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COVID-19
Information for the community – Updated guidelines from 5 August 2021
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Women’s and Children’s Hospital
Acknowledgement
The Women's and Children's Hospital is located on the traditional lands for the Kaurna people, and we respect their spiritual relationship with their Country. We also acknowledge that the Kaurna people are the custodians of the Adelaide region, and that their cultural and heritage beliefs are still as important to the living Kaurna people today.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

COVID-19 Wellness Resources

The COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to anxiety for many reasons – concern for your own health and that of your child, financial stress, or the impact of current restrictions. These resources may help you or your family members.

The COVID-19 pandemic can contribute to anxiety for many reasons – concern for your own health and that of your child, financial stress, or the impact of current restrictions. These resources may help you or your family members.

Parents and Carers

General

Mental health and wellbeing

Children and Young Adults

Mental health and wellbeing

Pregnancy and New Parenthood

Mental health and wellbeing

Pregnancy can be a joyful time for most people but it can also raise anxieties with a new baby about to arrive and the worries this may bring with changes to family life.

It can also be a time where tensions increase between partners.

The current COVID-19 pandemic could add to the anxiety for many reasons – concern for your own health and that of your baby, financial stress or the impact of current restrictions.

Things you may wish to consider for keeping yourself well include:

  • Minimising you intake of COVID-19 news and only viewing trusted sources.
  • Keeping some structure in your day.
  • Staying connected to family, friends and work colleagues through phone and internet connections.
  • Trying some gentle meditation or yoga.
  • Get your partner to give you a massage.
  • Keeping to a healthy diet.
  • Getting enough rest and sleep.
  • Exercising – find somewhere outside in nature where you can walk safely and can keep the appropriate social distance.
  • Find sources of support, such as the COPE (Centre of Perinatal Excellence) website, which provides updates on perinatal anxiety, including some general COVID-19 information for pregnant and postnatal women:
    COVID-19 updates for pregnant women, children and parents

Also view the following fact sheets:

  • Pregnancy and new parenthood – You and your partner
  • Pregnancy and new parenthood – Mental health
  • Pregnancy and new parenthood – Family and domestic violence
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing after the Birth of Your Baby

Information for new fathers

It is a challenging time for partners as many hospitals have access/visiting restrictions in place, which can be very distressing. Support for your partner in labour may or may not be possible in the postnatal ward, there may also be other restrictions as social distancing rules are implemented.

When you go home life as a new parent will be different because of COVID-19, which includes restrictions on family visits and may mean you have to provide more of the support than usual.

In infant mental health, it is well known that it takes a village to raise a baby but at the moment it has to be an extremely tiny village and you may be it but you are not alone!

Associate Professor Richard Fletcher from Newcastle University in NSW has been working with fathers for a long time and runs a program called SMS4dads. SMS4dads provides new fathers with information and connections to online services through their mobile phones. It provides great ideas for men about pregnancy, their partners' feelings and connecting to your new baby.