Introducing MMHA’s new ambassador: Tessa van der Vord

The Maternal Mental Health Alliance is delighted to announce specialist midwife, Tessa van der Vord, as our latest ambassador.

About Tessa van der Vord

Tessa is a qualified NHS Midwife who specialises in maternal mental health. She has been a midwife for nearly two decades and currently works at a busy London hospital.

Tessa supports parents with moderate to severe mental illness in pregnancy and those with significant history of mental illness. In addition, she supports those who have a marked fear of childbirth (tokophobia) or who may be pregnant after loss.

Passionate about raising awareness of mental illness in the perinatal period, Tessa set up the @mentalhealth_midwife Instagram page in 2020. She uses this as a platform to educate, support, and share stories of lived experience.

In 2023, Tessa featured in an E4 documentary on perinatal anxiety, featuring Dani Dyer. She feels that there’s still so much work to be done with reducing stigma around mental health and motherhood.

Tessa lives in Surrey with her husband and two young sons. She is committed to expanding her work within maternal mental health and helping those who need and deserve support with their mental health during their perinatal journey.

Justin Irwin, CEO of the MMHA, said:

“We're so pleased to welcome Tessa as our new ambassador. Her dedication and expertise in maternal mental health make her an invaluable advocate for our charitable mission. We look forward to making strides in raising awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding perinatal mental illness together.”

Follow Tessa on Instagram @mentalhealth_midwife.