00:00For as long as he can remember, Lachlan knew he wanted to be a dad.
00:06When she got there, the fire was out.
00:09But in the weeks after his son was born, the stress of the situation saw his mental health decline.
00:15I was in fight-or-flight mode and there was no real end to what was happening for me.
00:21He was referred to 4WEN.
00:23You've got the 4WEN Helpline. You're speaking with Erin. How can I help?
00:26A national helpline connecting new and expecting parents with local support.
00:31I think I was familiar with postnatal depression within mothers in particular.
00:36I'd never really heard that term used for fathers or secondary carers before.
00:41Oh, that sounds really tough.
00:42The service has had an influx of callers since it launched just over three years ago, especially among men.
00:48It can be really hard for men to reach out for support and particularly in the perinatal period
00:53where they might see their needs are secondary to their partners.
00:57So they kind of take a bit of a back roll.
01:00The team will often call parents back to check on their wellbeing.
01:03Struggling in terms of relationships.
01:05At one of the busiest points in their life.
01:08If dads don't reach out for support, then it's going to impact the whole family.
01:12Councillor Sean Manair is also starting to see more men with symptoms.
01:16A lot of men are probably under the impression that this is an amazing time and being a new father is this incredible experience.
01:23And then the baby arrives and they don't feel that.
01:28He says withdrawing from everyday activities and changes to diet and sleep are among the early warning signs.
01:35Postnatal depression in men is a bit of an abstract concept that people just haven't really thought of up until the point that they're experiencing it.
01:45About one in ten Australian men experience mental health symptoms during the pregnancy phase or within their child's first 12 months.
01:52And with more services available, it means seeking help has never been easier.
01:57And that phone call proceeded to change my life and our lives in a positive way.
Comments