Mums with mental health illnesses can continue bonding with their babies while undergoing treatment at a special unit in the city.

New Horizons, on the Southmead Hospital site, is a homely unit where women can stay as inpatients without being separated from their youngsters.

The purpose-built site has four beds for women suffering with severe postnatal depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other illnesses.

Mums have their own bedrooms with en-suite shower rooms and are encouraged to bring things in from home.

As well as cots being available for babies in the mothers' rooms, there is a nursery where they can stay if their mums need to catch up on their sleep or need some time alone.

Occupational therapist Joanne Lawson said that some of the mums have a long-standing mental health illness that may have been exacerbated by being pregnant and that exhaustion associated with having a new baby can also put a strain on relationships.

She said: "We are here so mums can get treatment for postnatal depression and other mental health illnesses but retain the bond with baby.

"Some of the babies will sleep in the nursery. Mums are very poorly when they come in and exhaustion is often part of that. Night nurses might support them by taking them. We deal with women with severe mental health rather than mild to moderate, which would be dealt with at home."

The unit has a kitchen where mums can prepare meals together, a living room, and a garden where they can grow their own herbs and vegetables.

The mums also head out to the nearby shops to purchase cooking ingredients and on other trips so that they can take part in a range of activities.

New Horizons was established in partnership with Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership (AWP) and Bristol City Council. It opened in July 2006 to replace the unit at Barrow Hospital in Barrow Gurney.

Ms Lawson said: "It is much better here because it is close to the shops so the mums can walk up and plan what they are going to cook for the group.

"We use the garden as therapy and also use it to develop hobbies for the mums as well. There is one mum who, since she was here, has got herself an allotment and we gave her seeds from the vegetables we have grown here."

Once mums have been discharged, they may come back as day patients or might be seen in the community if they live further away.

For one mother of a 10-month-old, New Horizons is a safe place. The 34-year-old mum of Tom has been at the unit after suffering severe postnatal depression. She said: "You are really well looked after and the babies are really well looked after as well

"It is helpful having someone to talk to who understands what is happening and can reassure you that things are going to get better. When you first come in here you really are at risk but they just help you get back on your feet."

She said that being away from home has helped her.

She said: "A lot of normal things at home become really hard when you are depressed and it is really hard to make decisions and know what to do. Looking after yourself and kids is really difficult when you are feeling bad.

"This is very much looking at you as part of your family unit and tailoring it to how it is going to be back home.

"There is so much hard work from the staff to make us better."