Lavender Mother and Baby Unit

The Lavender Mother and Baby Inpatient Unit, based at Gold Coast University Hospital, is a state-wide acute mental health service dedicated to supporting mothers experiencing severe mental illness that significantly impacts daily functioning and the ability to care for their infant. Our approach prioritises keeping mothers and babies together, promoting recovery while strengthening the parent–child bond. Care is delivered by a specialised multidisciplinary team committed to holistic, family-centred treatment.

We provide specialist inpatient mental health care for mothers and their babies during the first year after childbirth, ensuring they remain together throughout treatment. Our focus includes:

• Improving maternal mental health
• Strengthening mother–infant bonding
• Promoting positive parenting skills

Treatment plans are individualised and recovery-oriented, delivered by a multidisciplinary team that addresses both mental health and parenting needs.

This service is available to women residing in Queensland who are within 12 months postpartum and experiencing severe mental health difficulties that significantly affect daily functioning and parenting capacity. Admission is appropriate when community-based care is insufficient.

Conditions supported include:

• Postpartum psychosis
• Relapse of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder during the postpartum period
• Severe anxiety and/or depressive disorders
• Complex mental health presentations, including trauma history, personality disorder and substance misuse impacting parenting

Referrals can be made from the following catchment areas:

• Gold Coast
• Darling Downs
• Cairns and Hinterland
• South West
• Central West
• Central Queensland
• Torres and Cape

Referral sources include:

• General Practitioners
• Obstetricians
• Paediatricians
• Psychiatrists
• Mental Health Services

Once a referral is received, the Lavender Perinatal Mental Health Community Team will:

• Assess and triage the referral for admission suitability
• Coordinate discharge planning and ensure a smooth transition to the referring service
• If admission is not appropriate, provide consultation, assist with treatment planning and guide local services for ongoing care