Dr. Rikki Priest Learn Create Connect

Hi Team,

Are you a

General Practitioner
GP-Obstetrician
Obstetrician/Gynaecologist
Midwife
Nurse
or
Psychologist?
Or other health worker who works closely with new dads?

Can I ask for 15 minutes of your time to do an online survey?
https://curtin.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_88tbASuDgXKrATs

I've joined a research team based in WA that are exploring how new dads can be better supported. This particular PhD project will be developing, rolling out and evaluating online facilitated peer group support programs for first-time Australian fathers, referred through primary care.

This first survey will explore attitudes, practices and beliefs of current GPs/health providers about the proposed program.

I don’t know about you but I find this project very, very exciting- real world research in action about a topic that is 💯 in need of exploring. Accessible Dads groups are way overdue! I had a really rocky road through matrescence- the transition to motherhood - and I wish my hubby had been able to access more peer support during this time and later on as he moved into the stay at home dad role for a season.

Closing date for recruitment 30 June 2023

QLD and WA GPs are also invited to participate in an interview – more details of how to nominate to be involved are within the survey.

Thank you so much for your time

Sharing a few thoughts for Perinatal Mental Health Week 2022....

This week coming is perinatal and infant mental health week. We are lucky enough to have had Dr Rikki Priest reflect on her experience and share with us her tips for other parents.

DR RIKKI PRIEST 🧡
Su***de is currently the leading cause of maternal death in Australia (women who are pregnant and up to 1 year postpartum). This message is to encourage the amazing work that doctors and other professionals are already doing supporting maternal and infant mental health.

In 2017, I had two long admissions to the Mother Baby Unit at KEMH for perinatal mental illness. I joined the ranks of the 1 in 2 doctors that experience mental illness over a lifetime and the 1 in 5 in the last 12 months...

The journey was less bumpy in 2018 after our baby boy was born. This photo was taken the day we left hospital after a planned prophylactic / preventative inpatient stay. I am so grateful to the many amazing care providers who cared for us during these difficult times.

If you would like to upskill in perinatal mental health – here are a few ideas:

💙 Read up/watch videos on the concept of Matrescence
💙 Let women know about the PANDA phone helpline (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression) at any opportunity (especially discharge checks) – normalise the struggle of “is what I’m feeling/thinking normal?”.
💙 Be aware that intrusive harmful thoughts in the postpartum can be very normal and refer if the thoughts are becoming distressing – more here: https://postpartumstress.com/get-help-2/are-you-having-scary-thoughts/
💙Ask about suicidal thoughts (just asking in and of itself is an effective intervention for reducing su***de rates)
💙Do some training – COPE provided some great free courses for professionals https://www.cope.org.au/training/
💙Get partners involved in supporting maternal mental health - https://www.sms4dads.com.au/
https://www.dadsgroup.org/digitaldadsgroup
https://anchor.fm/dads-group
💙Use your Professional Development Leave to observe a day of sessions with a perinatal psychiatrist and psychologist.

And a plug for Doctors Health – if you don’t have a GP or need a psychologist / psychiatrist with a special interest in treating doctors, you can access the list here:

⭐ https://www.dhaswa.com.au/drs-for-drs/dhaswa
⭐ 24/7 DHASWA Advice Line - (08) 9321 3098.

PANDA Psychiatry Interest Forum - PIF Royal Aust & NZ College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists RANZCOG Doctors' Health in Queensland Doctors' Health SA - DHSA