When baby Max arrived four years ago, complete with a full head of "Elvis hair", his parents were overjoyed. But joy quickly turned into a wave of negative emotions for his mother, Julie.

Key points: Perinatal mental illness is costing the healthcare system millions of dollars each year

Perinatal mental illness is costing the healthcare system millions of dollars each year The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre says it has seen an increase in demand, as more people recognise the illness and seek help

The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre says it has seen an increase in demand, as more people recognise the illness and seek help A new report has made a raft of recommendations, including antenatal care to prepare expecting parents

"I was all alone in my hospital bed, I woke up in a puddle of sweat," she said.

"My heart was racing. I just had these overwhelming feelings of panic and fear."

Julie had endured a difficult delivery and Max was receiving neonatal care.

"I remember specifically, visions and intrusive thoughts of my baby being dead, being found dead in his crib," she said.

"I remember wandering the hospital corridors crying, saying 'I need help, I need to talk to somebody, this isn't right'."

Upon discharge, Julie was referred to the Perinatal Wellbeing Centre.

But months went by before she was able to pick up the phone to seek help, and finally tell someone she was "definitely was not okay."

Julie was eventually told she was experiencing symptoms of perinatal mental illness.

She said the illness acted as a constant critic in her head, removing all the joy from the experience of being a new mother.

Months after giving birth Julie was diagnosed with perinatal mental illness. ( Supplied )

"I was never afraid that I was going to hurt my baby — I was just so obsessed with not being good enough, that I wasn't the mother that my beautiful baby boy deserved," she said.

"I really, truly believed that I was failing him, that nothing I did was good enough, that I didn't spend enough time with him or that I wasn't feeding him properly. That I was useless."

From anxiety to anger, symptoms vary

One in five mothers and one in 10 partners are affected by perinatal mental illness.

Sufferers experience depression and anxiety, which can begin anytime from conception to 12-months postpartum.

For Julie, the overwhelming negative feelings returned with the birth of her second baby, Lucy, but this time the experience was a little different.

"This time the anxiety feelings shifted to anger," she said.

"Not that I would ever hurt my baby. Those thoughts never came across.

"I loved her, but I was also really angry with her. I knew that was not normal."

Then the unthinkable happened.

At just nine months old Lucy was diagnosed with craniosynostosis — a rare life-threatening condition.

Lucy's illness added further stress that took a toll on Julie. ( Supplied )

The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre again stood by Julie, supporting her and her young family through a second bout of perinatal mental illness and a daughter undergoing significant surgeries.

"They saw what she looked like when we shaved all of her beautiful hair off. They saw what she looked like after surgery," she said.

"She was all battered and bruised and scarred from ear-to-ear."

Patients face wait lists, 'astronomical' costs

Julie suffered from perinatal mental illness after the births of Max and Lucy. ( ABC News: Toby Hunt )

The Perinatal Wellbeing Centre has released a new report to highlight the financial burden of the scourge — on top of the cost to parents' emotional wellbeing.

Chief executive Dr Yvonne Luxford said the Australian economy was paying $877 million annually, with workplace absence, community health care and hospital treatment and family breakdowns being big contributors.

For Julie, the ongoing use of a specialist was an "astronomical" cost.

"I see a psychiatrist that costs $500 an hour, and I see him regularly," she said.

And because she did not want to be left alone with her babies during the most difficult throes of the illness, her husband exhausted his annual leave to support her.

Dr Yvonne Luxford, chief executive of the Perinatal Wellbeing Centre. ( ABC News: Greg Nelson )

Based off these findings, the report, titled Cost of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety in Australia, handed down a number of recommendations.

They included the introduction of better screening tools, by seeking feedback from parents, and more antenatal programs to better prepare those expecting a child.

More funding was also recommended to meet the increase in demand, as well as prevention programs aimed at those identified as at-risk of a mental illness.

Dr Luxford said the Perinatal Wellbeing Centre was stretched, as more and more people recognised the illness and sought help.

"Our waitlist at the moment is at around four weeks," she said.

"We provide ongoing support by phone before someone can come in and have a face-to-face appointment."