PANDA Articles and information

You and your baby can thrive in life with the right support.

With good support in place, you and your baby can thrive.

Having a baby can impact your household finances, but there are ways to take control and reduce stress.

PANDA's lived experience workforce, shaped by personal lived experience, are integral to the work that we do.

Peer practitioners are trained professionals who have experienced their own perinatal mental health and wellbeing challenges and are there to offer support and hope through shared experience.

Health-related anxiety is not about whether your physical symptoms are real, but about how anxiety about those symptoms is impacting you and your life.

Tips for connecting with friends

A bipolar diagnosis is not a barrier to becoming a parent, it just involves careful planning with your doctor and your support network.

Read about the types of bipolar affective disorders and the signs and symptoms.

PANDA respects the rights of all individuals and their carers/supports when accessing PANDA services.

Find information and tips to support you while your loved one stays away from home.

Parent and Infant Units offer a safe place where you are able to get the rest you need.

Remember, the best way you can care for your baby is to focus on getting well yourself.

Find information about the types of support services available for parents in the perinatal period and experiences from two mums who have experienced Parent and Infant Units.

Find information about the types of support services available for parents in the perinatal period and experiences from two mums who have experienced Parent and Infant Units.

Dadspace is a partner of PANDA, with programs developed by the Parent Infant Research Institute.

PANDA co-founder, Janet Devlin, shares her story and how PANDA came to be formed over 40 years ago.

A toolkit of useful self-soothing skills for all those times when everything feels too much.

Tips for maintaining your mental health and wellbeing.

Recognising the signs that someone may not be coping.

PANDA, in partnership with NSW Health are running a pilot program to support pregnant women in the justice system. This pilot currently runs in NSW only.

Have you heard about the free services PANDA offer families?

Tips for nurturing your own wellbeing while maintaining healthy relationships.

Whenever you feel overwhelmed by anxiety, use these strategies to soothe and calm yourself.

Try these grounding strategies to shift your focus to the present moment and feeling calm.

Try these breathing strategies and relaxing activities to de-stress

PANDA co-founder, Ann Lanigan, shares her story and how PANDA came to be formed over 40 years ago.

Having a personal history of mental health challenges shouldn’t be a barrier to your goal of becoming a parent.

Support expecting and new parents in your care to manage their mental health with this suicide safety plan.

Connection not perfection: PANDA Helpline’s top tips for having helpful chats about mental health.

Meaningful self-care includes having compassion for ourselves when times are tough.

If you find yourself feeling unsure about parenthood, support is available

You don’t need to face your parenting journey alone.

Sleep supports our mental health and wellbeing

Making space for parents to rest, recover, and connect with their babies

It’s common for doubts and fears to rise to the surface. Read about some ways you might manage those thoughts if they arise.

Becoming parents can feel really challenging. You may find your usual styles of communicating and supporting each other don’t work as well as they used to.

Pregnancy after loss can feel lonely and isolating, but there are many specialist services available if you need support.

If you’re wondering what happens when you call the PANDA Helpline - there’s no issue too big or small to chat about with us.

Families thrive when dads are included from the start as an equal partner in parenting.

Families thrive when dads are included from the start as an equal partner in parenting.

Practical tips for dad and baby bonding time.

Providing quality specialist therapeutic support for families with significant psychosocial complexity during the perinatal period.

24/7 mental health supports are available during the holiday period.

Self-care tips for expecting and new parents

Family care is worth the effort and can have immediate and long-term health and well-being benefits.

Activities to connect with your unborn baby

It’s important that self-care feels achievable, effective, and right for you.

MumSpace is a partner of PANDA, with programs developed by the Parent Infant Research Institute.

MumSpace is a partner of PANDA, with programs developed by the Parent Infant Research Institute.

There’s one type of thought that many expecting and new parents experience that isn’t talked about much, if at all – intrusive thoughts.

A relaxation and grounding guide for pregnancy and new parenthood

In 2021, PANDA had 639 volunteers working across 5 different areas of the organisation.

In 2021, PANDA had 639 volunteers working across 5 different areas of the organisation.

The unexpected often happens in life, and it’s normal to feel unprepared and unsure of how to adjust.

Thoughts of suicide are common during pregnancy and early parenthood. You don’t need to deal with them alone though – specialist help is available.

Perinatal mental health issues can feel distressing and challenging to navigate. Yet your personal recovery journey can also be an opportunity for unexpected growth.

Sleep deprivation can wear you down, but there are ways to build good habits to have the best chance of getting some sleep.

Eating on the go

Communicating a need from our vulnerable, soft place can be challenging and sometimes uncomfortable.

If you're experiencing perinatal anxiety or depression you may feel like withdrawing from family and friends or other social outlets.

Evidence suggests that exercise can help improve our mental health as well as our physical health.

You don’t need to be a mental health expert to support a client experiencing mental distress.

Volunteers drive PANDA's community education program by running education sessions and sharing their story in new parent groups, community groups and forums.

Survive & Thrive is PANDA's podcast for expecting and new parents about balancing your mental health with the demands of becoming a parent.

Self-care tips for expecting and new parents

Perinatal anxiety and depression can be mild, moderate or severe. The symptoms can begin suddenly after birth or gradually in the weeks and months after.

Effective perinatal mental health care can make a real difference during a time of big changes.

First-time pregnancy and parenthood is a time of great change. It is common for new parents to experience a range of emotions, both positive and negative, in response to these changes.

Giving birth can lead to a range of complex feelings, especially when the experience is a difficult or traumatic one.

Are anxiety symptoms interfering with your ability to enjoy your life and pregnancy?

In a difficult and uncertain year, PANDA continued to grow our funding and support new and expecting parents facing mental health challenges.

Postnatal anxiety and depression can affect anyone, including women and their non-birthing partners.

Why good enough parenting is actually great parenting

Postnatal depression can be mild, moderate or severe. The symptoms can begin suddenly after birth or gradually in the weeks and months after.

Tips on finding a doctor, sharing your concerns and what to expect from a consultation.

Postnatal anxiety can be mild, moderate or severe. The symptoms can begin suddenly after birth or gradually in the weeks and months after.

PANDA Clinical Champions are a network of clinicians and experts working in the perinatal space who volunteer to support PANDA.

There are a range of resources available to support your fundraiser.

You can do all sorts of creative things to help raise funds for PANDA. Get everything you need for a great fundraiser here.

For many new parents, talking about how they are feeling can be difficult. You may never have experienced feelings and thoughts like this before, and are not sure how to express them.

People who have experienced perinatal anxiety or depression or postnatal psychosis may be at increased risk of experiencing mental health issues with another child. It’s important you plan ahead if you decide to have another baby.

Free text messages, support, information and tips, designed for expecting and new dads.

Having a child is a time of huge change. For many people this includes considering the type of family they hope to create, as well as reflecting on their own family relationships.

PANDA's Guide to Groups helps upskill playgroups and group facilitators so they are skilled, informed about perinatal mental health, and supported in their work.

Returning to work after parental leave can be challenging, especially if you have experienced perinatal mental health issues. There are a range of strategies you can manage your mental health and ease the transition.

Working together to raise awareness to reduce stigma, advocate for improved perinatal mental health systems and share messages of hope.

Volunteer to deliver mental health support to expecting and new parents

Join families and organisations across Australia to mark Perinatal Mental Health Week 2024, 17- 23 November.

PANDA can assist with media enquiries related to research, statistics, lived experience stories and clinical expertise.

Clinical guidelines for mental health care in the perinatal period.

Tips for starting a conversation about mental health with parents in your care, and what to look and listen for.

Becoming a parent is seen as a joyful and natural life event. But the reality is often very different.

The lead up to the arrival of a new baby can be an exciting time for expecting dads. But it can also bring challenges as you adjust to the new future.

PANDA’s commitment to children and young people extends to staff, volunteers, board members and contractors.

When you call PANDA, we provide a free, safe, caring and confidential space for you to talk through any concerns you may have as an expecting or new parent, or support person.

PANDA Learning Hub is the gateway to online learning for perinatal mental health.

We’re here to help expecting and new parents and their support people during the transition to parenthood.

During pregnancy and after the arrival of your new baby, adjusting to the changes of parenthood can be pretty rough.

Perinatal mental ill-health refers to any mental health condition affecting the mood, behaviour, wellbeing and/or daily function of an expecting or new parent.

It’s common to have questions about medication use during the perinatal period. Specialist health professional supports are available to provide advice and guidance on what’s best for you and your baby.

Free information and guidance for healthcare providers working with families in the perinatal period.

Find out how you can refer someone to PANDA or get practice support as a healthcare provider.

Several factors make it difficult to estimate how many families are affected by perinatal mental health issues, including variations in data collection methods during research, and different ways of defining or diagnosing mental health conditions.

Postnatal psychosis is a serious condition – but professional help is available

Postnatal psychosis is a medical emergency. Recovery starts with early intervention and professional treatment.

Postnatal psychosis is a medical emergency. Recovery starts with early intervention and professional treatment.

Postnatal psychosis is a serious mental health condition, and a medical emergency. The earlier your partner accesses treatment, the quicker she will recover.

Postnatal psychosis is a serious condition. Hope for recovery is strong with early intervention and professional treatment.

Postnatal psychosis is a serious condition. Hope for recovery is strong with early intervention and professional treatment.

When you want to be a good support but you’re not sure how, PANDA is here to help. We’re sharing ways you can support the safety of a loved one.

After you’ve had your baby, specialist support is available for your mental health and wellbeing.

During pregnancy, specialist support is available for your mental health and wellbeing.

Antenatal anxiety and depression can affect anyone expecting a new baby.

It’s normal for new parents to have concerns about what might happen when they reach out for help. Talking to PANDA about your mental health and any issues at home is being a protective parent. We can help you access the support you and your baby need.

All expecting and new parents deserve inclusive, appropriate support for their wellbeing – including LGBTIQA+ parents.

All expecting and new parents deserve inclusive, appropriate support for their wellbeing – including LGBTIQA+ parents.

We are proud to be accredited for safety and quality in digital mental health services.

Feelings come and go – learning how to cope with unwanted or distressing emotions is a big part of the journey to parenthood.

How to access government subsidised mental health care for all Australians.

24/7 mental health supports are available. Learn about mental health safe plans you can use day or night.

Mental health and emotional wellbeing are important when you’re having a baby.

Dads can experience anxiety and depression symptoms during pregnancy and after their baby is born too. Help’s available if you’re having a hard time.

PANDA supports dads when they need it most - building a solid foundation of care for the whole family unit.

During pregnancy, it's common to worry about what our birth experience will be like. Many of us expect that birthing our babies will be hard but rewarding work. Yet very few of us feel prepared for complications in labour and childbirth.

PANDA’s guide to managing overwhelming thoughts and feelings while caring for yourself and your baby. This simple plan gives you and your baby moments to de-stress any time you’re parenting by yourself.

Caring for someone with perinatal anxiety or depression can be confusing, stressful and demanding. While you can’t “fix” what your partner is going through, you can support them while they seek help and receive treatment.

Are depression symptoms interfering with your ability to enjoy your life and pregnancy?

Becoming a parent can be a joyful, rewarding experience - but pregnancy can also be a stressful, complicated and confusing time.

Becoming a parent can be a joyful, rewarding experience - but pregnancy can also be a stressful, complicated and confusing time.

Here are some ways to stay connected and still find time to look after yourself too.

Like any new relationship, it can take time to build a connection with your baby. Find activities to connect with your baby.