Dominique Daye is one of six children and a trained paramedic, so when she became pregnant, she felt confident being a mum was something she would take in her stride.
"I had watched my older sisters go through pregnancy and motherhood … and going into pregnancy I thought, 'Yeah, I've got this'," she said.
But after her son was born, Ms Daye's first months of motherhood weren't what she expected.
"My family started noticing some cracks appearing when I was about six weeks postpartum … and then it spiralled out of control from there," she said.
"I couldn't turn my mind off … I couldn't stop watching the baby monitor, then the panic attacks started and then the suicidal thoughts started."
Ms Daye suffered from severe perinatal depression and anxiety (PNDA) and postpartum psychosis, which resulted in her family admitting the former elite netballer into a private hospital for three months.
Looking back on her experience, Ms Daye said she was grateful for her family and the help she received.
But at the time, she didn't realise just how much support was available for new parents.
"I want to reiterate the message that it [postnatal mental health issues] can happen to anyone," she said.
"I really want to break down that stigma of thinking you need to suffer in silence."
Improving access to help
The Gidget Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, is working with more than 50 support services that have combined to create a one-stop, online shop to support other parents like Ms Daye who experience perinatal depression and anxiety, as well as grief, loss and birth trauma.
The foundation's chief executive, Arabella Gibson, said the service was called the Perinatal Mental Health Support Finder, available on the Perinatal Mental Health Week website.
"It allows parents to answer [what they need] in a few short questions, to essentially go through a triage system to provide them with the right organisation, the right services and the right contact numbers and details, to be able access the support they need," she said.
Two-thirds of new Australian parents don't have a strong support network, with one in three struggling to connect with other parents, according to data collected in April 2023 by partners of Perinatal Mental Health Week.
The research was based on a sample of 508 Australian expectant parents and parents with children under five.
Ms Gibson said tools like the finder aimed to help equip new parents with the "power to find their village".
"We know that one in five new mums will experience diagnosed PNDA and one in 10 dads, and that's just those that are diagnosed, there are so many more that go undiagnosed," she said.
"Tragically, maternal suicide is one of the leading causes of death among new mums."
'You can recover'
Ms Gibson said an important first step for new parents — and their friends and family — was to start talking.
"Sometimes parenthood can be very difficult to adjust to … all of a sudden we are responsible for another human in the world," she said.
"If you are feeling unwell go and see your GP … or get a referral to a service that can provide you with the support you might need to get through that period … to know that you can recover."
Ms Daye, who lives in north Brisbane, has recovered and has since welcomed a second baby with her husband Daniel.
"I am really happy … we are doing really well," she said.
She hopes sharing her story will help encourage others with perinatal depression to seek support, and drive efforts to further improve access for those who need it.
"We still have a long way to go as well, this is just one small step in the right direction and hopefully it can build that traction," she said.
Sydney-based clinical psychologist Erin Seeto said there was also a need to find ways to better support those from culturally diverse backgrounds, minority groups and new dads.
Dr Seeto said in some cultures there wasn't a word for depression, so finding the right language was important.
"We need to factor things in like the context of the cost-of-living crisis and recognise people are under more stressors right now," she said.
Finding your village
Samantha Johnson lives in Canberra with her husband and two-year-old daughter.
She has a history of depression and anxiety, and realised during her early days as a mum she needed extra support.
"I reached out to my psychologist ... [and as a new mum] I was able to get counselling and group support from a perinatal wellbeing centre … it was one of the most beneficial things I did to support myself," she said.
Ms Johnson moved to Australia from America 10 years ago and said being away from family increased her need to find help in other ways.
"My partner is Australian, but we live interstate from all of my in-laws," she said.
"The majority of my village is virtual, and that also counts."
Ms Johnson encouraged other parents to seek help if they needed it, and said the new Perinatal Mental Health Support Finder would make it easier.
"Australia is a big country, we have a lot of people who live rural and it's not easy to hop to a clinic — sometimes that's a whole day excursion or not an option at all," she said.
"So [it's great] having something online where you can look at options, where you can do telehealth support or find services in your area you might have not known existed.
"I would say to others, you are not alone, your feelings are valid, and no struggle is too big or too small."