A child cannot be healthy or happy without the presence of a healthy and happy mother.
Mother and son. Image courtesy of Jason Regan/Wikimedia Commons
Being a mother means much more than giving birth to a child. It means having conflicting emotions and also coping with constantly juggling different roles. Many women may not want to say it out loud for fear of being judged and feeling guilty, but they sometimes find motherhood challenging and confusing.
A conservative estimate indicates that at least one in five new mothers experiences some type of mental health problem that makes it difficult for them to give their children all the care they need. Research shows that maternal mental health problems can begin during pregnancy and last much longer than is commonly believed. They have far more significant consequences for children than most people understand and can have a variety of concerns for both mother and child over the years.
How important it is to take care of the mental and physical health of mothers
It is understood, for a child to be healthy, he needs a healthy parent. A child cannot be healthy and happy without the presence of a healthy and happy mother. Prenatal and postpartum maternal health is critical to a mother’s physical and mental well-being and contributes to her ability to provide adequate love and care for her newborn child at birth and years later. Mothers play a fundamental and crucial role in the health and quality of life of their children, which is why it is so important to emphasize maternal health during pregnancy.
It is often seen that most of the pregnant women give all their attention to the health of their unborn child. Although it is more than natural for a new mother to want to ensure the overall health of her child, it is just as important that she take the proper steps to maintain her own health, both physically and psychologically during and after pregnancy.
How a mother’s mental health affects her children
The healthy development of a child depends on their parents, who serve as their main source of care and support in becoming independent individuals and leading healthy and successful lives.
During the formative years of a child’s life, the mental health of the mother has a great impact on the mental and behavioral health of the child.
The mental health of mothers and children is connected in multiple ways.
According to the World Health Organization, approximately 10 percent of pregnant women and 13 percent of women who have just given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression. Mothers who have their own mental health problems, such as depression or anxiety (fear or worry), may also have more difficulty caring for their children compared to mothers who describe their mental health as good. Childcare can create challenges for mothers, especially if they lack the resources and support, which can have a negative effect on the mental health of the mother. Research has shown that poor mental health in parents is also strongly related to poor mental and physical health in children. Therefore, caring for the physical and mental health of the mother should be a public health priority.
More specifically, maternal depression is known to have a broad influence on the health and well-being of children. Children of mothers who are depressed or who have depressive symptoms are at increased risk for developmental delay, behavioral problems, depression, asthma, and physical injury according to research. Most studies reported a significant relationship between maternal stress, depression, and lower mental development scores, which is evident in the literature in which self-reported maternal mental health conditions have been associated with delayed child cognitive development. Untreated maternal mental health can have a number of significant impacts on a child’s emotional and behavioral health, including decreased social functioning, poor academic performance, childhood or adolescent mental health problems, and also an increased risk of abuse of substances.
The author is a Clinical Psychologist, Rehabilitator and Sports Medicine. Views are personal.
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