Tania

Tania was haunted by the idea that her baby hated her. You know where post-natal depression can sadly lead – a mother harming herself or her baby.

“Tania was so hurt,” says Lucy, one of our mental health nurses. “Her baby was much loved, but his birth came early, with lots of trauma. Mum nearly died in childbirth.”

“Tania couldn’t see her baby for a while. When she could, with all her heart, Tania thought her baby hated her. He cried whenever she picked him up, like he was saying I don’t want anything to do with you!”

Tania felt rejected and heartbroken. But, thanks to your generosity, nurse Lucy was trained up and had the skills to help Tania and her baby through an overwhelming family crisis.

Nurse Lucy says, “At first, when I visited, Tania’s son looked at me, looked back at his mum, then started playing with me.”

“See? He prefers you to me!”

“But did you see what he did?! He looked at me and looked back at his mum. She will tell me if it’s okay to talk to this stranger. Tania, you tell him how safe the world is! That’s how important you are! You are his world.”

“Tania was just blown away. That hadn’t occurred to her. It was a ‘lightbulb’ moment!”

“Her little boy then looked at his mum and smiled. He reached out and touched her hand. Tania took her boy’s tiny finger and started telling him how much she loved him, why she couldn’t be there for him right after he was born because she was unwell, how much she had missed him then, and how sad she was now when he cried.”

Your support for Tania’s mental health brought about an amazing change. Because of you, Tania’s bond with her baby was powerfully restored.

Before Covid, nurse Lucy estimated almost a third of new mums needed mental health support. Now, there could be many, many more. It’s such a worry.

“When babies make eye contact, it stimulates brain cells – how to read another human being’s feelings. If that’s not happening, it can cause lifelong problems. If mum’s face is sad, depressed, and overwhelmed most of the time, the baby will take that on.”

Please donate and give frightened families the confidence of knowing that Whānau Āwhina Plunket is always there for them – providing calm, accurate advice … in person, by phone or online for a virtual visit.

You can help connect frightened mums like Tania with vital support – just when they need it the most. No matter what time of the day (or night) it’s needed.

Including Christmas Day. Including holidays. All day, every day. 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Thank you for making a such wonderful difference in your community.

Donate online today using the form below.

Or please call 0800 20 55 55 or email supporters@plunket.org.nz 

You can also donate via bank transfer:

Royal New Zealand Plunket Trust
02-0500-0964455-013

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