Counselling after a Premature Birth – support for parents and their infants born preterm, birth trauma, feelings of loss about your pregnancy and birth experience, anxiety about infant’s health and development, postnatal depression – we can help…
“For weeks, we didn’t know if our baby would survive. The birth was horrific; I was so frightened. The weeks of seeing him in incubators hooked up to machines was heart-breaking. And now I have him home, and he’s hard to care for. I feel completely washed out.” ~ Antoinella, 38
Every year in Australia 25, 000 infants are both prematurely. For parents, a preterm delivery can cause significant psychological distress and many parents experience a preterm birth as a traumatic event. One Australian study found that 60% of mothers developed postnatal depression in the year following a premature birth. The onset of depression is usually some months after the baby has been discharged from hospital. Fathers are not immune, and often speak of their own grief and distress at a premature delivery.
Not only can premature infants be more needy to care for in the first year, but parents also carry considerable worry about their infant’s longer-term development.
For infants, it’s a tough start to life entering the world before they are physically ready. At a time when they would be safely tucked away in the womb, they are hooked up to life-saving machines.
At the Centre for Perinatal Psychology, we understand that parents and prems have had a tricky start to life together. We are interested in making sure your relationship is close, connected and mutually enjoyable. Parents who seek help for their own mental health are better able to support and nurture their baby.
Common reasons for parents of preterm infants seeking help:
- Infant born prematurely or sickly
- Infant in NICU or SCN
- Postnatal depression
- Postnatal anxiety
- Feeling traumatised by the birth experience
- Feelings of loss about the pregnancy, birth, labour and early postpartum
- Difficulty feeling bonded with baby
- Struggles caring for needy premature or sickly baby
Contact us Today
Find a psychologist near you that can help you with your adjustment to having a premature baby. You can search for your nearest perinatal psychologist by Location.
Call us on 1300 852 660 or contact us to make an appointment or enquiry.
