To commemorate Father’s Day 2025, Chris Wasley shares a personal reflection on his introduction to fatherhood and his family’s experience of postpartum psychosis.

Their story, explored in greater depth in the published article ‘Heaven Then Hell: A Partner’s Experience of Postpartum Psychosis’, offers an insight into the role of partners during perinatal mental health crises. 

Our first-born son was born on Father’s Day 2019. He was the most amazing gift I could ever have imagined.

But exactly one week after our son was born, our world fell apart.

My wife experienced auditory and visual hallucinations and was diagnosed with the perinatal mental illness Postpartum Psychosis. It is safe to say that this wasn’t the path I saw our lives taking when our son was born. My wife was subsequently admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) to recover.

I didn’t realise the lasting impact that this mental illness would have on our lives. Not only with my wife’s mental health, but also with my own. I am now a dedicated and proactive campaigner on a mission to raise national awareness of this illness, the impact it has on the family network, the importance of the MBUs, and support for partners. 

Father’s Day will always be a special day for me, regardless of the challenges that came after.

And I am very proud that on this Father’s Day, you can access a free download of my article with MIDIRS, ‘Heaven Then Hell: A Partner’s Experience of Postpartum Psychosis’.