Colourful Feelings - A Parent’s Guide to Educating and Supporting Infant Mental Health

Resiliency & How to Build it in Infant Mental Health by Michaela Myles & Monique Staples The term resiliency, in relation to your infant's mental health, refers to your infant’s ability to “bounce-back” after a stressful event or challenge. Resiliency is observed in people of all ages and it is something that can greatly strengthen one’s mental well-being. From birth to all through life, it is inevitable for people to experience all sorts of distress, trauma, pain, and challenge. Getting through life positively and effectively despite a challenge faced is resiliency.  When we discuss resiliency in infants and how we can encourage and support this growth within infants, we must first reflect on the tendencies of parents and observe the role that their personhood plays in the development of resilience in their child. This can begin before the baby has arrived, and even before the baby is conceived! What can parents do pre-baby to encourage resilience in their infant: Learn h...

What Can Be Done/Interventions: by Michaela Myles & Monique Staples As for most health and mental health issues, it is best to act upon the issue early on. There are basic and simple ways to affect your infant’s mental health positively. Parents can: Talk, sing, smile, laugh, and make eye contact with your infant Respond quickly to your infant’s needs Learn the different smiles, cries, and cooing of your infant and learn what they mean Provide all essential and basic needs such as clothes and food Give your infant lots of love and attention, especially if your infant is sick, hurt, or upset.  (Kelty Mental Health Center, 2021) h tt ps://keltymentalhealth.ca/infant-mental-health How to Build Your Baby’s Mental Health Video: This masterclass by UNICEF gives you concrete actions to take to promote your baby's mental health (UNICEF, n.d.). How to build your baby's mental health master class | UNICEF Listed further on this website are the following blog posts to help you continu...

  Signs of Infant Mental Health Distress & When to See a Doctor by Michaela Myles & Monique Staples As for most illnesses including mental health illnesses, it is best to consult a doctor as soon as possible. This also goes for the mental health of infants. While parents and/or caretakers can often be stumped, as infants cannot use words to express what they are feeling, there are a few common warning signs to watch for that indicate that your infant may be struggling with their mental well-being.  When considering the mental health of your infant, it is important to include any potential factors that may increase the likelihood of mental health struggles in your infant. Risk Factors Parents : Struggle with a mental health challenge, including postpartum depression  Where abused in their childhood Have issues with drugs and alcohol Have issues with relationships  Have violent/abusive tendencies They lack support They are young, teenagers Have had a diff...