Agnes lends a hand to growing family

For Eilis and Mitch, the prospect of a second child filled them with the usual amount of excitement, anxiety and wonder.

Being parents to a toddler already there was also some degree of confidence that having been through the pregnancy, delivery and bonding with a newborn, they at least knew what was coming their way.

The reality was slightly different however with Eilis feeling anxious and having difficulty with breast feeding new baby Maisie leading to other issues.

“The baby wasn’t settling; I was getting anxious. I wasn’t eating properly.  It was a bit of a revolving cycle, and my mental health was taking a toll,” Eilis said.

Following a visit to her maternal health nurse, Eilis and Maisie were admitted to the Agnes Parent and Infant Mental Health Unit at Latrobe Regional Health (LRH).

“We were able to get a bed very quickly with the support of the maternal health nurse and my GP. The process was pretty smooth and immediately helped just calm things down a little bit.”

Given the disruption and anxiety already present for Eilis, Mitch was able to spend the first night with her and Maisie in the Agnes Unit.

“I really wanted him here, just to see how things were going and help me and Maisie settle in. To have Mitch here the first night was a great help,” Eilis said.

Mitch also appreciated the opportunity to be involved with Eilis and Maisie while they were in hospital.

“I felt very welcome by all the staff and the other patients. It was a real community feeling on the unit.  I was able to pretty much come and go. I got involved in a couple of the groups and it was a good experience.”

Agnes Nurse Unit Manager, Emma Vivian says Eilis’s experience is not uncommon where a new mum might be focussing on one aspect of their new role but see a bigger picture once admitted.

“We see it a lot. Once the mum gets that one-on-one time with staff they’ll often see that it’s not just about the feeding or the sleeping, there is other stuff going on which is stopping her from bonding with the baby and enjoying that special period in her and her infant’s life.”

Both Eilis and Mitch appreciate the role that the brief stay on Agnes has played in their becoming a bigger family with Maisie’s arrival.

“I definitely feel that if I hadn’t come here, I’d be sitting at home with the same issues, sitting in the feeding chair and thinking ‘I can’t do this!’ and that really scares me as it was such a bad place to be. My bond with Maisie is much stronger that it would have been and we’re both so grateful for what the Agnes Unit has allowed us to become.” Eilis said.

Enquiries and referrals can be made by contacting Agnes Unit directly on 5173-8553.