PANDA created Perinatal Mental Health Week in 2005 to help the community and health professionals to better understand perinatal mental health.
We are proud of the work PANDA's Community Champions, Clinical Champions, staff, volunteers and online community do to raise awareness.
Each year the community shares their stories to help achieve our vision of a society where perinatal mental health is valued and understood and where stigma and systemic barriers to seeking help no longer exist.
Perinatal Mental Health Week 2023
November 12- 18
Our theme for 2023 is Connection Through Conversation
Honest and compassionate conversations about perinatal mental health are life changing.
Whether you’re experiencing mental health challenges yourself, or if you’re concerned about a loved one we know that reaching out and talking about the way you’re feeling can be really hard. It can feel tricky to find the right words. You might be worried about the way the person you’re talking to will react, and there’s a lot of fear around getting it wrong.
That’s why this Perinatal Mental Health Week, we want you to know that everyone needs help at some point in their lives, and everyone deserves compassion and support. Reaching out, truly listening and making a connection is more important than getting the words completely perfect.
During the Week we’ll be chatting about some of the more challenging topics that aren’t often discussed, and we’ll share practical information about how to approach conversations with loved ones and health care providers.
We’ll hear from PANDA Community Champions about the life-changing conversations they’ve had about their own mental health. We’ll also talk to Health Care Providers, sharing practice tips to help them better support the families in their care during the perinatal period.
How to get involved
1
Spread the word on social media
2
Order free printed resources for your clinic or workplace
3
Fundraise for PANDA
4
Make a donation
Download and share
Share PANDA information and graphics with your community on social media. Click the images below to download.
“The bravest thing that you can do to help yourself and your family is to ask for help.”
Printed resources and downloads
Perinatal mental health factsheets
Explore a range of factsheets, posters, flyers and promotional materials available for download and print.
Resources are available for health professionals, community groups and culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Stories
PANDA National Helpline
Find someone to talk to, Monday to Saturday.
1300 726 306
Call 000 for police and ambulance if you or someone else are in immediate danger
Talk with friends or family
Consider talking about how you are feeling with someone you trust. This might be a friend or family member. Once you starting talking you might be surprised at how many others have had similar experiences and the support they can provide you.
Talk with your doctor
Talking with your doctor can be an important step to getting the help you need. They should be able to give you non-judgemental support, assessment, diagnosis, and ongoing care and treatment. They can also refer you to specialists such as a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist.
Get help now
If you are having suicidal thoughts or are feeling disorientated it’s important to get help immediately. PANDA is not a crisis service, if you need immediate support call Lifeline 13 11 14 (24/7).