Perinatal mental health struggles can affect anyone.
They can impact those who least expect it and can come as a complete surprise. Expectant and new parents can find navigating the transition to parenthood challenging, experiencing many emotions and can feel ashamed, alone or even embarrassed to open up about the more negative emotions.
There is a lot of pressure to only see this time as “magical”. But for one in five mums and one in ten dads or non-birthing partners, this is not the case.
Through my work as a Clinical Psychologist and team leader at Gidget Foundation Australia, I have seen first-hand a surge in the need for more specialist perinatal support for expectant and new parents. In 2021, we delivered 127 per cent more clinical treatment services than we did in 2020, which was already up by 69 per cent in 2019.
These last couple of years have already been stressful enough for Australians and adding a baby to the equation placed extra strain on individuals and families physically, emotionally, socially and financially. These challenges can build up both during and after pregnancy, and it’s no surprise more and more people are reaching out for support than ever before.
Parenting is not supposed to be an easy journey. And, in reality, it looks different for everyone. What might work for some, may not work for others, and it’s important to support parents with compassion and understanding and without judgement. Struggling with perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) does not make someone a ‘bad’ parent. It’s not their fault. It’s common. And it’s absolutely vital that we break down the barriers and stigmas associated with it. Stigma is one of the reasons why some parents find it hard to reach out for support when they need it the most, which can be impactful on all.
Factors that contribute to perinatal depression and anxiety include: past grief and loss, birth trauma, partner diagnosed with PNDA, other life stresses, insomnia, unwell baby, lack of support or past mental health conditions. Those living in a rural communities have their own unique challenges as well as those above, such as access to specialist perinatal services.
PNDA is treatable and temporary even though it may not feel like that when you are in the midst of it all. I can’t stress enough how important it is to seek help early as you can and if you are not able to do it, then lean on those around you, and get the vital support you need to recover. There is support out there for you.
By encouraging active and open conversations about perinatal mental health, we are able to encourage those who are struggling, feel more comfortable to ask or help, connecting with those around them and establishing a solid support network.
New research from Gidget Foundation Australia reveals a greater need for perinatal mental health support, with less than half (49 per cent) of parents saying they have open conversations about how they are feeling. Additionally, a quarter (25 per cent) of parents say they never have time to themselves, while nearly a third (29 per cent) say parenting is their only priority. At Gidget Foundation we get it.
We provide tailored clinical support to all mums, dads, non-birthing parents or those impacted at this uniquely challenging time, hoping to redress some of the findings of our research and have better outcomes for all Australian families.