Mom's Journey: Overcoming Postpartum Psychosis

0:00On March 21st, Sophie Lewis, a 27-year-old new mom from Aberdeer in Wales, checked into a mother-in-baby mental health unit expecting just two weeks of care after giving birth to her daughter, Evie. Diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder and postpartum psychosis tendencies, she ended up staying five months. This rare condition hits about one in 1,000 mothers right after birth, bringing sudden severe symptoms that can worsen fast, but respond well to. Treatment Right after delivery, Sophia felt no connection to her baby and struggled with sleep, anger at cries, and strained hallucinations like a beeping noise. She thought men someone was trying to buy Evie. She had no clue how serious it was until a counselor suggested the unit, which she didn't even know existed. In the unit, more like supportive shared housing, Sophie got medication, therapy, and hellbonding with Evie, including her first skin-to-skin contact. At 16 weeks old, that stay, though tough to leave, turned everything around and kept

1:01both safe. Experts note big improvements since earlier cases, like Dr. Sally Wilson's 11 years ago, when she was separated from her baby on a general ward. Now Wales has perinatal teams everywhere, plus mother-baby units in Swansea, and a new one in Chester serving both England and Wales sides. Three years later, Sophia is sharing her story to urge struggling moms to seek help, stressing they're not alone, and can return to normal life with a right support now available.