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 healthy ways and habits to cope with stress before and during pregnancy
- Reach out and develop a strong support system for yourself so you have people to lean on when things get tough
- Have realistic expectations about how your life will be once your baby arrives
- Look for a caring and trusting child care provider early, develop a trusting relationship and keep in close connection with them
- Providing a safe and loving environment for your baby is a priority. It is extremely important for your baby to feel safe and loved. Approaching your baby, being caring and actively responsive will show your baby that their needs will be met. This will help them to feel secure and loved.
What to do once baby arrives to encourage resilience:
- Keep a calm manner when responding to your infant’s needs
- Learn and know your infant’s temperament and try different parenting strategies that work well with your child’s needs based on your child’s strengths.
- Encourage and work towards healthy eating, exercise, and sleep habits with your infant.
- Have healthy routines for the whole family
- Following a stressful event, get back to the normal family routine as soon as possible
- Be open to changing routines where necessary
Resiliency in children is closely connected to their ability to think before they act. Play family games that involve taking turns, memory, and attention. Developing these skills in infants and young children will help them to succeed in school and life. These skills will also help your child to be adaptable and to be able to cope with changes from a stressful event.
Though there are many things parents can do without professional assistance to build resilience in their infant, if your infant is irritable or engages in play that involves aspects of a traumatic event, contact your healthcare provider for further information and help.
(Parenting in Ottawa, 2020)
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