4. Leanne Howlett - our first #MatExp, 'lived experience' guest

My first #MatExp guest!Huge thanks to busy mum (and so much more!) my friend Leanne Howlett for sharing her experience of perinatal mental health and how she is using it to help others.We are hoping this episode will be influential in raising awareness and spreading some of the, often very simple, ideas that we discuss. Please give us some feedback. We are really hoping to build the conversation.Lots of lemon lightbulbs! 🍋💡🍋  See 'chapter headings' for more detail and to pick out your favourite bits,  including:The importance of walking in the shoes of parents and finding out what actually matters to themSmall, often very informal, things matterDon’t guess what people want, listen to them. Use genuine coproduction; be braveShare examples – e.g. a simple video to help people know what to expectDon’t overthink; just be human and the rest will fall into placeBuild trust through relationships rather than tick boxesThe community are there to support you – use imaginative approachesSupporting resourcesLeanne and clinical psychologist Kirstie read and talk about the wonderful paired ‘I’m fine’ poems they wrote as part of the Whose Shoes #MindNBody resources:https://twitter.com/howlett_leanne/status/1070068078678024193?s=21https://twitter.com/howlett_leanne/status/1070322658259156992?s=21Leanne speaks at our #VirtualWhoseShoes postnatal event in Southampton:Leanne Howlett - Whose Shoes postnatal workshop, Southampton - June 2021 - YouTubeLeanne‘s blog: https://leannejhowlett.medium.com/why-becoming-a-mum-is-the-hardest-thing-ive-ever-done-233293734cc3Leanne‘s campaign asking the government to invest in life-saving health visitors: https://twitter.com/nspcc_press/status/1443597957861941248?s=21Sign Leanne’s open letter and show your support:    https://twitter.com/nspcc_press/status/1443597957861941248?s=21We LOVE it when you leave a review!If you enjoy my podcast and find these conversations usefulplease  share your thoughts by leaving a review (Spotify or Apple are easiest to leave a review - navigate via 3 dots) and comment on your favourite episodes.Connect with me - Gill Phillips - on LinkedIn, especially if you are interested in our brand new #CYPWhoseShoes resources or our well-established #MatExp (maternity experience) work.I tweet (not so much these days!) as @WhoseShoes  and am on Instagram as @WhoseShoesUK and @WildCardWS.Please recommend 'Wild Card - Whose Shoes' to others who enjoy hearing passionate people talk about their experiences of improving health care.