I have recently had an assessment with Plunket. It's not common, but one of the nurses there used to work for Maternal Mental Health and so she knew what she is doing and informed me of some places that can help that I thought I would mention (some I already knew). Thought I would pass this on in case it helps anyone else - because I find the more support you have, the more quickly you will recover from this awful condition
Parent Port
These are called different names slightly, eg. Parent Aid in Waitakere City but is available to all Aucklanders in times of stress, illness or emergency - you can call on them for help with childcare or housework. You can attend appointments while they tend to these things such as counselling or the doctor. It was originally set up to help those with PND in mind... so a referral from your GP or Plunket Nurse is helpful so they know your situation and can put something in place.
Barnadoes
Offers a Community Support Worker, help with practical things such as housework and childcare. They will assess your needs by meeting with you and go from there.
Maternal Mental Health
I'm still getting to know exactly what they offer. They require a referral from your GP after a thorough assessment. They accept people with moderate to severe PND but only if your baby is less than 1yo. So it's important to request a referral as early as possible to ensure you get really good support. They have a range of staff such as nurses and Psychiatrists available free of charge and probably social workers and community support workers as well so a range of support (someone can add to this that knows better!)
Plunket Family Centre
They will help with any problems you are having with your baby such as feeding, sleeping and so on. You can spend the day there and they will give you lunch and care for your baby while you sleep!
If you are at the end of your tether and no one to take care of baby - this would be a good place to go to or Parent Port if you are in Auckland.
Parent Trust
Offer workshops for mums concerned about their anger and how that may affect their children.
Dayspring, Waitakere
Offer a range of workshops or social groups or interest groups/classes and in most cases a free creche.
Post-Natal Distress Group
Offer a support group for those with PND on Tuesday mornings in Te Atatu with a free creche.
Counselling
You can apply for a Disability Allowance based on Depression and get a grant from WINZ for up to $50 of your counselling fee. After 10 sessions you can reapply. There's also 6 free sessions counselling available if you have a GP with Procare. Other affordable counselling services are Youthline - pay as you are able. There are also 6 free counselling sessions available through the court for you and your partner/husband.
Waitakere Union Health Centre offer cheap/affordable doctors and through their mental health programme you are eligible to see a Psychologist in the area for free. However, their clinics are walk-in clinics so you can wait up to an hour or more to see the doc and you have to be registered with them to be eligible for the Psychologist.
There is the possibility of childcare and home help (housework) available through WINZ if you see your GP to refer you to them for this - phone WINZ for more details (I think it's called the Domestic Support Benefit or something like it).
Feel free to reply and add anything else that is helpful particularly those that live in other parts of NZ than Auckland!
Edited by nathansmummy
Help is out there...
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Thanks for putting that up!
