Having a baby can be an exciting and challenging experience. Each person’s experience of pregnancy and early parenting is unique, and perinatal mental health can affect anyone, no matter what their situation is.
Carmen Kong is the Nurse Unit Manager for the Mother Baby Unit (MBU) and the Referral and Assessment Clinic at Werribee Mercy Hospital (WMH). Carmen has dedicated much of her 24-year career towards perinatal mental health.
“We service one third of Victoria’s population with perinatal mental health at our outpatient and inpatient services,” Carmen says.
“The thing I love about my job is not only the satisfaction and challenge from clinical work, supporting someone during the most difficult time in their life…but also the staff, to see them grow and thrive in becoming mental health clinicians.”
Carmen, Shae and Makenzie
The MBU provides inpatient care for women and their babies, when inpatient psychiatric treatment is required for a mother in her baby’s first year of life. The need for perinatal mental health services in Melbourne’s west is urgent.
In 2023, WMH had over 300 referrals across its inpatient and outpatient perinatal mental health services. The MBU was only able to admit and care for 80 of those referrals.
New mum, Shae, recalls her first encounter with Mercy Health.
In 2023, Shae moved to Altona North and transferred her care to Werribee Mercy Hospital when she was 28 weeks pregnant with her first child.
The demands of finding a new home, being pregnant and preparing for the arrival of her first child took a toll on Shae’s physical and mental health.
“Going to Werribee Mercy changed everything for me, my midwife went beyond the normal care,” Shae says.
Shae had been experiencing perinatal depression and anxiety and thanks to her midwife’s immediate care, Shae met with a psychiatrist to treat her mental health, not only for her safety, but for the safety of her unborn baby too.
After giving birth to her daughter, Makenzie, Shae’s mental health deteriorated, and she developed postnatal depression and anxiety.
A lack of support, sleepless nights and breastfeeding difficulties, Shae was at her limits.
When Makenzie was about five months old, Shae was admitted to the MBU to seek treatment for her mental health.
“There was so much time and energy invested in me by every clinician. Never in my life have I felt so heard and told that I matter,” Shae says. “They wanted to empower me and help me feel empowered.”
A team of clinicians ensured Shae had the tools she needed to manage her mental health and care for Mackenzie outside of the unit.
Shae and Makenzie spent seven weeks at the unit and since leaving, they are both thriving.
Makenzie is a happy, bubbly little girl, who will be turning one in August. She is the light of Shae’s life.
“It was the most amazing experience and the thing was, Makenzie grew with me. They nurtured me and nurtured my baby,” Shae says.
Services like the MBU are possible thanks to the generous support of donors like you. Please donate today to ensure more mothers and babies, like Shae and Mackenzie, get the help they need, when they need it most.