Dr Elsa Du Toit

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South Africa
Cape Town
Dr Elsa Du Toit

I am passionate about empowering women and their families during one of life’s most immersive journeys - pregnancy, postpartum and beyond.

With over 15 years of expertise exclusively focused on perinatal psychiatry.

14/09/2026

There is growing mistrust between healthcare professionals and the people they care for and social media can amplify fear, doubt and conflicting information. In pregnancy and early motherhood, this can make already difficult decisions feel even harder, particularly when psychotropic medication is involved.

We need better conversations: less fear, more context; less information overload, more confident decision-making. Data to Decision is an online workshop for women and healthcare professionals navigating these decisions in the perinatal period.

Wednesday | 6–8 PM | Online
Come learn how to move from “What should I believe?” to “How do I make a decision I can feel confident about?” Registration open on my website

10/09/2026

Hormonal shifts are a normal part of pregnancy, but they can have a profound effect on the mood of mothers. Many women experience what we call the baby blues. The hormonal shifts around birth are thought to play an important role.

How do I recognise the baby blues?

• Starts day 2–4 post-birth
• A transient period of intense emotions, anxiety and feeling very vulnerable
• Never lasts longer than 14 days
• Does not require medication
• Does require active support: sleep, reassurance, practical help and monitoring of symptoms
• Most importantly, symptoms should settle rather than progress into postnatal depression

Want to learn more about holistic health and how to make health decisions that are right for you during pregnancy? Join us for the Confident Decisions in Pregnancy workshop. Registration is open on my website.

08/09/2026

When is pregnancy anxiety more than “normal”?

Anxiety and overwhelm are common in pregnancy. But “common” doesn’t mean you have to struggle with it alone.

Uncertainty about whether we “need help” can itself become a barrier to care and too often, women only seek support once distress has become established illness.

Prevention matters. And support doesn’t automatically mean medication. Sometimes it means understanding what’s happening, creating more structure, or simply talking to someone who can help you make sense of it.

If you’re wondering whether what you’re experiencing is worth exploring, it probably is.

Join me online, 16 September for the Confident Decisions in Pregnancy workshop where we will explore your holistic health needs so that you, your baby & family can thrive.
Registration via my website.

06/09/2026

The Marce International Congress has started in Cape Town, South Africa - for the first time on African soil! 🌍

What a privilege to be part of the pre-congress workshops of this esteemed event, bringing together people from across the world who are invested in the wellbeing of mothers and babies.

I had the privilege of co-leading a Perinatal Bipolar Disorder Masterclass with my colleague, Dr Bavi Vythilingam.

We were reminded again how valuable it is to think together, debate together and learn from one another’s experiences. These conversations challenge our assumptions, broaden our thinking and help us organise what we know, ultimately supporting better care.

And this matters for everyone involved in the perinatal journey: women and their families, as well as the healthcare providers caring for them. Good care depends on connection, collaboration and bringing different perspectives together.

I’m looking forward to the rest of the congress: to learning together, connecting, and exploring how we can bring evidence and clinical experience together to support better clinical decisions.

04/09/2026

Antidepressants in pregnancy: What about the risks of NOT treating mental illness?

Mental health is an integral part of health in pregnancy.

When we assess risk, we need to look beyond the medication itself and consider the whole clinical context.

Want to feel more confident making these decisions? Join me for Confident Decisions in Pregnancy.

👉 Details and registration via the link in my bio.

03/09/2026

No one tells you this about pregnancy and mental health: It's not that there isn't enough information out there.

It's that no one ever shows you how to think about it.

There's no such thing as ”no risk." Every option has trade-offs. And the right choice depends on your story, not a general rule.

If you're a mom facing this decision or a professional walking someone through it this workshop gives you what Google never could, a clear way to decide.

Confident Treatment Decisions in Pregnancy
📅 16 September 2026 | 🕕 18:00–20:00 | 💻 Online
💰 R550 once-off

👉 Reserve your spot: https://www.drelsadutoit.com/Mindful-Moms-Workshops

02/09/2026

What would it take for us to notice a mother is struggling before it becomes a crisis?

The Lindsay Clancy case brought heartbreaking attention to something we should have been talking about long before tragedy occurred: maternal mental health matters.

It is devastating that a woman and her family had to suffer so profoundly before the world took notice.

I hope the conversation doesn’t stop at blame, media attention, or trying to make sense of one individual case.

I hope it makes us look differently at the women in our own lives.

Pregnancy and the postpartum period can bring enormous emotional and psychological challenges. Sometimes a woman who is struggling doesn’t look like she is struggling.

Ask. Listen. Notice. Offer support. And don’t wait for crisis before reaching out.

And when treatment is needed, decisions can be complex, especially during pregnancy, when we are weighing the wellbeing of both mother and baby.

This September, join us for Confident Decisions in Pregnancy—a workshop designed to help you protect, maintain or restore mental health while navigating treatment decisions with greater clarity and confidence.

Because maternal mental health should not only matter after tragedy.

It should matter every day.
Registration open on my website

28/08/2026

Last night’s conversation about the fertility journey was such a rich one.

Because the fertility journey can look very different from what we imagined, especially when infertility becomes part of the story.

These are not always easy conversations, but they matter. And it was wonderful to make space for them together.

I’m looking forward to continuing these conversations next month, when we turn to postpartum psychosis.

27/08/2026

Whether you are navigating your own fertility journey, supporting someone you love or are a healthcare professional wanting to better understand the emotional impact of fertility challenges, this conversation is for you.

Join Dr Elsa du Toit tonight for The Fertility Journey: Preparing for what you cannot predict
📅 27 August 2026
⏰ 18:30–19:30
💻 Online
🎟️ R99

Book your place:
www.drelsadutoit.com/The-Fertility-Journey

25/08/2026

Are you navigating a fertility journey or supporting someone who is?

Join us for a conversation about the emotional impact of fertility and how we can protect our mental health, relationships and physical well-being along the way.

We invite you to join the online conversation on Thursday 27 August, 18:30 from the comfort of your home. Registration is now open on my website.

Address

Cape Town

Website

https://www.drelsadutoit.com/

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