I had my first baby in 2013. A few weeks after my son was born, I remember getting out of bed one morning, knowing I needed help – fast. I had stopped eating and sleeping, and my days and nights revolved around caring for my son, all while struggling with constant feelings of panic.
That morning, I spent hours calling different places I found on Google, searching for someone to speak to, some guidance on where to get the help I needed. Being December, I was met with nothing but answering machines, informing me that services would resume in mid-January. That was still three weeks away. I knew I couldn’t last that long.
That afternoon, when my husband came home from work, I left him with the baby and went to our little courtyard. As tears streamed down my face, I pulled out my phone and began frantically searching for stories of people who had experienced perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA), to see what they went through and if I could relate. The only two people I could think of at that time were Jessica Rowe and Brooke Shields, but it was mildly comforting to know I wasn’t alone.
Fast forward to my second experience of PNDA five years later, and again, I felt alone and desperate, searching for any information or stories I could relate to. Again, having another baby a few days before Christmas meant there were limited options. I remember reaching out to Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) at that time. It was comforting to have someone on the phone just listen to my thoughts and feelings and provide guidance on the next steps for getting support.
My only wish was that the supportive voice on the other end could have been around for the loneliest hours of new parenthood – the late-night feeds and sleepless nights, when your darkest thoughts can run rampant. The unfortunate reality is that for specialised support services like PANDA, they don’t have the funding to offer round the clock support.
This week, that all changed.
Over the past twelve months, I have had the privilege of being involved in PANDA’s newest development – an Australian-first tool designed specifically to support parents through the loneliest hours of new parenthood. The PANDA chatbot will operate as part of their website and provide new and expectant parents better access to information and resources—at any time of the day or night—something I was so desperate for in my own time of need. I have had the opportunity to provide feedback throughout the entire process, from the original planning meetings to the ‘testing’ phase. It has been like watching my very own baby grow up.
But I couldn’t have done it alone. This tool has been the direct result of feedback from an entire community of parents who have bravely shared their experience with PNDA. The result is a resource that uses trauma-informed language that is supportive and directly addresses the wants and needs of new parents.
I am incredibly enthusiastic about the impact this resource will have on the community. While the chatbot won’t be a live person, it will provide information and resources from the PANDA website with just a few clicks. Users will have the opportunity to participate in breathing and mindfulness exercises, watch videos, read articles, and find other resources that exist in their area. Best of all, they can access it from their phone or computer, at any time, day or night.
It’s been ten years since that first experience in my backyard, desperately Googling for information, and five years since my first conversation with PANDA. I have since become a volunteer with PANDA, in a role as a ‘Community Champion’. My aim is to give back to the places that helped me in my time of need, to be the voice for those who need it, to provide direction and guidance to the people and services out there doing the ‘big things’, and to use my experience to shed light on the needs of so many in Perinatal Mental Health.
If you are a parent feeling lost, isolated, or alone, know that help is available. Reach out to PANDA for support and guidance—whether it’s speaking with someone who understands, accessing valuable resources, or finding a story you can relate to.
If you or someone you love needs support:
PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST) or panda.org.au
Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au