Accessing support during a challenging time was the hardest yet best thing Sans Souci father-of-two, Trent Gallucci, did, and now he hopes other dads will reach out if they are struggling.
After being made redundant from his job as a pilot because of COVID-19, followed by having a premature newborn in hospital during the height of the Delta wave, the father realised he could use some additional assistance.
His first son Xavier, who is now two, was born at 30 weeks, and had to spend several weeks in special care. There was no warning signs he would be born early, but when Mr Gallucci's wife Stella noticed reduced movements, action was taken.
The couple's post-natal experiences spiralled after the traumatic premature birth. After being discharged with their son, Mrs Gallucci was re-admitted to hospital because of an infection from the caesarean, and with mastitis.
They reached out to non-profit organisation Gidget Foundation Australia, and were paired with a clinician who gave the new parents strategies with how to cope mentally with all of the changes. But it was the support Mr Gallucci received that made him realise men also should not feel ashamed to seek help if things don't feel 'normal'.
Figures from Gidget reveal that one in 10 expectant new fathers experience psychological birth trauma. Psychological counselling sessions supported Mr Gallucci during his struggles. Ironically he said, his wife was a mental health nurse.
"But I didn't want to bother her - she had enough to worry about," he said. "Xavier's birth hit us like a freight train - we went through every emotion you could possibly thing of. No one could prepare us for it. As a new dad, I felt I needed to be there for my family but I felt helpless. I knew something was wrong because I wasn't enjoying the things I usually enjoyed. I had never needed to access mental health services before but after it was recommended, it was the best thing I had done."
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