In the early hours of a spring morning almost three years ago, my husband and I welcomed our daughter into the world. Our lives changed forever.

I was fortunate enough to miss the roller coaster of postnatal depression, but even so I needed a tribe for support. My husband was my sidekick, I craved seeing friends, and I welcomed professional advice from midwives, obstetricians and sleep consultants. It was very much a collaborative approach.

For those giving birth this year (and this includes me for the second time), life looks a little different. It’s no big surprise then that so, too, is the care available. Dr Colin Walsh, obstetrician and maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Sydney’s North Shore Private and Mater hospitals, says that although this year has been tricky in terms of how best to manage patients, everyone involved in postnatal care has made an enormous effort to modify their services and keep going.

“Postpartum care is about giving that family the best possible start and creating the right environment for the long-term health and wellbeing of both mother and baby,” he says. “Lactation consultants, women’s health physios, general practitioners, early childhood nurses, paediatricians and psychologists may all be involved at different stages.”