Support services for Dads and Partners
Perinatal support for new and expectant fathers
The fun of Father’s Day might be over for another year, but we’re continuing our focus on dad’s and partners all month long.
Most perinatal support, birth preparation and postpartum care is centred around mothers. But the perinatal journey is life changing and challenging for fathers and partners too.
As a birthworker, I have supported dads on the birthing journey and beyond for over ten years. Supporting them in preparation for the birth, teaching practical labour support skills, and providing support and strategies for their changing relationships, work-life balance and their new role as a father.
Partners continue to turn to me for support with birth preparation and in the postpartum time, when they find themselves supporting not only a newborn, but their partner, and themselves. Often with work demands, household chores and other children too.
I feel it’s important we continue the conversation about the importance of fathers – and their wellbeing – long after the jocks and socks of Father’s Day are packed away.
Please know I’m always here to support you, too.
In this article, you’ll find a list of support resources for dads and partners, including my Perinatal Wellbeing and Support Calls, Birth Education, Postnatal Support and Birth Debriefing.
Please feel free to share these resources with a new or expectant Dad in your life.
It would be a pleasure to hold space for them and offer my support on their journey.
Support Resources for Dads and Partners
Shelly’s Support Services for Dads & Partners
Perinatal Wellbeing and Support: This one-hour session is suitable for mums, dads and partners with questions or wanting support anytime during pregnancy or after birth. I often have fathers reach out with questions about how to best look after their newborn, their partner and themselves during the postpartum time, and this is the perfect session to receive this type of support.
Book a Perinatal Wellbeing and Support Call
Private ChildBirth Education and Preparation: I provide a package of four private 1:1 coaching sessions for couples wanting to support for an empowering birth experience. This package includes understanding birth and self advocacy, hands on birth partner support techniques for labour and birth, active birth positions, and preparing for postpartum.
Book a Private Empowering Childbirth Preparation Package
Birth Debriefing: Birth debriefing isn’t just for mums. Fathers, partners or anyone who attended the birth can find it helpful and therapeutic to have a birth debriefing, creating devoted time and space to piece together and process the birth. Birth is a significant life event, and birth debriefing can be helpful to reflect on certain aspects of the birth, bring clarity to foggy memories, answer any lingering questions, bring closure and confidence, and can be an important part of the healing process after birth trauma. A debriefing can be held with you as a couple, or alone.
Postnatal Support: The weeks after birth can be a challenging time and you may feel overwhelmed with caring for your partner and a new baby. As a professional birthworker I am available to help share the load and provide personalised support to your family during this time, including:
- Breastfeeding support
- Sleep support
- Postpartum bodywork and belly binding
- Helping you with bub (and other children)
- Birth debriefing and journalling
- Support for partners and opening up discussions about postpartum and parenting
- Postpartum planning and coordinating meal trains and other support
- Help with cleaning, washing and cooking
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External Support Services for Dads & Partners
DadSpace: Mental, emotional and practical support for expectant and new dads. https://www.dadspace.com.au/
DadBooster Program: Cognitive behavioural therapy treatment program for Dads. https://www.dadspace.com.au/programs/dadbooster/
SMS4Dads: Free SMS support service for Dads. https://www.sms4dads.com.au/
Direct Advice for Dads: Practical advice and tips for dads, by dads. https://directadvicefordads.com.au/
Start Talking: Perinatal Telehealth support for parents https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/support/start-talking-telehealth
Baby Steps: Perinatal wellbeing for parents program https://www.babysteps.org.au/login
The Father Hood: An online neighbourhood for fathers https://www.the-father-hood.com/
ForWhen: Parent mental health care referral service https://forwhenhelpline.org.au/for-parents/
TripleP: Free online parenting program https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/
MensLine: Free online and telephone counselling service for men https://mensline.org.au/being-a-dad/
You Got This Mate: Mental health support for rural men https://yougotthismate.com.au/
PANDA: https://panda.org.au/get-support/support-dads
Gidget Foundation: https://www.gidgetfoundation.org.au/support/support-for-dad
Centre of Perinatal Excellence: https://www.cope.org.au/family-community/fathers-partners/
Raising Children: Pregnancy for Partners https://raisingchildren.net.au/pregnancy/pregnancy-for-partners
ParentLine: https://parentline.com.au/
Red Nose Grief and Loss: https://rednosegriefandloss.org.au/
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Please click the links above to access further information and support, or share with a loved one who might need them.
As a birthworker, perinatal bodyworker and birth educator, my role is to support birthing families throughout pregnancy and postpartum. This extends to supporting fathers and partners with practical skills for labour and birth, ideas and strategies to ease the transition to parenting, and emotional support at all stages. To connect with me or book an appointment head to my Booking Page.