Matthew McConnell is one of five parents to bravely share his unique early parenting story at a lunch on November 14, 2023.

Matt and his wife Madeline's daughter Wren McConnell lived for just eight days after a complicated birth in Warrnambool on April 15, 2022 and at six hours old, she was transferred to Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital (RCH).

The couple found it challenging to access the right support and have been working to improve south-west support services, including establishing a bereavement room, in conjunction with South West Healthcare, at the Warrnambool Base Hospital.

Mr McConnell is sharing his experience to encourage more dads to seek help and know they are not alone as part of the week's events.

Perinatal Mental Health Week runs from November 12 to 18 and the national week aims to raise awareness and destigmatise perinatal mental health issues.

Mr McConnell said when the couple lost Wren he didn't know any other dads who'd had a similar experience.

But he said he knew of so many mums which meant there were dads out there suffering in silence.

"I thought what I was feeling when Wren was born was weird because I hadn't heard dads speak about it before," Mr McConnell said.

"I just presumed we didn't. That was probably the first thing that hit me. I thought 'why do I hurt?' and 'why am I feeling like this?' and the more I looked into it I found out every dad feels the same.

"There just wasn't that outlet. There is outlets but not the size of the ones for mums... There's not a lot for mums and there's even less for dads which is hard."

He said he quickly realised after Wren passed away what he'd witnessed and felt was "substantially different" to his wife.

"They're two completely different experiences, the similarity is Wren, but for me, what I saw when she was born was completely different to Maddy," he said.

"We share the overwhelming love for our daughter but how we deal with our grief is completely different- and there is nothing wrong with that at all."

He said he wanted other dads to know they were not alone.

"The support is out there and there's more than you may realise," he said. "You don't have to suffer in silence. You can feel comfortable to talk about what you've been through. Find your community because it's there, waiting.

"That is why telling Wren's story through my eyes is so important. I have learnt to love the little things in life and to strive to be a better person."

Mr McConnell said he was introduced to a male grief counsellor through the Red Nose Hospital to Home program which provides support to parents leaving hospital after stillbirth, sudden infant death or neonatal death.

The pair spoke fortnightly and continue to keep in touch, now as friends. He also got a mental health plan and saw a counsellor through South West Healthcare.

"I take care of my mental health by talking," Mr McConnell said. "A good day is when I get the chance to mention Wren in conversation."

He said regular exercise, confiding in close friends and taking one day at a time also helped.

Mr McConnell has launched a website Love From Dad, created in Wren's memory. He said it was a one-stop-shop for bereaved dads and something he wished was around when they lost their daughter.

Mr McConnell said it was a place for dads to share their own story and it included web links to child loss support services and groups, charities and foundations. It also includes grief books and podcasts he's found useful.

"It's another thing for dads to get involved in doing because I know heaps want to tell their story but there's not that space for it," he said.