Perinatal Mental Health: You Don’t Have to Navigate It Alone

Becoming a parent can bring joy, love and a whole new sense of purpose. It can also change your routines, relationships, priorities and sense of self, sometimes all at once.

That’s why perinatal mental health is about more than recognizing when something is wrong. It’s about caring for your emotional and psychological wellbeing throughout pregnancy and the transition into parenthood.

Whether you’re feeling good, finding your footing or having a harder time than expected, your mental wellbeing matters.

What is perinatal mental health?

Perinatal mental health refers to mental wellbeing during pregnancy and after the birth of a baby.

While postpartum depression and anxiety are important parts of the conversation, perinatal mental health is much broader. It includes how you’re adjusting to parenthood, coping with change, connecting with others and navigating the many emotions that can come with welcoming a baby.

There can be excitement and uncertainty. Confidence and self-doubt. Connection and loneliness. Sometimes several of those things can be true at the same time.

All of these experiences can be part of adjusting to parenthood, and paying attention to how you’re feeling is an important part of caring for your wellbeing.

You don’t have to be struggling to care for your mental health

Support can be valuable throughout pregnancy and early parenthood.

It might mean talking honestly with your partner or someone you trust, connecting with other parents, preparing for parenthood through a class or finding a community where you feel comfortable asking questions and sharing experiences.

It can also mean giving yourself permission to let go of some expectations.

There is no single “right” way to feel about becoming a parent, and confidence doesn’t always arrive the moment your baby does. Parenthood is something families grow into.

Having people around you who can listen, encourage you and remind you that you don’t have to know everything can make the transition feel less isolating.

When things feel harder than expected

Sometimes the emotional challenges of pregnancy or new parenthood become more persistent.

You may experience ongoing anxiety or sadness, feel unusually angry or overwhelmed, have difficulty relaxing or simply feel unlike yourself. If difficult feelings are lingering, becoming harder to manage or affecting everyday life, it may be time to talk with a healthcare professional.

You don’t need to know exactly what you’re experiencing before reaching out, and you don’t need to wait until you’re in crisis to ask for support.

Sometimes the first step is simply being able to say, “This isn’t quite how I expected to feel.”

Connection can make a difference

Friends and family can be wonderful sources of support, but sometimes it helps to talk with another parent, or someone who has lived through their own perinatal mental health challenges, who understands how complicated the transition can be.

Peer support can offer a place to talk openly, ask questions, share experiences and feel understood.

Sometimes hearing “I’ve been there too” can help an isolating experience feel a little less lonely.

Families Matter has seen the value of those connections firsthand. Since launching its Perinatal Mental Health Peer Support Program, trained Peer Support volunteers have provided more than 10,000 hours of support to more than 400 families across Alberta.

The whole family is adjusting

A new baby changes life for more than one person.

Partners may be adjusting to new roles and responsibilities, changes in their relationship, disrupted routines and the emotional experience of becoming a parent themselves. They may also be supporting someone they love while trying to care for their own wellbeing.

Making room for honest conversations and recognizing when either parent could use additional support can help families navigate these changes together.

Sometimes supporting a family means making sure everyone has somewhere to turn.

Finding the support that’s right for you

Support can look different depending on what you need.

You might benefit from connecting with other new parents, preparing for parenthood through a class or finding a welcoming place to spend time with your baby. Families Matter offers a variety of programs and opportunities designed to help parents learn, build confidence and connect with their community.

For prenatal and postpartum parents experiencing mental health challenges, Families Matter also offers free, dedicated Perinatal Mental Health supports. These include one-to-one support, in-person and virtual groups, phone-based peer support, partner support and in-home respite, as well as province-wide and culturally informed peer-support options.

An intake phone call helps the Families Matter team learn more about what you’re experiencing and determine which available supports may be right for you.

Perinatal Mental Health services are designed to complement, not replace, medical or clinical mental health care. If you’re concerned about how you’re feeling, talking with your healthcare provider is an important step.

Caring for your mental health doesn’t have to wait

You don’t need to be in crisis to benefit from connection. You don’t need to have everything figured out before asking questions. And you don’t need to be struggling before making your own wellbeing a priority.

Pregnancy and early parenthood are full of change. Having people in your corner can help you move through that change with greater connection and confidence.

At Families Matter, we believe families are stronger when they have somewhere safe to learn, connect and grow.

You Don’t Have to Figure It Out Alone

Whether you’re looking for connection, adjusting to life with a new baby or finding things harder than you expected, Families Matter is here to listen. Explore our programs and Perinatal Mental Health supports, or connect with our team to find a place to start.