Shear off the Stigma! Shaving for Perinatal Mental Health

The journey of having a new pēpi (baby) join the family can often be a tumultuous period in life. Especially for first-time parents, the experiences of pregnancy, childbirth, and the responsibilities of keeping a little person alive can be a lot of change all at once. Having a baby has often been talked about as an incredibly joyous life event, and while that can be true, the reality is that it can often also come with a lot of stress, anxiety, and "overwhelm". The mental load of learning how to care for your baby, managing feeds (nursing and bottle-feeding), naps, nappy changes, etc, all whilst experiencing broken sleep, postpartum healing, hormonal changes, and feeling "touched out" can leave many whānau struggling with their mental health, as well as their relationships and sense of self.

So, this Perinatal Mental Health Awareness Week (April 29 - May 5) I'm teaming up with PADA for a wonderful event where we'll be bringing perinatal mental well-being into the light, ending the stigma by normalizing common experiences, and facilitating discussion on problem-solving approaches that can help empower every parent in their perinatal mental health journey.

And finally, this fundraiser, and the grand finale of the above event:

I'll be saying goodbye to my hair and shaving my head down to a zero!

Every dollar toward our $10K goal is appreciatively received, and goes to PADA to fund perinatal mental health support, education, and initiatives in NZ.

Here's to a brighter future 🌱