This petition is calling for a mandatory postnatal pain assessment and recovery checklist to be implemented across all hospitals in the UK. Once a Mother is out of recovery whether after a vaginal birth or a C-section she should be seen by a senior clinician or anaesthetist to complete the assessment to actively manage her pain effectively. 

Too often, we hear the phrase “as long as the baby arrives safely” but that’s no longer good enough. Of course the baby’s safety matters, but so does the mother’s. This language dismisses her pain, her trauma, and her recovery. It’s time to change the narrative: a safe birth means both baby and mum are well physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Postnatal care in the UK has remained largely unchanged for decades, despite significant shifts in societal, economic, and family dynamics. The current framework is failing new mothers offering minimal support, inadequate mental health care, and limited follow-up in the crucial weeks following birth. This systemic neglect is contributing directly to the rise in postnatal depression, birth trauma, and emotional distress, leaving countless women feeling unsupported, unseen, and unable to cope. Without a modern, evidence-based approach that validates the lived experience of mothers and prioritises their physical and psychological recovery, we are continuing to let women fall through the cracks during one of the most vulnerable periods of their lives. Urgent reform is not just necessary it is a matter of public health, equality, and maternal safety.

We are proposing a basic framework for a Postnatal Pain Management Checklist to be completed once a mother has come out of the initial recovery stage.

This would involve a brief pain assessment, clear documentation of what medication is available to her, and an open conversation about her current level of pain. The pain management plan should be clearly communicated with the entire care team, so everyone involved is aware of what’s been put in place.

This is not a medically finalised tool, but a foundation to be refined by healthcare professionals a starting point to create real change so that no woman is left to heal in hospital, or discharged home, without proper pain support.

This checklist would also include a  conversation around how the Mother is feeling emotionally, with signposting to organisations that offer support for breastfeeding, mental wellbeing, or general postnatal care. 

Postpartum Reality: Preparing Women for the Emotional and Physical Shift

We are calling for the creation of a clear, compassionate information leaflet to be given to every woman after birth. This resource should outline the real postpartum experience not just say “go home and rest.” It should explain how, once the adrenaline from birth wears off, women often experience a physical and emotional crash. Hormones dip, emotions heighten, and the combination of sleep deprivation, physical pain, and unmet expectations can feel overwhelming.

The leaflet should guide women through what’s normal to feel, what warning signs to look out for, and where they can go for support whether that’s mental health resources, nutrition ot breastfeeding help. It must validate their experiences, help them feel less alone, and offer both medical and natural tools to aid recovery from peppermint tea and nutrition tips to emotional check-ins and hotlines.

Please note: the checklist and resources suggested are examples and will need to be adapted and developed further by professionals. This petition is the starting point for change, and the final framework can be tailored to meet the needs of women across the UK.

Because when expectations are managed, and support is clear, women are better equipped to cope and to heal.

Why Does This Matter?

Preventing Trauma Now, Protecting the NHS Later

By implementing this level of care and attention at the earliest stage of the postpartum journey, we have the opportunity to significantly reduce the risk of birth trauma and postnatal depression.

Early intervention, honest conversations, and proper pain and emotional support can help prevent long-term complications that often lead to further GP visits, mental health referrals, crisis support, and even hospital admissions. Investing in Mothers can ease pressure on NHS services in the future saving both money and lives. This isn’t just compassionate care; it’s smart healthcare planning.

This proposal is long overdue and the statistics below strong reflects how this needs to be looked at as a matter of urgency.

545,149 deliveries occurred in NHS hospitals in England in 2023–24, with 38% being C-sections (16% elective, 22% emergency).
Only 22% of women received epidurals during labour, despite their known benefit in high-risk cases.

Over 57% of deliveries involved some anaesthetic or analgesic—but this number has dropped from previous years. Up to 27% of mothers experience perinatal mental health problems.

Suicide remains one of the leading causes of maternal death in the postnatal year. 70% of women hide or underplay their postnatal mental health issues.

Research shows 4–5% of women go on to develop PTSD after childbirth around 25,000–30,000 women each year.

In a 2023 survey, 79% of women described experiencing birth trauma, with 71% reporting emotional or psychological trauma.

Source: Maternal Mental Health Alliance
Source: Theo Clarke MP
Source: NHS Digital 

I have started this petition because I’ve lived the reality of what happens when postnatal care falls short. After the birth of my last baby, I was sent home with little to no pain management. I’d just had major abdominal surgery and was expected to manage on paracetamol. That experience was one of the major contributors to my postnatal depression and it took me two years to recover from the trauma.

I’ve just had another C-section, and again I’ve been hit with the same reality: exceptional care during pregnancy, and then almost nothing once the baby is here. It’s like the focus shifts completely away from the Mother. And I’m here to say: that is not okay.

This is not just about recovery. This is about dignity. It’s about giving Mothers the care they deserve. If you believe no woman should be left to suffer in silence, please sign this petition and help a Mum that’s just trying to make a difference.