COPE

31/08/2026

Navigating the path to parenthood is full of many changes and challenges.

That’s why we created Ready to COPE – a free weekly guide for expecting and new parents. It is packed with easy-to-understand information on your emotional and mental wellbeing - from pregnancy, birth through your first year of being a parent.

Each week’s update is matched to exactly where you are in your journey – plus you’ll get access to health and wellbeing self-checks, helpful resources and links if you ever need extra support.

And because every parent's journey looks different, there are dedicated editions for mums and dads – and special editions for those experiencing Hyperemesis Gravidarum (HG), expecting multiples, and solo parents.

Get Ready To COPE free - 🔗https://ap1.hubs.ly/H01kSdK0

30/08/2026

Our hearts go out to all bereaved fathers today 🤍

28/08/2026

Right now, we have an opportunity to shape the future of how we support women in the perinatal period.

Everything from the physical, psychological, emotional and economic consequences of childbirth, to the accessibility of postpartum care, to how women's pain is taken seriously in the weeks and months after birth.

COPE welcomes the Senate's new Select Committee on Women's Health - It's a real chance for change.

So, we want to hear from women and use their experiences to shape the future of postnatal support.

Tell us, what would make the biggest difference for you in the postnatal period? What do you hope to see from this inquiry?

🗨️Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.

27/08/2026

At COPE, we're passionate about ensuring every parent has the information and support they need for a healthy pregnancy and transition to parenthood.

For some, the changes to our bodies that come from pregnancy, and the heightened focus on shape and weight can be distressing. This is particularly true for those with past or present body image issues or eating disorders.

Research suggests that eating disorders affect around 7.5% of pregnancies, yet shame and stigma prevent women from reaching out for help.

We welcome your thoughts about your experiences of body image in the perinatal period. Your valuable insights will help us educate health professionals, and better support other parents who are navigating these experiences.

If you’d like to share your experience, we’d be grateful if you could complete this short survey.

🔗https://ap1.hubs.ly/H01k7Ff0

Thank you 🙏

25/08/2026

Help shape the future of maternity care in Australia

If you are pregnant or had a baby in the last six months, take part in this national online survey exploring experiences and outcomes during pregnancy and after birth.

🔗 https://redcap.curtin.edu.au/surveys/?s=EPC8CEWNX898CXHT

24/08/2026

COPE welcomes the recent announcement of the Senate Select Committee on Women's Health, a significant step toward addressing longstanding gaps in women's healthcare across Australia.

The Committee's inquiry will examine critical issues affecting women throughout their reproductive and postpartum journeys, with terms of reference covering:

• The physical, psychological, emotional, and economic consequences of childbirth.
• The cost and accessibility of postpartum healthcare services.
• Women's experiences navigating the healthcare system in seeking appropriate pain management.
• Affordability and access barriers within fertility and assisted reproduction services.

As Australia's peak body in perinatal mental health, COPE remains devoted to improving the mental and emotional health of hopeful, expectant and new parents and continues to advocate for equitable, evidence-based care.

We look forward to contributing our clinical and lived-experience expertise to the Committee's inquiry and partnering with policymakers to close persistent gaps in access and equity across the women's health landscape.

22/08/2026

Help. Why is that simple word so hard to say?

For so many of us, particularly new mums, asking for help can seem like a failure – why am I not coping when everyone around me seems to be managing just fine?

The reality is, with one-in-five women experiencing perinatal anxiety and depression, you’re never alone in your struggle.

Someone else in your mothers’ group, or in the café you visit, or sitting in the waiting room at the medical centre is also struggling to hold back their tears or to breathe through another panic attack.

Someone else is questioning why they chose to become a mother because it’s nothing like they thought it would be.

Someone else is grieving the life they used to have as their bones ache with fatigue.

You’re not the only one.

That’s why, asking for help isn’t admitting defeat.

It’s not failing.

It’s the bravest thing you can do for yourself and your family. 🤍

Taking the first steps is hard. We have plenty of information to help you start.

https://www.cope.org.au/getting-help/talking-to-someone/

Beautiful illustration by Charlie Mackesy

21/08/2026

What does real postpartum support actually look like - and why are so many Australian families missing out on it?

In a recent ABC Life Matters episode, clinical psychologist and COPE’s Dr Nicole Highet joins Senator Marielle Smith and rural parenting advocate Stephanie Tretheway to unpack the state of postpartum health care in Australia - what’s improved, what’s still missing, and why a national approach matters.

Dr Highet speaks to the gap between how common perinatal anxiety and depression are and how inconsistent access to proper care remains, especially for families outside major cities.

🎧 Listen in full here: https://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/lifematters/weekend-history-postpartum-health-care-ai-recruitment/106978804

20/08/2026

Hayden Panettiere wasn't the first person to speak publicly about the realities of motherhood - but she did it with a rare kind of raw honesty.

She shared openly about experiencing a traumatic birth. About not feeling that instant bond with her daughter. About postnatal depression that would creep in when she least expected it - and the shame and stigma that came with admitting it all.

That honesty mattered. When someone with a public platform says, "this happened to me too," it gives others permission to stop pretending they're ok.

It tells them: you are not failing, and you are not alone.

Hayden passed away this week. Her willingness to speak candidly about the hardest parts of early motherhood leaves behind something real - a reminder that talking about it, openly and without shame, helps others feel less alone.

If you're struggling, reach out.
You don't have to carry it quietly. 🤍

19/08/2026

“We need to talk about parental regret because this is a thing… and there are other people going through it.” - Dr Nicole Highet, COPE

Motherhood regret is real, it’s taboo, and it’s not the same as postnatal depression - though the two can coexist.

In this ABC Lifestyle piece, COPE’s Dr Nicole Highet explains that silence around parental regret cuts people off from support, and that unrealistic expectations often set parents up to feel like they’re failing.

Many parents have moments where they miss their life pre-kids. But what's it like when that feeling isn't fleeting? And how does it feel to carry something, that if said out loud, comes at a significant social cost?