Queen Mary’s Hospital’s new exhibition Room to Grow showcases photos taken by women suffering from postpartum illnesses. Approximately 1 in 10 women experience postpartum depression in the UK, according to the NHS.
Eleanor Hopkins, Peer Engagement Facilitator at Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich Perinatal Mental Health service, created the exhibit to help women reclaim their spaces.
Eleanor’s inspiration came after a conversation with a new mother, who said “how much time she was spending in her front room”. Eleanor thought, “that’s totally what happened to me”.
“As a parent to a new born, I was spending a lot of time in one room whilst also having some really difficult feelings trying to connect with my daughter. So these feelings made me resent that space.”
The photos have a range in locations dependent on the mother’s emotional connection. Credit: Cece Kane
The photos include locations where these mothers spent a lot of time during a “difficult and vulnerable” period after giving birth, including a car, living room and kitchen.
The exhibition opened at Queen Mary’s hospital in Sidcup on the 6th March which, to Eleanor, is very “community based so it felt like the right place to have it”.
Written reflections
As well as photographing these locations, the mothers wrote a reflection exploring their feelings towards these spaces, both past and present.
Eleanor said the mother’s “written reflections are really powerful. They’ve learnt things about their relationship with the space that they didn’t know.”
Founder Eleanor Hopkins’ personal contribution to the exhibition. Credit: Cece Kane
However she was not surprised when some mothers were nervous about writing about their feelings.
“I was chatting to someone yesterday and she was apprehensive to write anything and express these difficult feelings. She started to write and she actually realised that she felt quite positive about the space, it was a tool to help her realise that she had gone further on her journey than she realised. She was scared to explore it but once she faced it she found it more positive that she expected.”
Destigmatising the illness
According to the World Health Organisation, 13% of women globally suffer postpartum illnesses, most commonly depression.
The Association for Post-Natal Illness (APNI) believed that parents in London “mostly contact us with huge shame or guilt at how they are feeling”.
They urged new parents to understand that “it is an illness and not a sign that you are failing as a parent in any way.”
Eleanor’s aim for Room to Grow is to “spread the word and just reduce that stigma and have people learning about it rather than being scared of it or being the unknown.”
Future help
Women experiencing “moderate to severe” symptoms of postnatal illnesses are allowed secondary services such as medication or therapy. But this means “there are people experiencing perinatal mental health challenges who can’t have them”.
Eleanor said offering “support and community” is the most important thing as “you don’t need a diagnosis for peer support. That’s what helped me when I was unwell”.
One of the holistic approaches to helping women is through reflection. Credit: Cece Kane
She said that these “holistic approaches are what can help the most”.
APNI agreed with this, saying that “having support can speed up the recovery process and it definitely helps”.
If you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum illnesses, such as depression or anxiety, call PANDAS on 08081961776.
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HeadlineLondon mother hopes to destigmatise postpartum illnesses through photography exhibition
Short HeadlineLondon mother's exhibition hopes to destigmatise postpartum illnesses
StandfirstRoom to Grow uses photography and written reflections to raise awareness and share experiences.
Queen Mary’s Hospital’s new exhibition Room to Grow showcases photos taken by women suffering from postpartum illnesses. Approximately 1 in 10 women experience postpartum depression in the UK, according to the NHS.
Eleanor Hopkins, Peer Engagement Facilitator at Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich Perinatal Mental Health service, created the exhibit to help women reclaim their spaces.
Eleanor’s inspiration came after a conversation with a new mother, who said “how much time she was spending in her front room”. Eleanor thought, “that’s totally what happened to me”.
“As a parent to a new born, I was spending a lot of time in one room whilst also having some really difficult feelings trying to connect with my daughter. So these feelings made me resent that space.”
The photos have a range in locations dependent on the mother’s emotional connection. Credit: Cece Kane
The photos include locations where these mothers spent a lot of time during a “difficult and vulnerable” period after giving birth, including a car, living room and kitchen.
The exhibition opened at Queen Mary’s hospital in Sidcup on the 6th March which, to Eleanor, is very “community based so it felt like the right place to have it”.
Written reflections
As well as photographing these locations, the mothers wrote a reflection exploring their feelings towards these spaces, both past and present.
Eleanor said the mother’s “written reflections are really powerful. They’ve learnt things about their relationship with the space that they didn’t know.”
Founder Eleanor Hopkins’ personal contribution to the exhibition. Credit: Cece Kane
However she was not surprised when some mothers were nervous about writing about their feelings.
“I was chatting to someone yesterday and she was apprehensive to write anything and express these difficult feelings. She started to write and she actually realised that she felt quite positive about the space, it was a tool to help her realise that she had gone further on her journey than she realised. She was scared to explore it but once she faced it she found it more positive that she expected.”
Destigmatising the illness
According to the World Health Organisation, 13% of women globally suffer postpartum illnesses, most commonly depression.
The Association for Post-Natal Illness (APNI) believed that parents in London “mostly contact us with huge shame or guilt at how they are feeling”.
They urged new parents to understand that “it is an illness and not a sign that you are failing as a parent in any way.”
Eleanor’s aim for Room to Grow is to “spread the word and just reduce that stigma and have people learning about it rather than being scared of it or being the unknown.”
Future help
Women experiencing “moderate to severe” symptoms of postnatal illnesses are allowed secondary services such as medication or therapy. But this means “there are people experiencing perinatal mental health challenges who can’t have them”.
Eleanor said offering “support and community” is the most important thing as “you don’t need a diagnosis for peer support. That’s what helped me when I was unwell”.
One of the holistic approaches to helping women is through reflection. Credit: Cece Kane
She said that these “holistic approaches are what can help the most”.
APNI agreed with this, saying that “having support can speed up the recovery process and it definitely helps”.
If you or someone you know is suffering from postpartum illnesses, such as depression or anxiety, call PANDAS on 08081961776.
