Watch Out of the Blue videos here

Promoting mental health for parents and their children

Out of the Blue is a series of films, created by Best Beginnings, to help take the country to the Tipping Point where everyone knows that mental health is as important as physical health.

A few of the films are for professional training only, the rest are freely available to watch now and are fully integrated into our free Baby Buddy app.

In Baby Buddy, in addition to 200+ other films there are the following Out of the Blue films:

• 12 short films to help you understand your baby and support bonding, and support your baby's brain development
• 64 short films to support your mental health in pregnancy and after your baby is born
• 7 documentary films including an introduction to maternal mental health, a film for fathers and films on OCD and PTSD

Collaboration and co-creation 

Integral to the project is collaboration and co-creation with expert stakeholders including parents, representatives from Royal Colleges and charities, and with significant involvement from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.

Through this collaboration, we have pinned down the film content and dissemination plan, and have ensured that the highest number of mothers, fathers, families and professionals across the UK have viewed the films in ways that will maximise their impact.

More information about the terminology, impact, classification and further support is available on our Helping Parents with Mental Health Issues page.

Why a national resource to support maternal mental health is needed

The physical aspects of pregnancy are widely discussed, yet by comparison the emotional changes during this time attract less attention and are less well publicised.

Read The Cost of Perinatal Mental Health Problems Report - by the LSE and Centre for Mental Health, part of the work from the Maternal Mental Health Alliance's 'Everyone' Business' campaign. The infographic below is taken from the report:

Perinatal mental health problems can have a devastating impact on women, their babies, fathers and their families. Up to 20% of women will suffer from mental health issues that can occur during pregnancy and in the year after birth. These illnesses include anxiety, postnatal depression and postnatal psychotic disorders. Mental illness can result in a wide range of symptoms which mean women can struggle to understand that they are ill.

Health and social care professionals need to have enough knowledge of these issues to be alert to a wide array of symptoms. Without this support, there is strong evidence of significant adverse outcomes for women, their babies and their families. However, with the right information, professionals and families can make a real difference.

The onset and escalation of perinatal mental illnesses can often be prevented through early identification and expert management of a woman’s condition, and prompt and informed choices about treatment. Even if the illness itself is not preventable, it is possible to prevent many of the negative effects of perinatal mental illness on families.

Best Beginnings fully support the Prime Minister's recent pledge for a ‘revolution’ in mental health treatment.

For more information on the Out of the Blue project, please contact [email protected]

To find out more about the Out of the Blue film series, it's creation, contributors and use; download our Out of the Blue Booklet.

Follow the campaign on Twitter @BestBeginnings and #OutOfTheBlue 

Video lectures - Kathleen Kendall-Tackett

In May we were privileged to get Kathleen Kendall-Tackett to speak at a seminar we hosted in London. Kathleen is a leading authority on depression in mothers and on the relationship between breastfeeding and depression. We are pleased to let you know that the videos we made on the day are now available to view online. Please feel free to share these videos with your colleagues and through your networks.