Perinatal Service User Photography Project

This could be a room at home where you find yourself in for most of the day looking after baby, it could be a space outside that helps how you feel on a particular day, a place where you’ve felt really supported or a room in someone else’s home that brings you comforting feelings; it could be anywhere that has meaning for you, both positive and negative.

It was initiated by Ellie, a Bromley service user, who also works within the team in a lived experience role. When Ellie was visiting a mum under the care of the team, they talked a little bit about how much time is spent as a parent to a new born, not just inside their homes but usually in one particular space or room; it serves as a base where baby can be fed, can be changed and can sleep but also where the parent can rest. 

They can find themselves popping to other rooms, but will likely come back to their “base”. 

Ellie reflected on this and realised that, as challenging as this was for any new parent, those also with perinatal mental health challenges could experience more intense feelings and emotions in the spaces we are in and she wanted to explore how, for others, this experience was; how the space may impact how you feel, how your emotions may influence your feelings towards a space and how a relationship with a space may have parallels with the experience of having severe perinatal mental health challenges.

The mums who have taken part in the project have chosen a space that has this meaning for them and explored how they feel about it. To capture this, they have taken an image of the space and then written down their reflections. Ellie and the other mums will be sharing these at a public space in Queen Mary’s Hospital and would like to invite people to view their images and read their reflections. They hope it will bring connection, solidarity and reassurance to those who are on their own perinatal mental health and parenthood journeys.

The event is FREE and everyone is welcome - please just drop-in

Wednesday 6 March to Tuesday 19 March 2024
Open 7am-9pm every day

Ground Floor via Main Entrance
Queen Mary’s Hospital
Frognal Avenue, Sidcup DA14 6LT

For any questions, please email Ellie at: e.hopkins4@nhs.net