How could you not see she wasn’t ok Stood by her baby who may not make it. Arms gently wrapped around her tummy With no colour in her face And sunken eyes. I sat next to that woman in the NICU I stood across from her I spoke to her in the sterilising room And shuffled past her in the corridor. Every time she told me she was ok My heart sank Because I knew how she really felt A silent struggle, I was facing too. Every time I replied I’m fine I shut down a little bit more. When my baby came early And I crossed the hallway to the NICU They forgot about me. No visit, no phone call, not even a text Baby was transferred to another hospital And that was it. No more antenatal care. You said you’ll check she’s recovering well after birth And support her in the first few days of becoming a mum. So where were you When she needed you more Than just your average new mum. Up to 70% of mums experience Postnatal Depression following a NICU stay - this stat turns my stomach. This means in a typical sized neonatal intensive care room of six cots - 4 of the mothers may experience PND. I wonder which mum I saw and spoke to every day was facing this silent battle. Was I one of them? Failure to ask, is failure to diagnosis and a further failing to provide support 🚨💜 #nicu #nicumum #nicumom #postnatal #postnataldepression #antenatal #prematurebaby #preemiestrong #nhs #birth #pregnant #pregnancy #newmum #newmom #midwife #midwifery