How Maternal Mental Health Impacts a Child

Maternal mental health was not always on the minds of many of the people who provide behavioral health services in our country as an issue that needed to be addressed. The worldview has shifted by the year 2020, and the mental health of mothers (and parents in general, more generally) is becoming increasingly important to the community working in behavioral health.

Women who are pregnant, new mothers, or experienced mothers are having their mental health disorders investigated by a growing number of healthcare providers, who are also investigating how the mothers’ mental health affects that of their children.

According to the World Health Organization, approximately ten percent of women who are pregnant and thirteen percent of women who have recently given birth experience a mental disorder, the most common of which is depression.

This results in an inability to properly function and affects the growth and development of their children. The following is a list of some of the most common types and causes of maternal mental health disorders, as well as how the management of one or more of those disorders can affect a child.

Mental health disorders commonly observed in mothers.

Depression /postpartum depression.

Most mothers around the world struggle with depression, making it the most prevalent mental health problem related to motherhood. Although many mothers will suffer from depression at some point in their lives, postpartum depression is the form that affects new mothers more frequently than any other.

After giving birth, up to eighty percent of women will experience postpartum depression in some form or another. Weepiness, impatience, irritability, restlessness, fatigue, insomnia, sadness, intrusive thoughts, or an inability to stay focused are some of the symptoms of this maternal mental health disorder.

Anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders are yet another typical problem with a parent’s mental health that can affect either the father or the mother. This is commonly felt as an intense or excessive level of worry and fears about day-to-day events and occurrences.

Some mothers go through this because they are terrified that something bad will happen to their children or for other reasons that have nothing to do with being a mother. Regardless of the cause, increased anxiety can hurt a parent’s ability to make decisions, as well as their capacity to evaluate certain situations and other aspects of the processes involved in childrearing.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

OCD is defined as a pattern of unwanted thoughts, fears, and obsessions that lead an individual to experience certain compulsions that interfere with daily life. These compulsions are frequently exacerbated by increased levels of stress in the individual’s life. It is possible for a parent who is now responsible for a child who is unable to care for themselves to develop Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder as a result of their desire to protect their child from potential danger. It could lead to compulsive mental rituals, obsessive rituals of cleanliness, actions or phrases that are repeated over and over, and even more.

PTSD.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, more commonly referred to as PTSD, is yet another maternal mental health condition that is prevalent in the United States. Although post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be brought on by several different events, the most common trigger for it is a traumatic birth experience, which is also the most common cause of it.

This type of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also commonly referred to as birth trauma. It is commonly caused by the fear that you or your child will be harmed during childbirth, or the realization that those fears were justified (high-risk births).

Parents’ effects on their children’s mental health.

The mental health of a mother or other parent has a significant influence on the mental and behavioral health of a child during the formative years of that child’s life. These years are known as the “crucial years.”

It is possible for a parent who is coping with the mental health condition of either the father or the mother to have a diminished ability to manage, respond, and react to their child in a manner that encourages stability, growth, and development. If they are not addressed, problems with paternal or maternal mental health can become dangerous and affect the child.

Untreated mental illness in either the father or the mother can have several significant negative effects on a child’s emotional and behavioral health, including the following examples:

• Reduced capacity to function socially.
• Reduced performance in the classroom.
• Disorders affecting the mental health of children and adolescents.
• Raise the chance of abusing drugs or alcohol.

How postpartum depression affects mothers and infants.

Even though becoming a parent can be a rewarding experience for many people, the introduction of a new child into the family can also cause significant disruptions to established routines and ways of life that call for a significant amount of readjustment. It is common for new parents, and mothers, in particular, to experience the following:

• Fatigue
• Worry
• Mood swings

Feelings of melancholy are brought on by the restriction of one’s liberties and the fundamental shift in one’s role brought on by becoming a parent.

The feelings that are associated with postpartum depression are more intense than those described above, and they can make it challenging for new parents to care for themselves as well as their families. Some of the following are symptoms of postpartum depression:

• Having a sad mood the majority of the time or all the time.
• Shedding more tears than usual or for no apparent reason.
• Extremely cause for concern.
• Prolonged bouts of irritability, irritability, and restlessness.
• Either sleeping through significant events or being unable to sleep even though the baby is dozing off.
• Difficulty concentrating, focusing, and coming up with solutions to problems.
• A loss of interest in activities that were previously enjoyable, such as family life and childcare responsibilities.
• Intense feelings of anger.
• Physical issues, such as headaches, muscle pain, or stomach problems, that did not exist before the pregnancy but began after it, but cannot be explained.
• Keeping one’s distance from loved ones and friends.
• Experiencing extreme feelings of doubt in one’s ability to care for the baby due to feelings of emotional distance from the baby.
• Be concerned about causing harm to either yourself or the baby.

The treatment of postpartum depression is essential for the well-being of the mother as well as the child. In addition to causing several challenges in one’s personal life, postpartum depression (PPD) can also harm the development of children.

It is common for mothers who suffer from postpartum depression to experience feelings of being overwhelmed and exhausted, which can make it challenging for them to meet the emotional, physical, and social needs of their newborn child.

Interactions between parents and children are especially important in the early stages of an infant’s life because they lay the groundwork for the infant’s physical and neurological development. When depression affects these interactions, it may hurt the development of the child. Getting effective treatment for postpartum depression (PPD) can help new parents provide an early care environment that encourages the growth and development of healthy infants.

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It is necessary to seek treatment for any mental health disorders that either you or your child may have to reduce the likelihood that your child will experience any of these negative outcomes. You should talk to a professional in the field of behavioral health if you are concerned that you may be suffering from clinical depression, anxiety, or any other form of mental health disorder.