When is perinatal mental health support recommended for postpartum psychosis?

Postpartum psychosis can involve severe confusion, rapidly changing mood, unusual beliefs, hallucinations, agitation, or loss of contact with reality. A person may not recognise that they are unwell. This is a medical emergency, not a sign of poor parenting. Assessment may involve a perinatal mental health team, emergency clinicians, and maternity or psychiatric services. Treatment and supervision are planned around safety, recovery, feeding preferences, and the baby’s care.

If you notice these changes in yourself or someone who has recently given birth, stay with the person and remove immediate hazards if you can do so safely. Contact emergency services or go to the nearest emergency department. Share any medicines, previous mental health history, sleep changes, and observed behaviours with clinicians. A trusted adult should help care for the baby until professionals advise otherwise.

Seek emergency care at once for hallucinations, frightening or fixed beliefs, severe confusion, extreme agitation, thoughts of suicide or harm, or inability to keep the parent or baby safe. Do not wait for a routine appointment or leave the person alone.

Ask where assessment will occur, who can stay with the baby, what treatment is being considered, how family can help, and which symptoms require an immediate return to emergency care.