My Blog

Sometime last year I was approached by www.exclusivetv.co.uk, who were making a documentary about teenage mothers who suffer with postnatal depression. I helped by sharing some of my knowledge and experience around the subject and also helped them to find some other people who had been affected.

They were  ‘making an hour-long documentary for BBC Three about teenage postnatal depression. It’s estimated that almost half of all teenage mums get postnatal depression, but there is very little help available for them when they do, and little advice given on the subject during pregnancy. The programme will meet a number of women who are or were teenage mums and who suffered or are still suffering from postnatal depression. It will explore the reasons why young people get postnatal depression and look at what help exists, both inside the NHS and through voluntary organisations. The programme will emphasise the seriousness of postnatal depression and challenge the idea that it’s just the “baby blues”.’

They have used singer and presenter Stacey Solomon,  (pictured) who suffered from the illness, as the focal point and I am delighted to say that the programme will now be aired on BBC Three at 9 p.m. on Tuesday 19th March.

I shall certainly be watching and hope the the programme will encourage sufferers to seek help and commisioners to look at developing the sadly missing services in most parts of the UK.

I will be speaking about the programme on BBC Radio Birmingham at 8.30 a.m. on Sunday.

Elaine