Becoming a parent for the first time, or welcoming another child to your family, comes with many emotions and feelings. These can range from excitement and happiness to stress and nerves. However, it is important to remember that you are not alone, and support is available no matter what you feel.
As part of Kidsafe WA expanding our scope to include Mental Health, we have created a new factsheet called Looking after your Mental Health that looks into Antenatal and Postnatal anxiety and depression. Seeking support early can help manage your feelings and make your pregnancy experience more enjoyable.
Through this factsheet, we aim to provide information for birthing and non-birthing partners to identify signs and symptoms to increase their understanding of antenatal and postnatal depression and anxiety.
Looking after your Mental Health provides information, available resources and services on where to seek support for both the birthing and non-birthing partner. In a life-threatening situation, call 000.
Further Resources
Ngala: call (08) 9368 9368 in the metro area or 1800 111 546 in regional areas or visit ngala.com.au
Pregnancy birth & baby: call 1800 882 436 (24/7) or visit pregnancybirthbaby.org.au
The fathering project: visit thefatherproject.org
Playgroup WA: call 1800 171 882 or visit playgroupwa.com.au
Meerilinga: call (08) 9489 4022 or visit Meerilinga.org.au
Act Belong Commit: visit actbelongcommit.org.au
Support Services
PANDA: Phone support from trained counsellors is available. PANDA can also provide you with information on local services and has a range of resources available on their website. To access resources, visit panda.org.au
- Phone 1300 726 306 9 am – 7:30 pm Monday to Friday AEST or EDT
Beyond Blue: Immediate support is available from Beyond Blue via several platforms.
- Phone 1300 22 46 36, available 24/7
- Online chat 1 pm – 12 am (AEST) seven days a week via beyondblue.org.au
MensLine Australia: Phone, web and video counselling services are available. The phone service and online webchat operate 24/7. The video chat service is by appointment, and appointments can be booked through the MensLine website.
- Phone 1300 78 99 78
- Visit mensline.org.au
Lifeline: Provides 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services for all Australians experiencing emotional distress.
- Phone 13 11 14, available 24/7
- Online chat is available from 7 pm to midnight (AEST) via lifeline.org.au
- Text support is available from 12 pm to midnight (AEST) 0477 13 11 14
Suicide Call Back Service: Offers free professional phone and online counselling for people living in Australia. Suicide call services can provide:
- Crisis support over the phone by calling 1300 659 467
- Online chat counselling via their website suicidecallbackservice.org.au
- Video chat by appointment only
To view the factsheet, visit https://www.kidsafewa.com.au/resources/.
