Adjusting to life with a baby in rural areas: When things don’t go as expected 

Living and raising children in a rural or remote location can offer a unique and beautiful Australian lifestyle however isolation can lead to some significant challenges for new and expecting parents.

Some of the ways isolation can impact new and expecting parents in a rural or remote area:

• Limited access to healthcare services, including mental health support, specialist care and routine perinatal appointments.
• The need to relocate nearer to hospital as your due date approaches, leading to logistical and financial challenges for your family.
• Reliance on Royal Flying Doctor Services in emergency situations.
• Potentially living a long way from friends and family meaning you may not have any additional help.
• Potential reluctance to seek help if mental health and wellbeing challenges arise due to a stigma attached to mental health issues.
• Dads, including fly-in fly-out (FIFO) workers, being required to return to work soon after the birth.
• Social isolation, which can enhance mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, especially as a new or expecting parent.

Limited local services

If you live in a rural or remote area, your nearest maternity service for routine appointments might mean travelling a long distance.

You may not be aware that you can request telehealth consultations for routine health appointments. This can enable any remote family and/or support persons to join in your medical appointment.

For example, if your partner is a FIFO worker, then they would be given the option to dial into perinatal appointments. This can help your family from disengaging with healthcare services due to feeling unsupported.

Mobile clinics or local outreach services can provide physical and mental health care closer to home.

Giving birth away from home 

Many rural and remote families do not give birth where they live, leading to logistical and financial challenges. Often, in late pregnancy (around 37 weeks), expecting parents need to relocate to nearer their chosen maternity hospital prior to giving birth. 

Which week of your pregnancy you need to relocate nearer to a hospital is on a patient by patient and location by location basis.

Depending on where you live, your local community clinic may be able to arrange your travel and accommodation.

If you need to travel a long distance from home, you might be able to claim some travel and accommodation costs through the Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) in your state. Type PATS and your state into a web search to find relevant information. (The scheme is called IPTAAS in New South Wales).

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people may be able to access special programs such as Birthing on Country — ask your doctor or health professional for more information.

Help in an emergency

The Royal Flying Doctor Service provides emergency aeromedical services in all Australian states (other than Victoria and Tasmania). In addition, the service also provides FIFO primary care and allied health services to rural and remote communities as well as mental health and wellbeing services.

Accessing the essentials 

Getting deliveries of essential baby items such as nappies and formula can be challenging and expensive for those living rurally or remotely.

The major supermarket chains, which are often priced most competitively, do not tend to deliver to rural and remote areas, meaning new families often end up travelling long distances and paying a premium for essential items.

You may find it helpful to:

• Bulk buy to reduce the cost of delivery
• Spilt the cost of delivery with other families
• Try using cloth nappies some of the time

Support starts with a conversation

Even if you’re experienced with living in a rural or remote area or being in a relationship with a FIFO partner, if you find yourself experiencing mental health challenges during pregnancy or after giving birth, it’s important to reach out and seek help.

You may feel that attitudes are different in rural and remote communities and that you’re expected to ‘tough it out’. The reality couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many services available that are free and anonymous and don’t require you to travel long distances.

You may find it helpful to talk about how you’re feeling with friends and family. Asking for help and seeking support is a sign of strength. 

If you’re not comfortable speaking to your friends and family about how you’re feeling, then you can reach out to PANDA anonymously. PANDA helpline staff respect your confidentiality. PANDA offers a free and confidential service available Monday to Saturday on 1300 726 306.

Dads find it hard to ask for help

Dads living in rural or remote areas are less likely to seek help for mental health challenges, even though the risk of suicide increases the further someone lives from a city. 

Many fathers in rural, remote and FIFO communities can be reluctant to seek help due to stigma around mental health and feeling expected to conform to traditional masculinity norms.

Some FIFO contractors have no paid parental leave, meaning birth parents might be left alone with a newborn while their partners must return to work quickly. 

The experience of rural dads, who are unlikely to have parental leave or access to a community of other new dads, face challenges balancing new parenthood with work, especially for families juggling responsibilities of rural/FIFO life with the demands of a new baby.

Finding new ways to make social connections

According to Motherland, a national charity that supports and connects rural mothers across Australia, more than 70 per cent of rural mums say isolation is the hardest part of rural motherhood.

Lack of social connection and feelings of isolation can lead to mental health and wellbeing challenges for new and expecting parents.

Building your support networks by participating in local parenting groups, either in person or virtually can make a big difference to your mental health. Find support through online communities or local social services.