Supporting parent mental health and wellbeing
We support parents experiencing:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Other mental health challenges
- Feeling overwhelmed or emotionally stretched
- Adjusting to life as a new parent
- Challenges bonding or not feeling like yourself
Our focus is on supporting your emotional wellbeing while helping your baby with sleep, feeding and settling.
Support for you and your baby
Help with infant care
Alongside parent emotional support, our paediatric team can help with common infant care challenges including:
- Unsettled, fussy babies
- Feeding difficulties (breast, bottle or mixed feeding)
- Reflux and colic
We use gentle, evidence-based strategies that support both infant development and parent wellbeing.
What to expect during your stay
Located in Bundoora, our hospital-based early parenting program combines practical support with time to rest and reset.
Your baby (under 12 months) stays with you throughout your admission in our dedicated Early Parenting Unit allowing us to support both you and your baby together.
You’ll receive:
- A personalised care plan for you and your baby
- Day and overnight assistance from experienced nurses
- Coaching in sleep and settling techniques
- Support to build confidence in feeding and routines
- Daily therapeutic sessions
We work alongside you to develop an individual care plan for you and your baby, offering guidance and support to help you feel confident and supported when you return home.
Your treating team may recommend ongoing support after discharge through our early parenting day programs. Learn more about our Day Programs here.
Our Facilities
Our Early Parenting Unit is a calm, nurturing space for you to recover.
- 8 private rooms with ensuites
- Separate infant settling rooms
- Infant bathing and play areas
- Shared dining and group activity spaces
We value and support family‑centred care, recognising the important role of partners. Accommodation for partners is available with prior arrangement.
Care from a team that understands
You’ll be cared for by a compassionate team experienced in both early parenting and mental health support including:
- Perinatal psychiatrists
- Paediatricians
- Nurses experienced in early parenting and mental health care
- Psychologists and social workers
- Creative therapists offering music and art therapy
Admission and referrals
You can access our Early Parenting Unit with a referral from your GP, paediatrician or psychiatrist.
We accept most major private health funds and our admissions team is happy to help you understand your options.
Phone: 03 9468 0583
Email: northpark.epuintake@healthscope.com.au
If you’re unsure whether this is the right support, our admissions team can have a confidential conversation with you about your individual situation.
All parents and babies admitted to the Early Parenting Unit will be provided with a private room and where appropriate, babies are offered a separate sleep room with video monitoring to help support parent and baby with sleep and settling. Parent and baby will be provided with all meals. Sterilisers and breast pumps are available for use in the unit.
Families will have access to tea and coffee making facilities, a kitchen with dining area, as well as hospital Wi-Fi.
For parent
- Health fund/Medicare cards
- Current Medications
- Pyjamas/Nighties/dressing gown/slippers
- Comfortable casual clothing and footwear
- Your own toiletries
- Tissues
- Enough money for incidentals
For baby
- Child health care record (green book)
- Current medications
- Bottle teats, bottlebrush, formula, feeding cup and spoon
- Pram
- Disposable nappies
- Nappy change lotion, bath lotion or pure soap (if desired)
- Dummy (optional)
- Clothes for entire length of stay
- Baby wraps
- Toys (babies must use their own toys and cannot share)
- Any specific food items (if desired)
Please do not bring valuables into the hospital as we cannot be held responsible for any items or belongings that are damaged or go missing.