Is There a Link Between Maternal and Infant Mental Health?
The BC Reproductive Mental Health Program is a specialized program of BC Mental Health and Addiction Services, located at the BC Children’s and Women’s Hospital site in Vancouver. This blog posting addresses concerns of new parents around the affects of pre-existing mental health diagnoses and peri-natal depression.
Parents with concerns about “Baby Blues” that last for more than a few days at a time are encouraged to speak to a health professional to access support.
Parents with pre-existing mental health diagnoses are often worried about the effect medication they are taking may have on their baby. Reassurance is offered that “there is much information available so that safe choices of drugs can be made for mom and baby. Individual therapies, psycho social education or group therapy may also be offered to support the mom (and perhaps their partners too) and the developing relationship between moms and their babies.”
The importance of accessing support when it is needed is stressed. Having support for mental health issues in a timely fashion will assist with the critical bonding and attachment process during the child’s early years.
Links are provided to other related topics such as:
- What is infant mental health?
- What can I do to encourage healthy attachment in my child?
- How do I know if my child has attachment problems?
- How do I know if I should see a doctor about my infant’s mental health?
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*Image credit: Kelty Blog