Food, Move, Sleep for Postnatal Mental Health

FOMOS

Congratulations, new Mumma! Your baby is here, and a new chapter in your life is unfolding.

Whether this is your first baby or your fourth, we know that staying happy and healthy at home with your new baby is both essential and a real challenge. As parents ourselves and backed by years of experience as qualified researchers and practitioners working in this area, we understand the need for more support for new mums!

That's where FOMOS comes in. Food, Move, Sleep (FOMOS) for Postnatal Mental Health is a home-based program that uses a website, text messaging and social media (Instagram) together with access to home exercise equipment to deliver to the latest information, tips and techniques for postnatal health in a motivating and practical way.

This new program is currently in a testing phase. If you are a postnatal mum who would like support to make healthier food choices, be more physically active and have a more restful sleep (at whatever time of day is possible), click the link below to see if you are eligible to join.

Welcome to FOMOS

Topics

Food

Healthy eating guidelines for postnatal women
Delicious healthy snacks and meals for busy mums and the whole family
Practical tips for including healthy foods into your day
Mindful eating techniques to help you eat more intuitively and manage those cravings
Accepting the postpartum body and all the amazing things it can do!

Move

Physical activity guidelines for postnatal women and what kind of physical activities are best for you

Safely resuming activity after childbirth

Sedentary behaviour and how it is linked with mental health

Practical tips for moving more

Different types of activities including mindful exercise, strength training (with and without bubs)

Sleep

Information about what to expect for your baby’s sleep

Understanding what you can do and what different choices you have if and when baby’s sleep becomes challenging

Practical tips about how to get the most sleep yourself when trying to juggle caring for a new baby

Strategies to help you be the calm and responsive mother that you want to be - even overnight!

for more info on postnatal depression.

Because healthy and happy mums equal healthy and happy babies.

Why FOMOS?

Associate Professor Teychenne (PhD, Behavioural Epidemiology) is an NHMRC Emerging Leadership Fellow and Senior Research Fellow at Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN). Over the past 14 years, Associate Professor Teychenne has investigated the role of health-related behaviours in the prevention and treatment of mental health conditions with a focus on vulnerable population groups including socioeconomically disadvantaged populations and women.

Associate Professor Megan Teychenne

Dr. Rachelle Opie (PhD, Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics, Bachelor of Science) is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian, who works as both a clinical and research dietitian. Rachelle has over 15 years’ experience working as a clinical dietitian, with a particular passion for helping people overcome their struggles and barriers to healthy eating and improving their relationship with food.Rachelle has advanced expertise working as a research dietitian, including the design and delivery of nutrition interventions for individuals with mental health disorders.

Dr Rachelle Opie

Professor Sarah Blunden (MAPS, BAPsych (Hons), MSocSc, MClinPsy, PhD) has a dual role as Head of Paediatric Sleep Research and Professor of Clinical Psychology at Appleton Institute of Behavioural Science, Central Queensland University, Australia and is a clinical psychologist specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of children’s sleep problems and related mental health issues. Sarah is the Founder/Director of the Paediatric Sleep and Psychology Clinic, Director of SensibleSleep and Sleep Education Centre in Australia.

Professor Sarah Blunden

Associate Professor Mitch Duncan (PhD) is a NHMRC Career Development Fellow at the University of Newcastle’s School of Medicine and Public Health. Mitch has over 15 years experience as a researcher examining the impact of physical activity and more recently sleep on health and also evaluating interventions to improve these behaviours. Mitch’s intervention research is mainly focussed on examining the role of digital technology to deliver interventions. Mitch has a young son and has enjoyed working part time to share parenting.

Professor Mitch Duncan

Elysha Chua is a Research Fellow and Project Manager for FOMOS as well as a wife and mum of four kids aged four to eleven years old. Elysha has a background in research and teaching university students at Deakin University in both Public Health Nutrition and Social Entrepreneurship. She is passionate about supporting mothers through the postpartum period and beyond so that they can be physically and mentally well themselves, giving them energy as well as knowledge to be able to nourish, nurture and meet the daily needs of their little ones.

Elysha Chua

Dr Madeleine France-Ratcliffe (PhD) is a Research Fellow for FOMOS at Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN). Originally from the UK, Dr France-Ratcliffe has a background in research investigating the role of physical activity and it’s impact on cardiovascular, metabolic, and mental health in pregnancy. She is committed to promoting physical activity for all, regardless of background or circumstances, and advocating for greater access to exercise as a means of improving health and wellbeing.