Promotion and support for women's health and wellbeing and all things motherhood.
Support resources for your mental health and wellbeing
Finding support can be difficult. We understand. Even more so if you don't know where to start or even if you find it challenging to take the first steps to reach out and tell someone how you have been feeling. Take it from us, support is essential. A complete necessity for your wellbeing. If you are struggling and don't know where to turn, below are multiple reputable organisations and resources that can help you through your mental health journey. You do not have to do this alone. We recommend you find the support that suits your needs and take action.
You are not alone and you can be well again with the right support.
Perinatal Mental Health
Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia
PANDA is a national helpline available to new parents and their families to talk to a mental health professional. You do not need to be diagnosed with a condition to use them, they are here even for your hard days! They also provide fantastic resources on their website including a mental health checklist, facts and resources to help understand these conditions and how to cope.
PANDA support families with children under 12 months.
Helpline: 1300 726 306
Available Monday-Saturday: 9am - 7:30pm AEST/AEDT
Postpartum Support International (PSI)
PSI is an internationally based organisation that provides support through various outlets for perinatal mental health. This includes online resources, online support groups, international helpline or text service and even provides training and education for mental health professionals. They also cover multiple languages.
Helpline: 1800 944 4773
Available 24/7
Centre of Perinatal Excellence
A charity that provides support for the emotional challenges from planning a family to becoming a parent. They are dedicated to perinatal mental health to address the issues that are preventing people from accessing effective information and care. They have loads of fantastic resources to help you including a directory for a perinatal psychologist near you!
Australasian Birth Trauma Association
The Australasian Birth Trauma Association is a charity committed to reducing the incidence and impact of birth-related trauma whilst supporting affected women, families and even health professionals. They provide information, peer and mentoring support and advocacy for birth trauma. Birth trauma can be physical and mental and requires treatment and support.
This Way Up
THISWAYUP is the largest e-health learning platform in Australia! A self-paced online cartoon mental health and wellbeing course that has a focus on helping new mamas navigate their feelings of depression, anxiety and more during pregnancy and postnatal stages. Build your confidence and improve the way you feel by clicking on the Perinatal Mental Health Course; MUMtentum Pregnancy & Postnatal Course. You’ll also get loads of resources to help you cope with those harder days that is #mumlife.
Gidget Foundation Australia
This organization provides support for perinatal depression & anxiety that offers a wide variety of support services and education and awareness programs for mothers and their families. Their support ranges from virtual support groups, telehealth professional appointments to free clinical psychology support over 13 locations. This is a truly wonderful organization. See the link for more details.
Peachtree Perinatal Wellness
A Brisbane Australia based charitable organisation that offers peer-led face to face support programs for mothers and fathers struggling with their mental health in the perinatal period. They also offer free parenting programs, activities, education and community.
See below for more info.
Pregnancy and Infant loss
Birthline Pregnancy Support
Birthline is an organisation committed to serving and supporting women across Australia in a variety of pregnancy experiences and loss, including abortion. They have pregnancy testing, counseling and emotional support, resources, material assistance and so much more. If you are pregnant, this is a vital support.
Pink Elephant Support Network
Pink Elephants provides support resources, information and peer support for anyone impacted by early pregnancy loss. They do a fantastic job at smashing through the stigma of miscarriage by normalizing it through evidence, empathy and connection and they are here to ensure that no one walks through the journey of pregnancy loss alone.
Hyperemesis Gravidarum Australia
Hyperemesis Gravidarum Australia is a wonderful nationan-wide charitable organisation focussed on supporting sufferers of pregnancy sickness, their families and healthcare professionals. They are a committed to raising awareness of Nausea and Vomiting in Pregnancy (NVP) and HG and advocate for ongoing research into the condition, it's causes and better treatment options.
Find their tips to surviving day to day, treatment options, peer-led support and more below.
Stillbirth Foundation Australia
Remarkable foundation helping Australian families with understanding stillbirth, help and support, stillbirth stories and research and advocacy to help find a cause and prevention measures to reduce preventable stillbirths in Australia.
SANDS Australia
SANDS provides support to bereaved parents who have experienced pregnancy and infant loss through their helpline, peer to peer support and various resources including hospital to home and support services specific for dads.
Helpline 24/7 1300 308 307
Red Nose Australia
Red Nose is a national charity working to save little lives and support families impacted by the death of a baby or child.
They have an abundance of resources and support including a 24/7 Bereavement Helpline. See the link below for more information.
Resources for Mama & Baby
Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA)
Here to support your breastfeeding journey through a telephone helpline, face to face support groups, live chat, email support and even an app with videos, and resources to help you learn about feeding and latching. There are even recorded feeds, wet nappies and so much more! Highly recommend if you are breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding helpline: 1800 686 268
Available 24/7 It is staffed by trained, volunteer counsellors who answer calls on a roster system in their own homes.
mum2mum app available on apple and android.
Circle of Security
Intervention programs for parents and children educating you on secure attachment and mindful parenting. They have loads of online resources, blogs, training and information based on their circle of security model for raising children and for parents to understand themselves better to parent better.
Infant Reflux.org
Infant Reflux.org advocates for your baby and reflux needs. They are a fantastic American organisation that helps parents navigate understanding reflux, medications, feeding, plan of action and other support. There is also an Australian reflux organisation called Reflux Infants Support Association Inc or RISA who provides guidance, education, services, products and resources for infant reflux.
These organisations are a great place to start if you are having issues. It can be a very confusing, overwhelming and exhausting time and so support for you are your baby is essential! We highly recommend you look through their signs and symptoms and join the facebook page for additional support – Infant Reflux: Support for Gerdlings.
Birth Injury Centre
Their mission is to assist anyone who has been affected by a birth injury. They offer resources to assist these families, and are always adding more. Affected families can also reach out if they have any questions at all or are looking for advice.
Finding the right therapist
Investing in your mental health is crucial to recovery
1. Someone who specialises in your specific need – marriage, perinatal health, addiction etc
2. Do your homework. Read about their experience and training online and even chat to them on the phone.
3. Someone you feel comfortable and safe with.
4. Someone who validates you and your experiences.
5. Someone who has training in various therapies.
6. Someone who gives you tools, techniques, methods and skills to be able to cope and heal.
7. Someone who has outlined a treatment plan for you.
8. Someone who sets clear goals with you for when therapy is finished.
If you require a perinatal psychologist here is the link to the Australian Psychology Society website 'search for a psychologist'. You can refine your search to include your location and need. Be mindful, only psychologists who are registered with the APS will be on this site.
