november 19 - 25 | 2014
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Helping families www.wangarattachronicle.com.au
circulating in wangaratta, myrtleford, bright, mt beauty, beechworth, yackandandah, rutherglen, chiltern and districts
By KYLIE WILSON
FRIENDLY EAR:
Fiona Gladstone from the Early Motherhood Service chats to a client. PHOTO: Kylie Wilson
GARDENING WITH
MARTIN
RSPCA WITH
SARAH
FILM MOCKINGJAY
PART ONE
WINE TALK WITH
ANITA
EVERYWHERE you seem to look there are picture perfect images of motherhood, from softly lit nappy advertisements to cute baby closeups in social media feeds. Motherhood is more visible than ever, but often the challenging and difficult aspects of becoming a parent are hidden from view. For an expectant or new parent, the difference between the two images can be disillusioning and guilt inducing. The onset of parenthood can lead to postnatal or antenatal depression, with one in seven new mothers, and one in 20 new fathers, diagnosed with postnatal depression each year in Australia. For new parents across the region, help often comes in the form of a visit to the Early Motherhood Service in Wangaratta, which deals with almost 200 new parents a year. The service’s perinatal mental health clinician, Fiona Gladstone, has been working in the field for 12 years and is passionate about helping new parents from all walks of life. “It’s an area where, like any other illness, early interventions are vitally important,” she said. Sitting in the calming surrounds of her office, Fiona sees the local service as a pioneering one, as it combines both physical and mental health professionals in one location to ensure complete care for families – an approach which inspired the State Government to roll out similar services statewide in the past few years. continued page |
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