What mental health and wellbeing support does Pregnancy, Birth and Baby provide?

Updated

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby provides mental health and wellbeing support mainly through a dedicated Mental health and wellbeing section on its website, plus a national phone and video call service staffed by maternal child health nurses. This is relevant if you are pregnant or parenting a child from birth to 5 years of age and want trusted information or someone to talk to. The site is an Australian Government service, so its information and support are designed around the Australian health system.

Mental health and wellbeing information

The site has a dedicated Mental health and wellbeing section. Its stated purpose is to help you learn more about looking after your mental health and wellbeing. This sits alongside the site's broader coverage of pregnancy, birth, being a parent, and raising a child up to 5 years of age.

Use this section when you want to understand what mental health and wellbeing involve during pregnancy and early parenthood, rather than when you need urgent clinical care.

Speaking to a maternal child health nurse

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby connects parents to maternal child health nurses through two channels:

Channel How it works Availability
Phone Speak to a maternal child health nurse by calling 1800 882 436 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week
Video call Speak to a maternal child health nurse face-to-face via a video call started from the website 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week

Both options are part of the same national Australian Government service. If you are unsure whether something is a mental health concern or a general parenting or health question, the nurse service is a single entry point for both.

Other tools and resources on the site

Beyond mental health content, the site offers resources that support parents more broadly:

  • Due date calculator — work out your due date.
  • Pregnancy and parenting in pictures — infographics and videos about pregnancy and parenting.
  • Find a health service — search for a GP, hospital, pharmacy or specialist anywhere in Australia.
  • Newsletters — subscribe for regular information and advice during pregnancy or when your baby arrives, choosing either My pregnancy or My newborn.

These are useful when your mental health question is tied to a practical task, such as finding a local service or understanding what to expect at a particular stage.

Who this support is for

The service is for expecting parents and parents of children from birth to 5 years of age. It describes itself as supporting parents on the journey from pregnancy to preschool. If you are outside that range, or outside Australia, the site's information may still be useful, but the nurse service and health service search are built around Australian users.

What to check before relying on it

  • The nurse line operates 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week — outside those hours you will need another option.
  • The site provides information and nurse support; it does not replace your own doctor, midwife or emergency services.
  • The Find a health service tool is limited to Australia, so it will not help you locate care elsewhere.