Women and Newborn Health Service
Health Professionals
King Edward Memorial Hospital
Symposium 2012
Perinatal Mental Health and Dads - 'The Elephant in the Nursery'
26 November 2012
The University Club of Western Australia
In the field of perinatal mental health, much research and early intervention has focused on mums, while the mental health of dads has largely been overlooked - it's the ‘elephant in the nursery’.
Evidence suggests we need to find better ways to support men – not only for their partners and their baby, but for their own mental wellbeing.
Symposium themes included parenting and employment; role models and cultural influences; mental health of dad, mum and baby; and service provision and evidence-based practice.
The symposium was presented by the WA Perinatal Mental Health Services: the KEMH Mother and Baby Unit, the KEMH Department of Psychological Medicine, and the WA Perinatal Mental Health Unit.
Many presentations and posters are available for download below.
Keynotes
“Perinatal anxiety and depression: Personal and professional”
Dr. Vijay Roach1 and Ms. Cathie Knox2
1Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Chairman of the Gidget Foundation;
2CEO, Gidget Foundation
“Infant Dreaming”
Winthrop Professor Helen Milroy
Director, Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health, University of Western Australia/ Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Specialist Aboriginal Mental Health Service
“In My Shoes: Insight into partners’ experiences of supporting women with perinatal depression and anxiety”
Dr Nicole Highet
beyondblue: the national depression initiative
“Father-infant attachment: Evidence and implications for practice”
Dr. Richard Fletcher
Family Action Centre, University of Newcastle NSW
“When the dream was not enough”
Glenn Mitchell1 and Karen Tighe2
1Former ABC TV/radio sports broadcaster, Olympics commentator, sports author;
2ABC TV/radio sports broadcaster
Presentations
“Juggling work and baby: Impacts on parents’ mental health and what can be done”
Miriam Maclean
Research Officer, WA Perinatal Mental Health Unit
“Reflections on 10 years of father-inclusive practice in antenatal education”
Stephen Gallagher & Dawson Cooke
Education Facilitators, DadsWA, Ngala
“Assessing the mental health status of partners of women admitted to the WA Mother Baby Unit”
Pamela Whittaker1, Dr Janette Brooks1,2 Prof. Jane Fisher3 and Gillian Ennis1
1Women and Newborn Health Service;
2School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia;
3The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health
“Men and muppets: Dads’ identity and role models in relation to parenting during the perinatal period”
Dion Leeuwenburg
Clinical Social Worker, private practitioner
“Partners of pregnant women with a diagnosed severe mental illness”
Dr Jacqueline Frayne1, Dr Janette Brooks2, Dr Thinh Nguyen1, Suzanna Allen1, Miriam Maclean2 and Prof. Jane Fisher3
1Childbirth and Mental Illness (CAMI) Antenatal Clinic, King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH);
2WA Perinatal Mental Health Unit, KEMH;
3The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women’s Health
“Paternal anxiety reduced with a father-inclusive perinatal educational/social support program”
Jennifer Totohoa, Bruce Maycock, Dr. Yvonne Hauck1, Peter Howatt, Colin Binns, Satvinder Dhaliwal, Sharon Byrne
1Professor of Midwifery, Curtin University of Technology/ King Edward Memorial Hospital
Posters
“Predicting postnatal depression in mothers who delivery very preterm”
Rosemary Hagan1, Clin. Assoc. Prof. Ronnie Hagan2, Clin. Assoc. Prof. Noel French2
1Senior Clinical Psychologist, Department of Psychological Medicine, King Edward Memorial Hospital;
2Centre for Neonatal Research and Education, School of Women’s and Infants’ Health, University of Western Australia
Kendal Head
Acting Manager, Youth and Family Services, Community Care Red Cross
“Beyond Utopia: perfect programs that miss the mark”
Kendal Head
Acting Manager, Youth and Family Services, Community Care Red Cross
Cheryl Kickett-Tucker, Jennifer Dodd1, Rhonda Marriott, Dr Janette Brooks2, Caroline Nielsen
1Pindi Pindi National Research Centre for Aboriginal Children, Families and Community;
2WA Perinatal Mental Health Unit
