much better when he’s a teenager, and one day I might even be able to be a young grandma. None of it is easy, but I wouldn’t change any of it.”

If you have been affected by issues raised above help and support is available.

See more from BBC 5 Live, external.

Originally published 28 November 2017.

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