When you think about managing mental health, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think of a therapy couch, box of tissues, and feeling loads better after getting some things off your chest.
Or maybe you’re a big believer in a bubble bath or a long run as a form of self-care.
Whatever your mental health management routine, it probably involves taking specific action to care for and nurture yourself. After all, your life is complex. You have a job, relationships and finances to manage, family obligations, and social events to attend.
And if you’re a parent, your life is even more complex because you have the lives of other people to manage as well!
Luckily, your infant’s social calendar is pretty empty, so you can’t imagine they have a lot to stress about. Aside from feeding, sleeping, and pooping, there’s not much on their agenda... So they can’t possibly have mental health that needs attending to, right?
Wrong!
Believe it or not, even your infant has mental health needs! Yes, even before your little one is babbling or crawling, walking or talking, their mental health is being shaped by the world around them—and their relationship with you.
Loving parent that you are, you’re doing everything you can to provide love, affection, and protection for your child.
So where do you start with their mental health needs? And what does infant mental health even mean?
What Is Infant Mental Health?
You can think of infant mental health as infant brain health.(1) Brain health is crucial to an infant’s development, and it all starts when the baby is still in the womb.
Previously it was thought that as long as pregnant women avoided harmful substances like drugs or alcohol and ate enough nutrients, they’d give birth to healthy babies.(2) But research shows that when the pregnant mother is stressed, the fetus is negatively impacted.
Risks of Prenatal Stress
Prenatal stress is associated with altered brain structure and function.(3) A child may be at an increased risk for developing ADHD or conduct disorder, having impaired cognitive development and emotional issues if a mom is stressed, depressed, or anxious during pregnancy.(3)
People stressed during pregnancy are more likely to deliver preterm or before 37 weeks.(4) Low birth weight is also associated with maternal stress during pregnancy(4) and complications can arise later for preterm babies, like chronic lung disease, learning disorders, or developmental delays. Babies who are stressed out in utero are also more likely to develop chronic health problems as adults, like diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.(2)
Because prenatal stress can have a lasting impact on an infant’s health, neurocognitive development, and immune system functioning, it’s important you take care of yourself as best you can if you’re pregnant.(3) Work with your healthcare provider and social network to develop a plan to help you cope with the stresses of pregnancy.
The Impact of a Child’s Environment on Their Brain Development
Stable, nurturing, positive relationships with parents and adults help babies develop strong, healthy brains. So does stimulation, love and caring interaction.(5)
But the opposite is also true.
If a parent or caregiver is frequently absent or unable to regulate their baby, toxic stress can occur.
What Is Toxic Stress?
Toxic stress—or the prolonged activation of the body’s stress response—overloads a child’s developing systems. And it can have lifelong consequences for children.(6) Persistent negative experiences means fewer brain connections will form. And those that do will develop at a slower rate.(5)
A child’s environment helps determine which synapses are used more or less. For example, if a baby is talked to or read to often, their language development synapses are activated more often.(8) But if a baby and his family has to face severe, prolonged, or repetitive adversity, and the parent or caregiver is unable to relieve the child’s stress response, an abnormal stress response develops.(7)
The Effects of Toxic Stress on Child Development
The prolonged activation of stress hormones in infancy and early childhood can reduce neural connections when they should actually be multiplying.(6) Children who experience toxic stress in early childhood are more likely to develop long-term negative health problems that may not show up until adulthood. Poor coping skills and stress management capabilities, mental illness, and physical disease are all more likely for children who experience toxic stress.(7)
We can avoid toxic stress if the environments children are growing and developing in are stable, nurturing, and engaging.
Signs of Infant Mental Health Concerns
Raising an infant comes with challenges—there’s no doubt about that. And every parent does the best they can with the resources they have available to them. But sometimes, infants seem to struggle more than “normal.” And since infants aren’t able to communicate their needs with words, it’s important to look for signs that they may be struggling with their mental health.
Seeking support from an expert in infant and early childhood development can be helpful when challenges become chronic.
Here are some warning signs that your infant’s mental health may need some tending to:(10,11)
They don’t want to be held
They’re not comforted when they’re upset
They avoid eye contact
They have feeding and sleeping difficulties
They cry persistently
They’re restless
They display distress, fear, anxiety, and/or tension
They aren’t gaining weight
They have intestinal disturbances
They aren’t meeting developmental milestones
Understanding Infant Behavior and Development
Sometimes a parent or caregiver is unable to provide consistent, reliable care to an infant despite their best efforts. This may be due to their own mental illness, their own history of neglect or abuse, or a lack of social support, especially for single parents. Financial stress, relationship conflict, and alcohol or drug abuse can all contribute to a parent not being able to consistently meet their infant’s needs.(9)
Raising kids is hard work. There’s just no way around that. But there’s support available if you know where to look for it.
Consider the following tips to better understand your infant’s behavior and development:
Connect with an Infant Mental Health Specialist
There are actually professionals trained in newborn behavioral observation, which can be extremely helpful! Seek out an infant mental health consultation if you’re looking for insight into how to read your infant better, understand their cues, bond with them, and interact with them in ways that will encourage your relationship to thrive.(9)
Learn About Attachment Theory
An attachment is an emotional bond that forms between two people, and children seek closeness with their attachment figures to find safety and comfort. When an adult responds to an infant’s needs in an appropriate way, secure attachment becomes possible. Learn about the four attachment styles to understand your own way of relating to others and to know if your child is securely attached to you (or not).
Seek out Your own Mental Health Resources
Often times, the way we were raised impacts the way we raise our kids. It can be helpful to seek your own therapy to understand your family of origin and process any mental health blocks you may be facing that’s impacting your ability to be there effectively for your child. There’s never any shame in asking for help!
Interested in Learning More?
Check out this podcast episode on infant brain development. You’ll get a deeper look at the topics covered in this blog and much more! Tune in to get a basic overview of your baby’s brain—how it’s growing in and out of the womb and what makes them kick—plus dive into Piaget’s stages of cognitive development and how this theory can help you understand your infant better. You’ll also learn about how many neurons your baby’s brain has when they’re born—hint: it’s as many stars as there are in the Milky Way!
Equip yourself with knowledge and tools to help your child thrive. Subscribe here to the Genius Little Minds podcast so you never miss an episode!
References
Clinton, J., Feller, A. F., & Williams, R. C. (2016). The importance of infant mental health. Paediatrics & child health, 21(5), 239–241. https://doi.org/10.1093/pch/21.5.239
Glover, V. (2019). The effects of prenatal stress on child behavioural and cognitive outcomes start at the beginning. Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development. https://www.child-encyclopedia.com/stress-and-pregnancy-prenatal-and-perinatal/according-experts/effects-prenatal-stress-child
(2019, October). Stress and pregnancy. March of Dimes. https://www.marchofdimes.org/complications/stress-and-pregnancy.aspx
https://www.firstthingsfirst.org/early-childhood-matters/brain-development/
Toxic Stress Derails Healthy Development. (2011, September 29). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=26&v=rVwFkcOZHJw&feature=emb_logo
Franke H. A. (2014). Toxic Stress: Effects, Prevention and Treatment. Children (Basel, Switzerland), 1(3), 390–402. https://doi.org/10.3390/children1030390
(2021, April). Styger, K., Zadroga, J. Infants have mental health needs, too. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/infants-have-mental-health-needs-too
Stapert, E. Infant mental health – what is it and why is it important? Manhattan Psychology Group. https://manhattanpsychologygroup.com/infant-mental-health-what-is-it-and-why-is-it-important/