KATE Turnbull was at the beach with her mother and new baby when she experienced "an insane panic attack".

Thinking she was having a heart attack, Kate's mother called an ambulance and paramedics confirmed it was not her heart, but anxiety that caused the attack.

At 23, Kate had never suffered from anxiety until her baby was born.

It wasn't until that day at the beach she clicked that something definitely wasn't right.

Statistics show one in seven mothers and one in 10 fathers suffers from post-natal depression or anxiety.

"It's far more common than people think," Kate said.

"Since I started talking about what I went through, it's so common to hear someone say 'I think I had that' or 'I know someone who went through that'.

"Often people don't realise it at the time; it's only hindsight they realise what they were experiencing."

Kate's symptoms began almost as soon as baby Max, now two, was born.

"The day after, everyone was visiting and I just wanted them all to get out," she said.

"But once they left it was like I couldn't breathe. I was terrified of being alone with this tiny baby."

As with so many new parents, Kate first thought it was just because she was a new mum. Only when she emerged from the fog and haze did she realise how bad things were.

And then came the panic attack at the beach.

"I guess from there I started being more proactive in sorting my mental health," she said.

"But it was a good six months before I started not being as panicky and anxious.

"You don't want people to think you're not a good mum. I think that was a big part of it for me," she said.

"I was 23 and still young and I wanted to show everyone I was doing a good job.

Kate was surrounded by family and friends with babies and she says it was when she started talking about her experience and walking everyday that things started to get better.

She suffered no anxiety at all after her second baby, Billy, was born a year ago.

"I think because I was so much more aware, not just what to do with a baby, but also of how I felt," she said.

"Anyone who has struggled with mental health knows that once you're aware of it, you can gauge where you're at.

"It happens to mums and dads of all ages and cultures, but it does seem to be more common with the first baby.

"I think because you're thrust into this position and you have no idea if this is normal post baby blues, or is it that I'm not coping?

"It doesn't make you a bad person or a bad parent, you just need some support and as a community, we need to embrace that support.

"Even now, I try to go for a walk everyday or I can feel my mental health slipping.

"As long as I exercise every day and eat well, I feel right."

Using her experience to reach out to others

A TERRIFYING experience with post-natal anxiety promoted Kate Turnbull to apply for a grant being offered by her employer, Komatsu.

The company ran a corporate responsibility initiative called Live Your Dream reaching out to employees wanted to help not-for-profit organisations to benefit their communities.

Kate applied to help Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia and won a $10,000 grant from Komatsu.

PANDA is a specialist not-for-profit organisation that has helped tens of thousands of Australians with information and support for antenatal and postnatal depression for over 30 years.

Her idea was to create a community event to put information into the hands of mums and dads in the Gladstone area to show that support is available and to showcase ways PANDA can help.

She says PANDA's How's Dad Going campaign highlights an issue which is not unique to mums.

One in every ten new fathers also experience post-natal depression and/or anxiety.

The event later this month will have a focus on exercise with personal trainer, Tamara Murphy giving a free boot camp to get endorphins flowing.

Tamara specialises in post-natal exercise.

The Gladstone Women's Health Centre will also be there to share information.

The event includes food trucks, live music and a sausage sizzle with face painting, activities for the kids and raffles.

The grant from Komatsu allowed for any unused funds to be donated to her chosen organisation.

But Kate says because of the amount of support from the Gladstone community, she has been able to donate the entire $10,000 to PANDA.

If this story raises concerns for you, please call Life Line on 131 114.

FAMILY EVENT

• Saturday, May 26 9am-1pm
• Tondoon Botanic Gardens
• Open to all families, free event
• Free post-natal bootcamp
• Food trucks, live music and sausage sizzle
• Face painting and activities for kids and raffles
• www.panda.org.au