When to seek help during the perinatal period

A mother sits cross-legged in bed with her baby in her lap. Her partner lays next to her, holding her hand.

No one is meant to be on this parenting journey alone, and it’s never too early to reach out for help. If someone is feeling any of the symptoms in the list below for two weeks or more and nothing is shifting, or they are having more bad days than good, then it’s time to reach out.

I in 5 mums and 1 in 10 dads/partners experience perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA). It's common, and treatable.

Signs and symptoms

These symptoms, signs and behaviours indicate it is time to seek professional help in the perinatal period:

Flat or lower mood than usual
Feeling more anxious (heightened anxiety) than normal, and the feelings are not shifting
Others have noticed the change in mood
Self care (brushing teeth, showering) seems more challenging
Moments of feeling detached or disconnected from the baby
Feeling unable to care for the baby
Changes in appetite and sleep disturbances (beyond the normal shifts in sleep patterns during this period)
Changes in a relationship/s that are causing distress, or that present a safety risk to a parent or baby, including domestic violence, issues with addiction of any sort.
Suicidal thoughts (such as “It would be easier if I wasn’t here) and/or self-harm
Scary thoughts or recurrent troubling thoughts
Thoughts and/or memories about their own childhood that are overwhelming, pre-occupying or distressing

This is a general list of symptoms and is not exhaustive. More detailed information on signs and symptoms of perinatal anxiety and depression can be found here.

It is never too early to ask for help. Mental health struggles range from mild, to moderate, to severe. They are treatable, and often temporary conditions and respond well to evidence-based therapies with the right specialists.

Even if symptoms seem mild, or it is difficult to reach out, it’s important to seek help from a perinatal mental health professional, because no one is meant to be on this journey alone.

Perinatal mental health professionals are there to support expectant and new parents and their families across many circumstances and to help make this journey of adjustment to parenthood a little easier.

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