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Mental wellbeing
Pregnancy, birth and the months around them ask a lot of you. Feeling anxious or low at any point, before, during or after, is common, and it is nothing to be ashamed of.
Last reviewed May 2026 by Dr Sarah Koffmann
Anxiety and depression can affect mums and dads alike, from the time you start thinking about a baby through to the early parenting months. If something does not feel right, you do not have to wait it out or manage it on your own.
Talk to your GP or midwife. You may be eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan, which gives you Medicare-rebated visits with a psychologist, and your GP can connect you with the local services and programs below.
If you need to talk to someone now
If you are struggling right now, you do not have to wait for an appointment. These lines are free and available every day. In an emergency, always call 000.
Help close to home
Local support in Bathurst
Community Perinatal Mental Health
Specialist perinatal mental health support, based at the Community Mental Health Service on the Bathurst Base Hospital campus.
Call 02 6330 5890Community Health Centre
Free services for the Bathurst community, including counselling, at Bathurst Base Hospital.
Call 02 6330 5677
Helpful resources
Support and information
Trusted national services for parents, partners and families. These open outside bubs in bathurst.
PANDA
Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia runs the national perinatal helpline for parents affected by anxiety and depression in pregnancy and early parenthood. Call 1300 726 306.
Visit panda.org.auGidget Foundation
Specialist support for the emotional wellbeing of expectant and new parents, with counselling your GP can refer you to under a Mental Health Care Plan.
Visit gidgetfoundation.org.auMumSpace
Australia's one-stop site for the mental health of pregnant women, new mums and their families, with online programs for perinatal depression and anxiety.
Visit mumspace.com.auRelationships Australia NSW
Programs to support the mental wellbeing of your whole family.
Visit relationshipsnsw.org.auSMS4dads
A free national text-message service for new and expecting dads, with regular tips and wellbeing check-ins to help you connect with your baby, support your partner and look after your own mental health, from pregnancy through baby's first year.
Visit sms4dads.com.auAustralasian Birth Trauma Association
Support for families affected by physical or psychological trauma from the birth process, and for the professionals who care for them.
Visit birthtrauma.org.auheadspace Bathurst
Free, youth-friendly mental health support for young people aged 12 to 25.
Visit headspace.org.au1800RESPECT
Confidential support if someone close to you makes you feel afraid, powerless or unsafe. Abuse can be physical, emotional or psychological, and it is never your fault. Call 1800 737 732.
Visit 1800respect.org.auWhere to next