A NEW executive must establish a specialist mother and baby unit, Sinn Féin MLA Órlaithí Flynn has said.
Calls for an inpatient mental health unit to support mothers and their children were made following an inquest into the death of Orlaith Quinn.
Mrs Quinn (33) from Lagmore near Dunmurry, died by suicide in the early hours of October 11 2018 at Belfast's Royal Jubilee Maternity hospital - two days after she gave birth to her third child.
Coroner Maria Dougan found that Mrs Quinn was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of her death.
She said Mrs Quinn's death was "both foreseeable and preventable".
Ms Dougan also recommended that a specialist mental health mother and baby unit should be set up in Northern Ireland.
Ms Flynn said the inquest highlighted the urgent need for new postnatal services for new mothers and their babies.
"We need to see the establishment of a properly staffed unit that provides support to mothers and their babies in what can often be a very challenging time and I will raise this with the health minister as a priority," she said.
"This tragedy is another stark and devastating reminder of the issues that exist within our health service, we need an executive urgently that can invest £1 billion in health over the next three years and ensure that families have access to support and treatments when required.
"I again urge the DUP to end its boycott of the executive, get back to work and get on with the job of delivering - that’s what people elected us to do."
