About

This website primarily shares resources from the Coproducing Solutions to Perinatal Loneliness Research Project funded by the NIHR Three School Mental Health Programme.

This research project aimed to find solutions to the loneliness and mental health challenges that many parents experience during pregnancy and the first years after having a baby — the perinatal period. The idea for this project grew from the research lead (Ruth Naughton-Doe)’s experience of loneliness and postnatal depression.

New parents are particularly vulnerable to loneliness in the first-year post-birth, and the combined effects of loneliness and mental illness cam have long-lasting impacts on both parents and their children.

What research happened?

The research project ran between October 2022 and June 2024. We aimed to find solutions for loneliness experienced by new parents, create resources and make recommendations. Supported by a team of experts and a research advisory group of practitioners and people with lived experience, this project:

• Reviewed existing research for effective ways to address perinatal loneliness.
• Listened to parents who identified as lonely at two points in their perinatal journey to understand their struggles, coping strategies, and pathways out of loneliness.
• Gathered perspectives from practitioners and service users to explore potential solutions.

What are the findings?

Our research showed that parents often feel lonely because of a mix of different reasons. Some of these are personal, like feeling anxious or lacking confidence. But many parents also face challenges caused by society and culture — like not having enough local support, feeling judged, or facing isolation because of cultural expectations.

These structural and cultural factors — things like how communities are set up, how support is offered, and the pressure to be the “perfect parent” — can make loneliness even harder to overcome.

Understanding these different causes helps us find better ways to support parents so no one has to feel alone during such an important time.

Ideas for changing include better supporting fathers and non-birthing parents, transforming society to become more family-friendly, offering more practical, financial and emotional support for parents, and challenging cultural expectations, such as being a "perfect" parent.

You can read more about the findings on our further reading section.

What we’ve done so far

We’ve created an animated video and an an easy-read report that explains why some parents feel lonely and what can be done to help. We’ve also published two academic papers that share what we’ve learned about perinatal loneliness and the kinds of support that really make a difference.

Along the way, we’ve spoken with health and social care teams across the country to raise awareness about this important issue. Our work has made an impact by helping professionals better recognise when parents are feeling lonely and by improving the support available through health and social care services.