Suffolk Libraries will be hosting online coffee mornings to offer support to new and expecting parents.

The perinatal project ‘Me, Myself and Baby’ launched over the summer and offers peer support, advice and counselling to mums and dads with a child aged under five or who are expecting a baby.

The scheme aims to help reduce isolation and improve emotional wellbeing for new parents.

Ruth Sparshott, perinatal mental health assistant at Suffolk Libraries, said: “We know that parents at home with a new baby can often feel lonely, especially if they don’t have friends with children of a similar age.

“Before lockdown, many new parents were accessing groups in their local libraries and the wider community where they could build friendships and support networks, and this is something that many mums and dads are missing.

“We hope our online coffee mornings can go some way to fill that gap and offer a space for people to meet and chat until it is safe for us to get together again in person.”

Maternal mental illness affects up to 20% of women and covers a wide range of conditions. If left untreated, it can have significant and long-lasting effects for women and their families.

The next online coffee morning will be taking place at 10.30am on Monday 7 September. Parents can receive an invite by email