Let’s talk about…

Before we talk, I’d like to make an important distinction: there’s a difference between parenting and parenthood. ParentING is all about babies and children: what little ones need to be happy, healthy and thrive. I’m not an expert on that, but there are plenty of knowledgeable people who are. ParentHOOD, on the other hand, is all about what parents need to be happy, healthy and thrive. This, I can talk about.

I’m passionate about raising awareness of:

• The many benefits of including fathers and partners and taking a ‘whole family’ approach to parenthood

• The unexpected emotional and relational challenges of pregnancy and new parenthood, how they’re likely to impact mothers, fathers, partners and families and what care providers can do (hint: lots!)

• Perinatal Mental Health and ways to reduce risks for anxiety and depression for mothers, fathers and infants (again: lots!)

• Perinatal trauma, grief and loss and ways to manage these to bring couples closer

• How the transitions into parenthood are bookended by the transitions out of parenthood and how care professionals and employers can support women in any stage of the parenthood journey