Having a baby and becoming a parent is an incredible, life-changing event.
Uncertainty in the world around us can trigger worry and fears about pregnancy, giving birth and becoming a parent, either for the first time or again.
We all want to provide our babies with the emotional support and care they need. But some parents will find it hard to give their babies and children the care that they need for lots of different reasons. This section covers key topics including preparing for birth, becoming a parent, and bonding with baby.
Supporting mum and birthing person in the transition to motherhood
Research carried out before the pandemic showed that over 80 per cent of mums feel lonely some of the time. Sharing experiences and being supported by family and friends can help mums and parents in their journey to parenthood. In this video, clinical psychologists Dr Libby Chamberlain and Dr Anna Lovatt, outline key challenges and share ideas about how you can help a person to develop their support network and ways of coping with feelings.
Parent/infant relationship and birth support resources
Keeping the baby in mind during a pandemic - FAQs for Perinatal Clinicians, Cheshire and Merseyside Specialist Perinatal Service:
This guide is written for Specialist Perinatal Mental Health clinicians but may also be useful for midwives, health visitors, and other front-line practitioners.
Emotional survival for infants and their parents – a factsheet for parents, Association for Infant Mental Health UK:
Children need their parents to be calm and sensitive to their needs. This is not easy when we are all stressed. Here are some tips on how children may be feeling, why they might be behaving differently, and what parents can do to help.