Resources

Villagehood Australia and Peach Tree Perinatal Wellness prepared a joint submission to the Australian Senate inquiry into perinatal mental health.

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This Inquiry was an opportunity is to build a postpartum system that works as a connected whole around the women it exists to support.

The submission calls for care that recognises the whole woman and matrescence, with lived experience leadership, shared power, relational continuity and relational safety embedded in the system.

This submission seeks $3.75 million over three years to co-design, pilot, and prepare for national scale of the BESTIE (Bridging, Engaging, Supporting, Transforming, Integrating, Empowering) Model, a mother-centred, peer-led, clinically aligned approach to reconnecting mothers to Australia’s health system before crisis.

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Despite substantial Commonwealth investment in perinatal and early years mental health, maternal distress remains a persistent system gap. Approximately 45,000 mothers each year experience perinatal mental health distress but do not receive adequate support. The consequences extend beyond individual mothers to children’s emotional development, family wellbeing, workforce participation, and long-term health system costs.

The BESTIE model responds to this gap by embedding trained mothers with lived experience as professional peer navigators, working alongside GPs and existing services to provide relational continuity, navigation support, and early intervention. It does not duplicate clinical care; rather, it strengthens engagement with existing services and reduces drop-off.

Research tells us that perinatal depression in mothers can hold significant impacts on a child’s development from preconception into adulthood. Mothers experiencing postnatal depression may struggle to regulate and form secure attachments with their children, which in turn can lead to various adverse outcomes throughout the child’s life.

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Recognising the clear link between maternal postnatal depression and negative outcomes for children, it is imperative to address this issue comprehensively.

Research confirms that mother-centric peer support can prevent and treat postnatal depression and help postnatal women recover from suicidal feelings. Evidence indicates that mothers with lived experience and adequate training can offer emotional and psychological support to other mothers, assisting in the prevention and treatment of postnatal depression.​​

We have prepared this brochure to raise awareness and break the silence surrounding maternal mental health (MMH).

By sharing information about the signs and symptoms of various MMH disorders, we seek to inform and empower the community to better support the health and wellbeing of mothers. It is crucial to recognise that MMH not only impacts the mental wellbeing of pregnant and postpartum women but also has significant implications for the overall physical and mental development of babies and the wellbeing of the entire family.

Too many mothers struggle in silence, finding themselves trapped in a web of shame and anxiety. For some, obtaining the help they so desperately need can be challenging due to reasons such as limited time, extended waiting periods, fear of judgment from healthcare professionals, or the worry that disclosing their true feelings may lead to their children being taken away. 

Research confirms that peer support can help prevent and treat PND. Peer support is an alternative approach for helping mothers during the postpartum period. Evidence indicates that mothers with lived experience and adequate training can offer emotional and psychological support to other mothers, assisting in the prevention and treatment of PND. A peer support program or group facilitates problem-solving by connecting individuals with shared experiences. 

We have compiled a list of useful contacts, including:

• Perinatal Psychologists in West Adelaide

• Online Perinatal Support

• Useful Helplines

"Living with a Rainbow of Emotions", a concept Dinah Thomasset, founder of Villagehood Australia, has learned to apply in her life thanks to Patrine Baptist, Psychologist at Triple One Psychology. In this episode, Dinah asks some very important questions whilst opening up about her own experience with emotions, postnatal anxiety & depression

In this episode, Kelly Martin, from Kelly Martin Sleep Consultant, shares some useful tips to help parents and their baby have healthy sleep habits.

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