Mother and Baby Mental Health Unit
The Fiona Stanley Hospital Mother and Baby Unit (MBU) is an 8-bed inpatient unit located in the Fiona Stanley Hospital Mental Health Unit.
The unit provides treatment to women receiving care at Fiona Stanley Hospital for mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or psychosis in late pregnancy and during the postnatal period.
Women are first advised to discuss their mental health concerns with their GP or health care professional, who can then refer them to the unit if necessary.
The unit admits women living within the South Metropolitan Health Service area, as well as rural and remote Western Australia. External referrals will also be considered.
Women can choose to be admitted as a public or private patient, with no out-of-pocket costs for Medicare/ privately eligible patients.
Our services
Our model of care focuses on the assessment and treatment of mental health issues and the attachment between mother and baby.
Babies up to the age of 12 months who are not walking are able to stay with their mother on the unit. Once admitted, mother and baby will participate in a variety of therapeutic interventions, including individual sessions, group programs and nursing care (including mothercraft support). Patients may also be referred to other hospital departments such as maternity (midwife and lactation consultants), if required.
The environment is designed to support the mother in meeting her baby’s needs. Partners and families are encouraged to be involved in the mother’s care as much as possible, and prior to admission, families will be advised of what to bring to the unit.
Our multi-disciplinary clinical team includes:
- consultant psychiatrist
- psychiatric registrar and medical officer
- nurse unit manager
- clinical nurse specialist
- registered and enrolled nurses
- clinical psychologist
- occupational therapist
- social worker
- pharmacist.
Watch our patient information video
Emergency contacts
In the case of an emergency or crisis please dial 000 or visit your nearest emergency department (Healthy WA).
Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL)
Metro callers phone 1300 555 788 (local call)
Peel callers phone 1800 676 822 (free call)
Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) national helpline
Monday to Friday
10:00am to 5:00pm AEST
Phone 1300 726 306
More information
Visit Emotional health for new parents (Healthy WA) to see a range of articles, including:
- Causes of emotional problems in parents with new babies (Healthy WA)
- Emotional health information for new Aboriginal, migrant and refugee parents (Healthy WA)
- Tips for getting professional help for perinatal anxiety or depression (Healthy WA)
Return to the SMHS Mental Health page
