Becoming a parent can change your perspective on the world and bring strong emotions to the surface.  It can also prompt you to look within, to turn to the example that was set for you as a child.  And if you have a complicated relationship with your own parents – or they’re not around – who do you turn to when you start wondering “Am I going about this the right way?”  Chris Jephcott found himself facing the prospect of becoming a dad at the same time he was losing his own.   His partner Suzi Garden fell pregnant early in their relationship, and although they were exc ..read more

“My biggest fear was being isolated. I was having to give up my work. None of my friends had kids. I didn't think that our friendships would be the same after I had a kid.”  Adelaide moved away from her friends and family to regional Victoria just before she fell pregnant with her first child.  When her mental health took a turn, she found the services in her new hometown weren’t exactly able to handle her case. Then when she did find specialists, they didn’t stick around for long.  While Adelaide quickly exhausted her options for local mental health support, luckily those fears ..read more

Birthing on Country is about choice, and the power that comes from making your own choice.  For some First Nations women it might be the choice to birth safely on the lands of their ancestors, instead of travelling thousands of kilometres away to a hospital where they don’t speak the language.  For others it might be bringing a symbol of their homelands with them into the hospital, or having their placenta returned to country after the birth.   As a leading advocate for Birthing on Country – a practice that stretches back countless generations of First Nations mums - Profes ..read more

This grounding exercise aims to release tension from your body, adapted from Paul Gilbert’s ‘Simple Body Scan and Relaxation’ based on compassion-focused therapy.  If you’re feeling wound up, this is a short body-based exercise for stress relief.  Return to this exercise whenever you need.    Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast, produced by Deadset Studios  Visit panda.org.au for more support.    Family violence support:  It’s important to know that there is a risk during this time in your life that family violence will get worse, or it may start for t ..read more

Alex Fisher stood in the doorway of the hospital room holding her daughter Luca, just moments old, as her wife Lauren was rushed into emergency surgery for a massive haemorrhage. Her mind turned to the worst-case scenario. Would Lauren make it?  The first few years of parenthood had been tough for both of them, and Alex had tried to stay strong for Lauren, who had perinatal anxiety and depression after giving birth to their first daughter Ivy.   After all that Lauren had been through, Alex didn’t feel like it was her place to speak up, and she didn’t really know how or who to ta ..read more

Emma thought she would slip into parenthood as naturally as anyone. She’d been around young kids her whole life and could change a nappy by the time she was 12.  But when the moment arrived, it was nothing like she expected. Mental health and fertility challenges had contributed new fears and ambivalence to Emma’s entry into motherhood  – it wasn’t the love bubble joy she was expecting.  It turns out that’s totally common, natural even, to feel unexpected emotions like disdain – and even regret – about becoming a parent.  You’re not alone if the way you feel doesn’t match t ..read more

There’s strength in numbers, and for solo parents that rings especially true.  We all have those new parent moments where you feel totally isolated.  And when you’re doing things on your own, without a partner or close family, that feeling can be intensified.   When you find yourself as a single mum or dad, in lots of ways you’ve got to build your own path forward, and re-think how all the standard advice applies to you.  There are many different ways to parent outside the traditional models that we’re taught to work within, including building your own community of car ..read more

The sleepless nights and hormonal dysregulation of early parenthood can be a minefield if you’re living with an existing mental health condition.    Like Renee Knight, who’d experienced depression in her teens, but didn’t anticipate the impact becoming a mother would have on her mental health.   Because there are so many questions. Which medications are safe? How will I navigate new triggers? How can I prioritise my own wellbeing along with my newborn’s? What if I relapse?   You don’t have to do it alone. It’s not fool proof – but it is possible to plan ahead ..read more

It took Donna a long time to decipher exactly what her intrusive thoughts meant.    She had them before her son was born, but when he arrived the thoughts became much louder.  But because they almost felt normal to her, she didn't know that they were a sign of something bigger.   Sometimes they might feel silly, sometimes they can feel serious and very worrying.  They can be a symptom of anxiety. But for a small group of new parents, they could be a sign of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.   That’s a big spectrum. So how do you know where your thought ..read more

So many of us go through perinatal anxiety and depression as expecting and new parents.   But even though it’s something so many of us go through, it can be difficult to reach out when you’re struggling.  And that’s where Survive & Thrive comes in.   When you feel like you're doing it all on your own, or you don't know how to tell the people in your life how tough things really are, Survive & Thrive is here for you.  There's no judgement here. Just hope, and stories from people who have been right where you are now.   You’ll hear their vulnerability and resilie ..read more