Survive & Thrive

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 to ensure your mental wellbeing is a priority during the perinatal period.   

Perinatal psychologist Dr Rebecca Hill discusses what a management plan might look like for different conditions from anxiety to bipolar disorder and explains what we know about why this period can be so fraught.  

This episode contains discussion of suicide. 

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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 the first time. If you’re worried about safety in your relationship, support is available. 

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7) 

Speak to PANDA: 

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST). 

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent. 

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences. 

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents. 

More resources: 

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7) 

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight) 

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7) 

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight) 

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7) 

If you need help now: 

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department. 

Acknowledgement:

PANDA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live and where this podcast is made. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land. 

We recognise the individual and collective contributions of people with a lived and/or living experience of mental health issues, their families, loved ones and supporters.  

Each person’s journey is unique and a valued contribution to Australia’s commitment to PANDA's work and mental health systems reform.  

It is through listening to and acting on the voices of people with lived experience, that those who provide services, those who fund services, and most importantly, those who use services that we will find the information we need to move towards the mental health system Australia needs.   

Every person’s story we hear, every experience shared, helps to develop our understanding of the system that is required to best meet the needs of Australians living with mental health issues, their families, loved ones and supporters. 

CREDITS 

Host: Gia Hogarth 

PANDA Digital Editor: Serena Ashmore 

PANDA Commissioning Editor: Bec Shafer 

Deadset Studios Senior Producer: Grace Pashley 

Deadset Studios Executive Producer: Rachel Fountain 

Sound Design by Krissy Miltiadou 

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 thoughts land, or how and when to get help?  

Mental health clinician Danielle Paltos helps new parents answer those questions all the time. You’ll hear from Danielle and Donna  in this episode of Survive & Thrive, and our host Gia talks about her own experience with intrusive thoughts. 

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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 the first time. If you’re worried about safety in your relationship, support is available. 

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7) 

Speak to PANDA: 

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST). 

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent. 

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences. 

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents. 

More resources: 

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7) 

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight) 

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7) 

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight) 

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7) 

If you need help now: 

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department. 

Acknowledgement:

PANDA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live and where this podcast is made. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land. 

We recognise the individual and collective contributions of people with a lived and/or living experience of mental health issues, their families, loved ones and supporters.  

Each person’s journey is unique and a valued contribution to Australia’s commitment to PANDA's work and mental health systems reform.  

It is through listening to and acting on the voices of people with lived experience, that those who provide services, those who fund services, and most importantly, those who use services that we will find the information we need to move towards the mental health system Australia needs.   

Every person’s story we hear, every experience shared, helps to develop our understanding of the system that is required to best meet the needs of Australians living with mental health issues, their families, loved ones and supporters. 

CREDITS 

Host: Gia Hogarth 

PANDA Digital Editor: Serena Ashmore 

PANDA Commissioning Editor: Bec Shafer 

Deadset Studios Senior Producer: Grace Pashley 

Deadset Studios Executive Producer: Rachel Fountain 

Sound Design by Krissy Miltiadou 

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 resilience, and this season you’ll also hear from professionals who have practical strategies to help you manage your mental health as you transition into parenthood.  

From building a care plan when you have a pre-existing mental health condition, to recognising intrusive thoughts, building a community of care around yourself as a solo parent, processing feelings of ambivalence or becoming a parent when you don’t have great role models in your own life, you’ll hear it all. 

Hosted by Gia Hogarth, Season 2 of Survive & Thrive will be in your feed soon.  

Hit follow in your favourite podcast app so you don't miss a thing. 

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 the first time. If you’re worried about safety in your relationship, support is available. 

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7) 

SPEAK TO PANDA:

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST). 

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent. 

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences. 

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents. 

More resources: 

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7) 

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight) 

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7) 

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight) 

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7) 

IF YOU NEED HELP NOW:

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department. 

PANDA acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land where we work and live and where this podcast is made. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We celebrate the stories, culture and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders of all communities who also work and live on this land. 

We recognise the individual and collective contributions of people with a lived and/or living experience of mental health issues, their families, loved ones and supporters.  

Each person’s journey is unique and a valued contribution to Australia’s commitment to PANDA's work and mental health systems reform.  

It is through listening to and acting on the voices of people with lived experience, that those who provide services, those who fund services, and most importantly, those who use services that we will find the information we need to move towards the mental health system Australia needs.   

Every person’s story we hear, every experience shared, helps to develop our understanding of the system that is required to best meet the needs of Australians living with mental health issues, their families, loved ones and supporters. 

CREDITS 

Host: Gia Hogarth 

PANDA Digital Editor: Serena Ashmore 

PANDA Commissioning Editor: Bec Shafer 

Deadset Studios Senior Producer: Grace Pashley 

Deadset Studios Executive Producer: Rachel Fountain 

Sound Design by Krissy Miltiadou 

The big changes that come with a new baby can affect everyone in your family differently.  

Of course, there can be lots of excitement in anticipation of lovely cuddles with your newest family member, but there are some complicated feelings that might come up too. 

Everyone’s family looks different, but there’s often an expectation that this will be a time of  total joy and togetherness. In reality, you might miss the way your relationships were before your bub arrived. You might find yourself arguing about values and parenting decisions with loved ones, or you might be bored of only talking about parenting and baby things!  

It can be a stressful time. And it can feel hard to talk about issues in your relationships, when there is so much else going on. 

In this episode our guest Bree talks about her experiences with family therapy and the importance of putting yourself first.  

Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast.  

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 the first time. If you’re worried about safety in your relationship, support is available. 

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7) 

Speak to PANDA: 

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST). 

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent. 

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences. 

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents. 

More resources: 

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7) 

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight) 

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7) 

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight) 

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7) 

If you need help now: 

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department. 

You might also be interested in: 

• Try a Mental Health Checklist: https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/checklists. Sometimes it’s hard to know if what you’re experiencing (or noticing in a loved one) could be a reason to seek help. These short, anonymous checklists are available on the PANDA website. 

In this month’s Survive and Thrive podcast, our host Alice chats to Deb about unexpected birth experiences, and looking after ourselves around those birth experiences while juggling a newborn.

Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast.

Visit panda.org.au for more support.

Speak to PANDA:

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST).

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent.

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents.

More resources for support:

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7)

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight)

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7)

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight)

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7)

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7)

If you need help now:

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department.

You might also be interested in:

• Try a Mental Health Checklist: https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/checklists. Sometimes it’s hard to know if what you’re experiencing (or noticing in a loved one) could be a reason to seek help. These short, anonymous checklists are available on the PANDA website.

"Taking time for yourself is not just OK – it’s essential."

People often come into parenting with high hopes and expectations of how they will be as parents and try really hard to be the best parent they can be. But what does this mean? How can you be a good parent, mind your mental health and not put too much pressure on yourself to meet unrealistic expectations? In this month’s podcast, Alice chats to our guest Jess, who shares some of her own experiences of the pressures of parenting and her strategies around managing these, and how she embraced the idea of being a ‘good enough’ parent. 

Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast.

Visit panda.org.au for more support.

Speak to PANDA:

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST).

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent.

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents.

More resources for support:

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7)

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight)

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7)

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight)

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7)

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7)

If you need help now:

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department.

You might also be interested in:

• Try a Mental Health Checklist: https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/checklists. Sometimes it’s hard to know if what you’re experiencing (or noticing in a loved one) could be a reason to seek help. These short, anonymous checklists are available on the PANDA website.

In this bonus episode, PANDA Helpline Counsellor Helen guides you through surfing the emotional wave after feeling strong emotions, and grounding yourself in the present moment.

Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast.

Visit panda.org.au for more support.

Speak to PANDA:

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST).

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent.

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents.

More resources for support:

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7)

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight)

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7)

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight)

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7)

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7)

If you need help now:

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department.

You might also be interested in:

• Try a Mental Health Checklist: https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/checklists. Sometimes it’s hard to know if what you’re experiencing (or noticing in a loved one) could be a reason to seek help. These short, anonymous checklists are available on the PANDA website.

The journey to becoming a parent can be exciting and joyful, but there can also be other feelings like sadness, boredom, loneliness or frustration. For many expecting and new parents, this comes as a shock, as these so-called negative feelings aren’t talked about very much. But as this conversation with our guest Khai shows, these feelings are extremely common, and even though it can be hard, it’s OK to feel this way – and it certainly doesn’t make someone a bad parent.

Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast.

Visit panda.org.au for more support.

Speak to PANDA:

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST).

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent.

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents.

More resources for support:

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7)

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight)

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7)

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight)

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7)

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7)

If you need help now:

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department.

You might also be interested in:

• Try a Mental Health Checklist: https://www.panda.org.au/info-support/checklists. Sometimes it’s hard to know if what you’re experiencing (or noticing in a loved one) could be a reason to seek help. These short, anonymous checklists are available on the PANDA website.

Every parent experiences frustration or overwhelm, and it can often be tricky to manage those feelings in the moment. Strong emotions can bubble up as fast as your baby can wake after finally going to sleep.

In this bonus episode, we explore making your own management plan for these moments. Guided by PANDA Helpline counsellor Helen.

We’ll be releasing more bonus episodes with helpful exercises for managing your emotional wellbeing each month. We know that as new parents your attention is divided in many different directions, so our mini episodes are only five minutes long.

Subscribe to be notified when new episodes are released.

Becoming a parent can be exciting but it can also bring a whole new level of worry into your life. All of a sudden you have a small human to look after! This first episode of ‘Survive and Thrive’ explores Catherine’s story of becoming a mum, and how she managed anxiety during her journey. Catherine talks openly and honestly with our host Alice about what prompted her feelings of anxiety, how she got through those difficult times, and how she grew to learn that while anxiety is often a common companion on a parent’s journey, it doesn’t need to stop you from thriving as a parent.

Survive and Thrive is a PANDA podcast. Visit panda.org.au for more info and support.

Speak to PANDA:

Call the PANDA Helpline on 1300 726 306 (9am-7:30pm Monday-Saturday AEST).

The Helpline provides a safe and confidential space for any new or expecting parent struggling with the challenges of becoming a new parent.

Our highly trained and caring counsellors can help you work through your challenges by talking openly and honestly about your thoughts, feelings and experiences.

Partners, family members and friends can also call, as can health professionals supporting expecting and new parents.

More resources for support:

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline: 1800 882 436 (24/7)

Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7) or lifeline.org.au (12pm to midnight)

Suicide Callback Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24/7)

QLife: 1800 184 527 or qlife.org.au (3PM to midnight)

Mensline: 1300 78 99 78 or mensline.org.au (24/7)

1800 RESPECT (support for people affected by family violence): 1800 737 732 or 1800respect.org.au (24/7)

If you need help now:

If you are concerned about your safety or that of a loved one, please call 000 or visit your local hospital emergency department.

You might also be interested in:

• Try a Mental Health Checklist: Sometimes it’s hard to know if what you’re experiencing (or noticing in a loved one) could be a reason to seek help. These short, anonymous checklists are available on the PANDA website.

If you liked the show:

Please rate, review and subscribe so that more people can here about Survive and Thrive. And let us know what you think on PANDA’s Facebook and Instagram.