“The training and resources have transformed my own health, making a significant difference in how I perform at work.”

- Rebecca Dixon, Physical Health and Wellbeing Practitioner at CMSPS

A recipe for change: 


Supporting maternal wellbeing by investing in nutrition

In a nation where a quarter of women grapple with mental health issues during and post-pregnancy, the need to nurture both maternal and infant health and wellbeing has never been more pressing.

As the UK’s leading voice on the link between nutrition, brain health and behaviour, Think Through Nutrition identified the importance of supporting new mums and mums-to-be in making healthy food choices. 

Picture a mum, balancing the challenges of raising multiple children.

She's dealing with diagnosed mental health issues, and struggling to make ends meet each month.

With a schedule packed to the brim, she barely has a moment to spare, let alone to dive into the world of nutrition or understand the advantages of eating healthily.

Making nutrition a priority

This case study explores our work to date with Cheshire & Mersey Specialist Perinatal Service (CMSPS), highlighting some of the challenges, solutions and outcomes of our work.

Working hands-on with wellbeing practitioners and the perinatal women they support, we’ve created a unique but grounded approach that understands the everyday realities for many women. Find out how we helped to turn a lack of resources and understanding into achievable, bite-sized advice that has already made a significant difference to real women’s lives.

Our overall goal with this project is to embed healthy habits into families to help empower them to make more healthy choices for their long term benefit. This almost always starts with mum. 

The brain is the hungriest organ in the body, it demands more nutrients than any other organ. So there are two important aspects when considering brain health and nutrition for families. Firstly, nourishing baby and secondly, nourishing mum.

Key brain health nutrients such as omega-3 fatty acids, iron and vitamin D are common deficiencies in young children, which directly
act as a catalyst to the increasing rates of mood and mental health disorders in young adults.

Only about 10% of adolescents meet the recommended five portions of fruits and vegetables per day. Instead, the amount of ultra-processed foods is rising to nearly 65%.

There is a growing prevalence of obesity in this age group, with associated health conditions like type 2 diabetes and hypertension becoming more common in young adults.

Enter Cheshire & Mersey Specialist Perinatal Service (CMSPS) - an important local team providing mental health assessment and support for local women and birthing people, who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health issues. The team there has an appetite for learning but when it came to nutrition, there was a gap. Working closely with the team we identified the need for staff training and resources that would empower front line staff, working daily with the women we identified as most in need of nutritional support, to speak confidently about nutrition, to signpost effectively, set goals and offer ongoing support.

Working with Cheshire & Mersey Specialist Service (CMSPS)

Rebecca Dixon is a Physical Health and Wellbeing Practitioner at CMSPS and explained how she struggled with lack of existing resources around nutrition, specifically for mums-to-be and new mums. Already extremely busy in her role, finding time to source or create these resources herself was a challenge. Rebecca works with women like Sara*. Sara has mental health issues, has experienced trauma in the past and struggles with her weight. She has multiple children and most of her time is spent caring for them. Unsurprisingly, the importance of nutrition had never really crossed her mind, and for her, ‘eating healthily’ was simply associated with boring and unappetising salads. 

Nutrition champions and
changed behaviours

Rebecca, now a healthy eating advocate and a go-to nutrition champion within her team, weaves conversations about the benefits of eating well into sessions with all the women she works with. She is able to work with women to set small, manageable goals backed by insight. The resources make it easy to check back on key facts and information and give the women a guide to follow and something to work towards between sessions. 

  • “Eating well is attainable - education is key to better understanding healthy food choices. This knowledge has enriched my practice by understanding how our food choices influence well-being.”

    - Jemimah, CMSPS Practitioner *

  • “I have gained so much confidence in understanding the influence nutrition has on mental health, especially during the perinatal period. I now feel confident in opening up these conversations.”

    - Sophie, CMSPS Practitioner *

  • "Completing the workshops has transformed the way I support mothers during the perinatal period and understand the deep connection between nutrition, brain development and health behaviours."

    - Anya, CMSPS Practitioner *

  • "I now approach each conversation with confidence, ready to bust myths and open up informed advice. It's empowering to make such a meaningful impact in these crucial early stages."

    Emma, CMSPS practitioner *

The real success of this programme can be showcased by the positive impact it’s already having on many of the women and their families that CMSPS work with. 

Nutrition champions and changed behaviours

Sara’s story is one of a real ‘mind-shift’ in terms of how she thinks about food. Working with Rebecca, Sara overhauled her diet by keeping a food diary, prioritising breakfast for herself (as well as her children), planning shopping lists, cooking meals from scratch and freezing leftovers. 

After a number of months, Sara now has more energy, feels happier and is really proud of the changes she’s made. And, as a bonus, she’s lost over 10lb. Of course Sara’s story is only one of many in the region. The CMSPS team are applying their nutritional knowledge to a vast range of challenges faced by perinatal women, such as mood, energy, sleep.

A framework for learning and continued support

Think Through Nutrition has built up a strong relationship with CMSPS, and going forward,
we hope to be able to serve up:

Further training opportunities
to the CMSPS professionals

Continuous data and feedback collection to further measure the impact of the programme

A 12-week programme using our digital learning platform LANAH

A large-scale longitudinal nutrition
study focusing on improving maternal
and infant health outcomes

Further expansion of our network
of NHS Trusts and perinatal departments

The CMSPS team now provides ongoing nutritional support to pregnant women and
new mothers with mental health concerns, strengthening their commitment to promoting wellness through diet. We are developing low-cost nutritious recipes and sourcing affordable food options, and have established a framework for collaboration with other NHS Trusts and perinatal departments across the UK.

“The positive impacts on maternal wellbeing through nutrition are clear, empowering both practitioners and mothers and driving significant change. With a solid blueprint for future initiatives, we aim to extend our reach and improve the health of mothers and children everywhere.”

Tahani Saridar,
CEO, Think Through Nutrition

* To protect the privacy of the individuals that have provided testimonials to this case study, their names and identifying details have been changed.

Contact us for more information.