Maternal Health & Whole Family Care
Maternal Health & Whole Family Care

Horizon Heart to Heart

Shakira Henry talks with perinatal programme director Kelly Walsh about maternal, paternal and whole-family mental health during the perinatal and postpartum periods. They discuss common challenges, warning signs, the mixed impact of social media and practical ways families can seek and share support.

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23:22•11 May 2026

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Maternal Mental Health, Dads’ Wellbeing and Caring for the Whole Family

Episode Overview

Perinatal mental health issues are common for both birthing parents and partners, and rates are higher for women and birthing individuals of colour.
Open, proactive communication about sleep, roles and expectations before and after birth can reduce resentment and stress.
Signs that extra support may be needed include intense sadness, isolation, bonding difficulties, high anxiety, intrusive thoughts and unusual changes in sleep or energy.
Social media can offer connection and honesty but can also fuel unhelpful comparison and pressure to look like a “perfect” parent.
Specialist perinatal counselling, couples work and peer support groups can involve partners and families and provide meaningful help during this period.

“It’s okay if your 100% looks different every day. You’re still the best parent that you can be.”

What drives someone to seek a healthier start for the whole family when a new baby arrives? Horizon Heart to Heart brings together host Shakira Henry and guest Kelly Walsh, a programme director overseeing perinatal services, to talk frankly about maternal, paternal and whole-family mental health. Kelly breaks down key terms in simple language, explaining perinatal and postpartum periods and why partners’ mental health matters just as much as the birthing parent’s.

She shares striking statistics, including that 1 in 5 birthing individuals and 1 in 10 non-birthing partners experience perinatal mental health disorders, with even higher rates among women and birthing people of colour. The message is clear: this is common, and nobody is alone in it. You’ll hear about everyday struggles that many new parents recognise instantly: broken sleep, changing roles, identity shifts, money worries and the pressure to “do it all”.

Kelly and Shakira talk honestly about guilt, anxiety, intrusive thoughts and the silent belief that “I should be coping better”. As Kelly puts it, “It’s okay if your 100% looks different every day.” Social media gets a thorough look, too – from supportive online groups and realistic post-birth content to the damaging comparison game of “perfect” parents and spotless homes. They discuss how this can lift people up or knock them down, sometimes in the very same scroll.

Practical strategies run throughout the conversation: proactive communication before baby arrives, planning sleep and chores, using tools like shared task systems, involving partners and co-parents in sessions, and reaching out to specialist perinatal counsellors and support groups. There’s a strong focus on reducing shame, normalising help-seeking and including fathers, partners and wider family in care.

If you or someone you love is facing the rollercoaster of new parenthood, could this be the reminder that it’s okay to ask for help and to be kind to yourself along the way?

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