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Hollyoaks has unveiled the upcoming storyline for Cleo McQueen, following a distressing birth of her first child. The Channel 4 soap will delve into Postpartum Psychosis (PP) as Cleo, portrayed by Nadine Mulkerrin, grapples with her mental health after the arrival of her baby son, Joseph. Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP) have provided guidance on the plot. APP states that approximately 1,200 instances of PP occur annually in the UK. This week on screen, Cleo went into premature labour at 28 weeks and was hurried to hospital with the help of Dodger Savage (Danny Mac). Following childbirth, Cleo suffered a haemorrhage and required urgent medical care. Baby Joseph must remain in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit due to his premature birth, reports the Mirror . Cleo, who became unwell post-delivery, is later given the all-clear by medics to return home. Warning signs begin to emerge when she initially refuses to accept that the baby is hers. Her condition rapidly deteriorates as she starts losing track of time and feels guilty for struggling to produce milk. Cleo's partner Sienna Blake (Anna Passey) moves into the McQueens' house to provide support to the new mum. The narrative follows Cleo and her support network - Sienna, Dodger, and her McQueen family – as they persuade her to seek help upon noticing her alarming behaviour. Cleo will receive treatment in a general psychiatric ward, as she cannot be admitted to a Mother and Baby Unit due to Joseph being in the NICU unit. For this issue-based storyline, Hollyoaks have collaborated with national charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP), whose peer support forum includes over 3,800 people with lived experience. APP have consulted with the cast members involved and advised on the storytelling process. APP have reported that many mothers with PP do not experience any symptoms of depression at all, rather they experience extreme elation, spirituality, and quickly lose contact with reality. The majority of women therefore are unable to seek help for themselves and others must obtain help for them. The charity also states that PP should always be treated as a medical emergency but that, with the right treatment, most women go on to make a full recovery. Nadine, who portrays Cleo, said: "It's been a new challenge taking on the role of motherhood and the difficulties that being a new mum can bring, especially the strain it can have on your mental health. "We had a consultation with APP [Action on Postpartum Psychosis] whilst filming this storyline and it was helpful to hear other people's experiences - my heart breaks for poor Cleo." Dr Jess Heron, CEO, Action on Postpartum Psychosis stated "Responsible portrayals of PP on popular TV shows such as Hollyoaks are invaluable. "With greater public awareness, partners, friends, family members and frontline health professionals will be more able to quickly spot the signs and seek specialist emergency help as soon as possible. "We're grateful to Hollyoaks for playing a part in awareness raising and for their diligent approach to producing a sensitive and accurate storyline." Hollyoaks airs Monday to Wednesday on E4 at 7pm and first look episodes can be streamed Channel 4 from 7am
