Schizophrenia Daily News Blog

How To Lower the Stress Your Baby Experiences, and Lower the Risk of Mental Illness

Research over the past ten years indicates that ongoing or significant stress experienced by children (during pregnancy, infancy and childhood) can have a significant influence on risk for future mental illnesses (read more here and here).

Additionally - studies have shown that mothers who are anxious and depressed during pregnancy are more likely to have children that have difficult time sleeping - and thereby potentially pass on the stress (and the predisposition to more serious illnesses later in life) to the child. Research has shown that during infancy "sleep ranks as one of the most highly regarded indexes of healthy development, and plays a critical role in consolidating memory and facilitating learning, regulating metabolism and appetite, promoting good moods and sustaining both cardiovascular health and a vigorous immune function."

“This problematic sleep is notable; it may be part of the reason why mood-disturbed pregnancies are linked to children’s behavioral disorders, like depression, hyperactivity and anxiety, later on down the road.”

Because of these issues, groups interested in child welfare are working to educate parents about the importance of making efforts to keep their own stress low (as well as avoid or minimize anxiety and depression - which are some of the most stressful experiences for a person), learning coping skills for stress, making special efforts to keep baby's stresses low and to pass coping skills on to their babies and children.

PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) has recently covered some good tactics for helping babies minimize their stress. Here is a brief excerpt. We encourage you to read the full information at the links provided below:

"Kids learn how to handle stress by watching you.
When your kids see you stressing out, they may stress out too. They learn from the people around them. If you take a breath, have a stretch or laugh a little, your baby will see you coping with stress in a positive way, and your kids will learn positive ways to cope with stress from your example. (see related information on "expressed emotion" )

What is stress, anyway?
When you feel anxious or in danger, your body produce stress hormones, such as cortisol. These hormones cause physical changes in your body. You might get sweaty palms, experience rapid or shallow breathing, feel like your heart is pounding and experience loss (or increase) of appetite.

Babies experience stress too!
Babies experience stress when their needs are not met. They tend to cry when they are hungry, need to be changed or are getting too much or too little attention. Not attending to a crying baby can cause your baby to feel stress. [For these reasons its important to try to respond quickly, lovingly and responsively to your infant's needs.]

Babies need your help learning to calm down.
Babies aren’t born knowing how to handle stress because their brains are still developing. That’s why babies need help from grownups in calming down. Research shows that babies whose cries are soothed quickly tend to cry less, not more. Don’t worry — responding to your baby’s cries does not train him to cry just to get your attention.

Teaching young babies how to calm down helps as they grow up.
You can’t protect your baby from everything that causes stress. But you can soothe him. And that, in turn, teaches him how to soothe himself. This skill will help your baby throughout his life. Don’t assume that letting a baby handle stress on his own, or crying it out, will make him a tougher or more resilient adult. (for more information on this see: Childcare Factors in Mental Health)

Pregnant women concerned about how their own mood-disturbance may harm their unborn baby’s sleeping habits, development and emotional health may want to consider psychological treatment. Several evidence-based therapies exist -- including cognitive behavioral therapy -- and unlike medication, none of them are suspect in the least for causing adverse effects to baby. “Given prenatally, psychological interventions could instill a whole host of benefits that may carry-over to the child,”.

PBS - Soothing the Stress

PBS - Parenting Tips for Infants and Young Children

A Good Training Video for New Parents on How To Calm Babies (based on new research):
The Happiest Baby on the Block - The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer (DVD)

A Good Book on Parenting Young Children (there is also a DVD):
The Happiest Toddler on the Block: The New Way to Stop the Daily Battle of Wills and Raise a Secure and Well-Behaved One- to Four-Year-Old

Additional Reading:

How Families Can Nurture Resilient Children

Tips to Lower the Risk of Mental Illness in Your Child, Prevent Schizophrenia

Low Stress During Pregnancy Good for Healthy Brain Development

Child and Teen Brains Very Sensitive to Ongoing Stress

Stressed Parents make their Children Sick (BBC, March 2008)

Studies Show How Stress Damages Young Brains

Childcare, Genetics, Epigenetics and Schizophrenia

Higher Anxiety and Stress During Pregnancy Results in Smaller Babies