Emotional Experiences of Early Parenthood in Australian Families
A web-based repository of real-life video and audio recorded stories
MCWH was thrilled to sit on the Advisory Group for The Emotional Experiences of Early Parenthood in Australian Families project, a Monash University research project which explored what 45 parents from diverse backgrounds said about their experiences of conceiving, IVF, miscarriage, surrogacy, adoption, pregnancy, labour and birth, perinatal depression, early parenthood, and personal and professional relationships after becoming a parent.
The resulting resources can be found on Healthtalk Australia’s new website, aiming to help new parents feel less alone through audio and film clips from interviews with other parents that offer support, advice and shared experiences.
Leading Monash researcher, Associate Professor Renata Kokanovic, said, “Feeling isolated is a common experience for new parents, as they find that their experiences of pregnancy and early parenthood are different from their expectations.
“The website is designed to be a tool to help new parents to survive the transition to parenthood and the early years when they are at their most vulnerable.”
Parents who participated were from a range of different backgrounds, and included immigrant and refugee women from Afghanistan, Iran, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Pakistan and Central Europe, providing a diverse spectrum of advice and experiences.
A great resource from Healthtalk Australia and Monash University for new and expecting parents, and thanks to MCWH’s Megan Wong and Joyce Jiang for their valuable input and advice.