Abstract
Background:
Mother–baby units are innovative and important models of care that allow inpatient treatment of postpartum maternal mental disorders whilst preserving and promoting the attachment relationship with their young infants.
Objectives:
To report data across five public mother–baby units in Australia in order to explore similarities and distinguishing features of each model.
Method:
Each unit also provided 12 months of data on key characteristics of their unit.
Results:
Despite the geographic differences, the diagnostic profiling, length of stay, and child protection involvement were similar across the units.
Conclusions:
Acute care for perinatal mental illness offered in public mother–baby units in Australia shows consistency across units, raising concerns for where such treatment is unavailable.