Maternal Mental Health Week 2026: “It’s about raising awareness, breaking stigma, and reminding women and families that they are not alone.”
To mark Maternal Mental Health Week 2026, our Paths maternal mental health service specialist midwives are sharing their thoughts and reflections on why the week is so important.
Rebecca Thomas, Paths lead specialist midwife, Wakefield and Kirklees
As a specialist midwife at Paths, this week means so much to me. It’s about raising awareness, breaking stigma, and reminding women and families that they are not alone.
I feel incredibly privileged to do this work — holding space, listening without judgement, and supporting women and birthing people to recover during some of the most vulnerable moments of their lives.
During the week, we’ll be out in children’s centres across Wakefield and Kirklees, creating welcoming spaces to talk, ask questions, and share information about maternal mental health. We’ll also be visiting gynaecology and maternity departments to raise awareness of support following miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.
At Paths, we support women and birthing people with complex mental health difficulties linked to birth trauma, baby loss, fear of pregnancy or childbirth, and distress related to pregnancy and birth — sometimes before they even plan a pregnancy, and beyond the perinatal period.
Maternal Mental Health Week is about:
- Raising awareness
- Advocating for women and families
- Breaking stigma
- Helping people access the care, understanding, and compassion they need to recover
For me, this work is a privilege. Every conversation, every shared story, and every step forward reminds me why maternal mental health matters — and why listening, kindness, and connection can make such a powerful difference.
