The journey to parenthood is usually an exciting time in someone's life. It is also a time of big change and as a result can also bring a lot of worries and challenges. For some mums, dads and primary child carers, this can have an effect on mental and emotional well-being including perinatal anxiety, depression and postpartum psychosis. Almost 100,000 expectant and new parents will be affected by perinatal anxiety and depression in Australia each year - that's about 1 in 5 mums and 1 in 10 dads. This can occur any time during pregnancy and up to 1 year after birth.
If you are expecting or recently had a new baby, and are concerned about your emotional and mental health, it is important to speak to someone. If you know someone who might need support, it is just as important for you to reach out to them and let them know there are support services they can speak. Some suggestions for services include: