Parent Stories | Karitane

To the new parents of today and tomorrow, this isn’t always going to be easy. But it’s worth it. There's a new life in your hands, and you're not always going to know what to do. But together, we will. Sometimes you’ll feel like you know what you’re doing. Other times you won’t. But you don’t have to learn it all on your own. We’re here for you, to work with you. We promise to always listen to your unique experiences, to better understand your family’s needs, and to work with you as a guide through this new chapter of your life.

To celebrate families we are launching our parent stories, real mums and dads sharing their experiences of becoming parents, their struggles, the issues and challenges they’ve faced and to tell all parents you are not alone, it is OK to ask for help and Karitane is here to support you!

Meet Suzi and Elias

After having their first child Gabriella there was so much to learn, a whole new world. Gabriella was feeding every 20 minutes and would only fall asleep breastfeeding or in her mum and dads arms. Suzi was feeling unsure if the feeding and sleep were normal or if she was doing something wrong "I was feeling feeling like failure, I was feeling really alone but then I reached out to Karitane. The Karitane Nurse was very gentle and supportive and made me feel empowered."

After reaching out to Karitane for support, Gabriella was sleeping better and Suzi's mood completely changed - she was a lot happier and felt like she wasn’t alone.

Meet Yael and Menachem

They were super excited about having their first child, but of course naturally nervous about what to expect. Like so many new parents Yael and Menachem faced challenges with little Tzachi's sleep and settling.

Tzachi was waking up to 13 times a night and sleeping for only 20 minutes at a time during the day "It was really hard. People kept telling me sleep when the baby sleeps, but when does that happen? I remember feeling just so lost and desperate.“

Yael heard about Karitane and reached out and this family of three booked in for our residential stay. Karitane gave her confidence and the tools to understand Tzachi’s needs. “I feel like a new person and it genuinely changed my life."

Meet Lauren Hannaford

Lauren is a business woman and working mum, with a big passion for living a healthy lifestyle. She was an elite Gymnast before becoming a dancer in The Wiggles.

Flash forward, Lauren now has an 11 month old, Asher, with her husband Simon (the Red Wiggle)!

Like many new mums Lauren struggled with sleep and feeding and found this time really stressful. Like so many of us she turned to google for help and found the information overwhelming and confusing "Simon and I were the biggest Googlers and just tried to figure it out. Had we known about Karitane Services we would have definitely reached out.“

Lauren wants you to know you are not alone, and to share how passionate she feels about Karitane, so other parents know about the support available, and that it is OK to ask for help. Asher was waking up to 13 times a night and sleeping for only 20 minutes at a time during the day "It was really hard. People kept telling me sleep when the baby sleeps, but when does that happen? I remember feeling just so lost and desperate.“

Meet Zoe Marshall

Zoe shares two little ones with husband Benji Marshall. Zoe is a huge advocate for sharing the realities around pregnancy and parenting and opens up about her challenges with breastfeeding, sleep and settling and becoming a mum of two.

Zoe is passionate about every parent having access to support and Karitane being the village every parent needs and deserves. “I remember being incredibly desperate and frustrated. In these moments, you need people that are skilled - you need professional help. You need Karitane.”