By YASEMIN TALAT
EVERYDAY that Tina Chapman goes to work she helps improve the lives of many families.
It was 15 years ago Ms Chapman made the career switch that would see her helping hundreds of Victorian families, and especially helping reconnect mother and baby.
“I wanted [to do] something a bit more challenging, and something that was going to contribute to society,” Ms Chapman said.
Ms Chapman is a Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Mercy Mental Health Mother Baby Unit, a specialist eight-bed/eight-cot service for women and babies up to 12 months of age, who live in Western Metropolitan Melbourne and Western Victoria.
It provides antennal and postnatal psychiatry, mother baby psychiatry, infant mental health and assessment/management of psychiatric disorders in pregnancy and post birth.
“I started reading books on psychiatry and I found that I was attracted to women’s health,” Ms Chapman said.
She said there had been many highlights and achievements over the years but she was most proud of incorporating aromatherapy into her nursing practice.
“That’s been hugely beneficial for the mums over the years … it’s very effective” she said.
“It’s something they can utilise to soothe themselves and provide comfort for themselves when they are not feeling great.”
Ms Chapman said her job had also helped her be more emotionally in tune with her own two children.
“Before I came to work here it didn’t really occur to me that babies especially had mental health,” she said.
“Probably the most important thing that I’ve learnt is that your child’s self-esteem is the most important thing.”
Ms Chapman hopes to continue to help families for many more years and encouraged mothers to reach out if they needed help.
“We are now trying to educate the community that it’s okay to say you’ve got post natal depression,” she said.
“It’s okay to reach out and get help, that there is help available, that you won’t be separated from your baby and that your husband or partner can come and stay or visit.”
“We’re here and we’re here to help.”
