Having a baby is life-changing. It can deliver a lot of love, joy and fulfilment but it can also create demands and responsibilities that feel relentless, difficult and scary.
Sometimes, parents have difficulty adjusting to the many physical, emotional, psychological and social challenges of parenting.
On the helpline, we hear from parents who are consumed by caring for their children and doing a wonderful job of it. But self-care has become a low priority.
We know that the stress, interrupted sleep and 24-hour demands can take their toll. But they become more manageable when we are able to care for and nurture ourselves too.
Some aspects of self-care are covered here, including sleep, diet, exercise, time out and social supports.
Helpful Information
Talking to your doctor
1
Sleep
2
Eating
3
Exercise and getting outdoors
4
Social network
5
Time out
6
Mental health / professional support
Mental health checklist
How are you going?
Everyone’s experience of pregnancy, birth and parenting is unique and brings different rewards and challenges. Our mental health checklist can help you to see if what you’re experiencing or observing in a loved one could be reason to seek help.
Helpful Information