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Jenny Mcleish

Research Student

School of Health and Psychological SciencesDepartment of Nursing

Contact details

Address

Jenny Mcleish City, University of London
Northampton Square
London EC1V 0HB
United Kingdom

About

Overview

Jenny McLeish is a PhD student researching community-based perinatal mental health peer support from trained volunteers. She has been part of the evaluation team for the Parents in Mind pilot run by the charity NCT, which trained women with previous experience of mental health difficulties in pregnancy or after birth to offer voluntary support to women currently experiencing those difficulties, either one to one or by leading groups. Her doctoral research takes a critical realist perspective that investigates diversity of experiences, context and mechanisms of change.

Jenny originally trained as a barrister but has worked for many years in the voluntary and academic sectors as a qualitative researcher, writer, campaigner and trainer, focusing on families facing disadvantages in the transition to parenthood. She currently works as a part-time health services reseacher at Oxford University, writes the words for the award-winning Baby Buddy phone app, and co-ordinates an online network of midwives specialising in the care of young parents.

Employment

  1. Health Services Researcher, University of Oxford, Jun 2013 – present
  2. Writer, Baby Buddy app, Best Beginnings, Feb 2011 – present

Research

Title of thesis: Understanding perinatal mental health volunteer peer support in the third sector

Oct 2016

Summary of research

This research uses a critical realist perspective to explore peer support from trained volunteers for women experiencing mental health difficulties during their pregnancy or after the birth of a baby. It applies the framework of a theory-based process evaluation to the Parents in Mind pilot programme run by charity NCT. This programme trained women with previous experience of perinatal mental health difficulties to give peer support to women currently experiencing those difficulties, either one-to-one or by leading groups.

1st supervisor

  • Professor Susan Ayers, Professor of Maternal and Child Health

2nd supervisor

  • Professor Christine McCourt, Professor of Maternal and Child Health

Publications

Publications by category

Journal articles (22)

  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2021). ‘She come like a sister to me’: a qualitative study of volunteer social support for disadvantaged women in the transition to motherhood in England. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 376(1827). doi:10.1098/rstb.2020.0023.
  • McLeish, J., Harvey, M., Redshaw, M., Henderson, J., Malouf, R. and Alderdice, F. (2020). First-Time Mothers’ Expectations and Experiences of Postnatal Care in England. Qualitative Health Research, 30(12), pp. 1876–1887. doi:10.1177/1049732320944141.
  • McLeish, J., Harvey, M., Redshaw, M. and Alderdice, F. (2020). “Reassurance that you're doing okay, or guidance if you're not”: A qualitative descriptive study of pregnant first time mothers’ expectations and information needs about postnatal care in England. Midwifery, 89, pp. 102813–102813. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2020.102813.
  • Alderdice, F., McLeish, J., Henderson, J., Malouf, R., Harvey, M. and Redshaw, M. (2020). Women's ideal and real expectations of postnatal care during their first pregnancy: An online survey in England. Midwifery, 89, pp. 102815–102815. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2020.102815.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2019). “Being the best person that they can be and the best mum”: a qualitative study of community volunteer doula support for disadvantaged mothers before and after birth in England. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 19(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-018-2170-x.
  • Gale, C., Modi, N., Jawad, S., Culshaw, L., Dorling, J., Bowler, U. … Juszczak, E. (2019). The WHEAT pilot trial—WithHolding Enteral feeds Around packed red cell Transfusion to prevent necrotising enterocolitis in preterm neonates: a multicentre, electronic patient record (EPR), randomised controlled point-of-care pilot trial. BMJ Open, 9(9). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033543.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2019). Maternity experiences of mothers with multiple disadvantages in England: A qualitative study. Women and Birth, 32(2), pp. 178–184. doi:10.1016/j.wombi.2018.05.009.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2018). A qualitative study of volunteer doulas working alongside midwives at births in England: Mothers' and doulas' experiences. Midwifery, 56, pp. 53–60. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2017.10.002.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2017). Mothers’ accounts of the impact on emotional wellbeing of organised peer support in pregnancy and early parenthood: a qualitative study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 17(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-017-1220-0.
  • Darwin, Z., Green, J., McLeish, J., Willmot, H. and Spiby, H. (2017). Evaluation of trained volunteer doula services for disadvantaged women in five areas in England: women's experiences. Health & Social Care in the Community, 25(2), pp. 466–477. doi:10.1111/hsc.12331.
  • Malouf, R., McLeish, J., Ryan, S., Gray, R. and Redshaw, M. (2017). ‘We both just wanted to be normal parents’: a qualitative study of the experience of maternity care for women with learning disability. BMJ Open, 7(3). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015526.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2017). "I didn't think we'd be dealing with stuff like this": A qualitative study of volunteer support for very disadvantaged pregnant women and new mothers. Midwifery, 45, pp. 36–43. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2016.12.003.
  • Spiby, H., Mcleish, J., Green, J. and Darwin, Z. (2016). ‘The greatest feeling you get, knowing you have made a big difference’: survey findings on the motivation and experiences of trained volunteer doulas in England. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 16(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-016-1086-6.
  • Mcleish, J. (2016). Organisation of postnatal care affects parents’ confidence and security following hospital discharge at 72 h or less. Evidence Based Nursing, 19(3), pp. 73–73. doi:10.1136/ebnurs-2016-102309.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2016). ‘We have beaten HIV a bit’: a qualitative study of experiences of peer support during pregnancy with an HIV Mentor Mother project in England. BMJ Open, 6(6). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2016-011499.
  • McLeish, J. and Redshaw, M. (2015). Peer support during pregnancy and early parenthood: a qualitative study of models and perceptions. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 15(1). doi:10.1186/s12884-015-0685-y.
  • Spiby, H., Green, J.M., Darwin, Z., Willmot, H., Knox, D., McLeish, J. … Smith, M. (2015). Multisite implementation of trained volunteer doula support for disadvantaged childbearing women: a mixed-methods evaluation. .
  • McFadden, A., Green, J.M., McLeish, J., McCormick, F., Williams, V. and Renfrew, M.J. (2015). Healthy Start vitamins--a missed opportunity: findings of a multimethod study. BMJ Open, 5(1). doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006917.
  • McFadden, A., Green, J.M., Williams, V., McLeish, J., McCormick, F., Fox-Rushby, J. … Renfrew, M.J. (2014). Can food vouchers improve nutrition and reduce health inequalities in low-income mothers and young children: a multi-method evaluation of the experiences of beneficiaries and practitioners of the Healthy Start programme in England. BMC Public Health, 14(1). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-148.
  • McLeish, J. (2008). Gypsy and traveller women: the road to better care. The practising midwife, 11(1), pp. 12–14.
  • Gaudion, A., McLeish, J. and Homeyard, C. (2007). Free care for the displaced? RCM midwives : the official journal of the Royal College of Midwives, 10(3), pp. 120–123.
  • McLeish, J. (1998). Combining breast feeding and work: the legal rights. Professional care of mother and child, 8(1), pp. 2–3.