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    Parenting Support Services for Baby Sleep, Settling & Post-Natal Depression – Illawarra & Wollongong

    Parenting Support Services for Baby Sleep, Settling & Post-Natal Depression – Illawarra & Wollongong

    Need local advice and support on baby sleep, settling, feeding or to help manage post natal depression (PND)? There are several parenting and post natal support services in Wollongong, Shellharbour and Illawarra wide. Parenthood is an incredible journey, but the self-doubt and sleep disturbances can be tough. Particularly if your baby seems relentlessly unsettled. Sleep deprivation and burnout can significantly reduce health and wellbeing.

    Parenting support services can restore confidence in fine-tuning baby sleep and settling routines, and subsequently keeping mental, emotional and physical health in check. Here at Parents Guide Illawarra, we want you to know you don’t have to walk this weary path through parenting alone.

    According to Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA), approximately one in five women experience anxiety or depression during the perinatal period. Whilst experiences are unique, symptoms commonly include; negative changes to mood, behaviour and relationships, disturbing thoughts impacting ability to function, and general anxiety. Here are local services where you can access post-natal support in Wollongong and Shellharbour:

    Illawarra Early Parenting Centre

    Illawarra Early Parenting Centre offers post natal and parenting support. Located at Figtree Private Hospital, this Early Parenting Centre delivers residential and non-residential support for parents and their infants aged 28 days to two years. Improving sleep and settling and subsequently wellbeing and parent-baby bond are primary goals. Their services include in-home visits, day programs, group education and residential intensives. The facility boasts newly renovated rooms and play areas.

    Their group education is an opportunity to not only build confidence around your innate skills to care for your baby, but to do so within a social setting alongside others who may have similar experiences and feelings. This might very well lead to lifelong friendships and bridge the gaps of social disconnection we may feel during this transitional stage.

    Useful add-ons are the 30-minute self-care group sessions, which provide space for parents to mindfully reconnect through yoga and stretching. Bookings for programs require a referral for your baby from a medical professional.

    The residential program is an intensive five-night crash course on parenting – not to mention an opportunity to shut off external distractions and enjoy the break from domestic duties! In this setting, progress can be consistently monitored, and practical support offered by caring experts.

    Bookings require completion of the Early Parent Centre Medical Referral by a medical professional and pre-admission assessment paperwork by the individual. Just bear in mind that being a private hospital, there are associated costs which are determined by your level of private health care cover. Read more info here.

    Karitane Shellharbour

    In conjunction with Gidget Foundation, Karitane Shellharbour opened its doors in the Stocklands shopping complex Community Room in May 2021. This service is a non-residential parenting centre providing evidence-based guidance for newborns to five-year-olds from Karitane Shellharbour’s early childhood nurses. And, of course, weary Mums can access compassionate support to address both trials and tribulations of parenting for their own wellbeing too thanks to Gidget Foundation counsellors. Karitane also run a range of helpful pre-recorded and live parenting webinars, including numerous sessions on the joys (or current lack thereof!) of sleep and settling.

    Karitane has been in operation since 1923, and hence is highly reputable and well-equipped with top-notch resources and staff. As a registered charity and not-for-profit organisation, they offer free of charge services which parents can self-refer to via their website. All that is required is that Mum and baby are both listed on a Medicare card. If you require additional support, staff can also chat to you about residential services at Campbelltown Hospital as well as virtual and community programs.

    Additionally, Karitane Shellharbour offer a fabulous in-home support program run by trained volunteers, Volunteer Family Connect (VFC). This free service sends an angel into your home to offer help and hope during potential turbulence of parenthood. Support from these compassionate volunteers can help strengthen skills and confidence in parenting, alleviate stress and anxiety, and improve relationships. For further information on the VFC program at Karitane Shellharbour, contact Jamie Maynard on 0476 411 560 or jaimie.maynard@health.nsw.gov.au

    Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (LHD) Child and Family Health

    Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD Child and Family Health offer free support for parents and carers across the region through 26 local health centres staffed by experienced child and family health nurses. Whether you’re navigating sleep and settling issues, early parenting challenges, or just need a friendly space to connect, their team is here to help. They also run free parent groups for those with babies aged 0–6 months, and offer regular online workshops — including baby sleep sessions. Simply contact your nearest Child and Family Health Centre to get started.

    Alongside nurses, you can access counsellors at Family Care Centres, located in Woonona, Berkeley and Nowra. They can help you understand your baby’s sleep pattern (a game-changer in getting your own sleep pattern back on track!) and address anxiety and depression. This free service does require a referral from a medical professional, which could be your child and family health nurse. If you are concerned about your wellbeing, you can also contact the Access Referral Centre on 1300 792 755.

    FSA Health and Wellbeing

    Located in Shellharbour, FSA Health and Wellbeing – an initiative of Family Services Australia – offers psychological therapy to support healthy individuals and families, with a strong focus on perinatal wellbeing. Acting Clinical Lead Mathew Aquilina highlights how infant sleep challenges, often linked to temperament or undetected health concerns like food allergies, can significantly impact a parent’s mental health, relationships, and bonding. Their experienced clinical team, including a perinatal psychologist, provides attachment-based support to help parents better understand and respond to their baby’s needs. Self-referrals are welcome and can be made online. Although, referral from a medical professional may be required to access a Medicare rebate.

    Binji and Boori – Aboriginal Maternal Infant Child Health (AMICH)

    The Binji and Boori – Aboriginal Maternal Infant Child Health (AMICH), part of Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD, provides free, holistic, and culturally safe support for Aboriginal families expecting a baby or raising children up to age five. Operating from Port Kembla Hospital and Nowra, the team includes Aboriginal health workers, nurses, midwives, social workers, an occupational therapist, and a speech pathologist. Services include home and clinic visits, mental health support, and outreach to communities as far south as Milton, Wreck Bay, and Jervis Bay. Open Monday to Friday, 8:30am–5:00pm. Call Illawarra on 02 4223 8660, Shoalhaven on 02 4252 9790, or email ISLHD-illawarrabinjiandboori@health.nsw.gov.au

    Tresillian

    Although a little further afield, Tresillian is a trusted resource offering expert support for parents with children aged up to three years. Their services include day appointments, five-day residential programs, and free parenting courses covering topics like sleep, responsive settling, and wellbeing. With centres across NSW, ACT, and Victoria – and the closest to the Illawarra being Canterbury, Nepean, and Wollstonecraft – families from all areas are welcome. Services are largely covered by Medicare, and support is also available online or via phone through their Virtual Residential Parenting Service. Self-referrals are easy via their website or call 1300 272 736 to learn more.

    Virtual parenting advice and support at your fingertips

    Alongside face-to-face support systems, there are loads of free online resources and apps that can help Mums and Dads navigate parental pressures, including:

    • Parent Line: telephone counselling for NSW-based parents, including sleep disturbances.
    • Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Services (Illawarra Shoalhaven LHD): this service, based in Wollongong, can provide women in the perinatal period with a mental health assessment, education on psychological wellbeing, short-term case management and referral for ongoing support. Reach out via toll free 1800 011 511 or 02 4254 1600.
    • Post and Antenatal Depression Association (PANDA): this team of experts understand the difficulties adjusting to parenthood, particularly if your baby is unsettled and sleepless, and offers a safe space to have a confidential chat via 1300 726 306.
    • Pregnancy, Birth & Baby: free call on 1800 882 436 or video call for tonnes of parenting tips.
    • Ready to COPE: a free app developed by Centre of Perinatal Excellence to support parents through pregnancy, birth and first year of parenthood. Weekly updates cover a range of topics, including coping with the blues and burnout.
    • Red Nose: offers an advice line on 1300 998 698 should you have questions regarding recommendations for safe sleep and settling.
    • SMS4dads: this appkeeps Dads informed about all things regarding pregnancy and parenthood. It also checks in on wellbeing and can connect Dads with professional support.
    • SMS4DeadlyDads: free app for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Dads, which sends text messages containing parenting tips, including how to get through tough times.

    Parenthood – wonderful as it is – can be a tough transition, especially on little sleep. Stay mindful of signs of post‑natal depression, and don’t try to push through alone or dread another long night. Reach out for support from Child and Family Health nurses, your GP, and parent networks that can help you read your baby’s cues, build confidence, and find practical sleep strategies. You are the expert on your baby – and with the right support, you both can be healthier, happier, and better rested.

    Finally, make the most of family life in our stunning Illawarra – Subscribe to the ultimate guide to family living weekly email by Parents Guide. Say NO to bored kids and get inspired! Click and sign up for our Parents Newsletter here. Get all the local inspo!

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