Emotional health
Pregnancy
- Looking after your own mental health will have a positive impact on the emotional health of your baby during pregnancy and beyond.
- Seek support at the earliest opportunity if you (as a parent) are feeling in a low mood or concerned about your mental health including during pregnancy.
From birth
- Create a warm, loving, caring and safe environment to promote emotional and social well-being for your child.
- Use the Five to Thrive principles - respond, cuddle, relax, play, talk. This will build attachment and support emotional health as you are connecting with your child.
- To support your child's self-confidence and self-esteem - let your child know they are special, make them feel valued and respected. Look and listen to them when they talk to you.
- It is natural for your child to experience a variety of emotions. Reassure and support them by listening, cuddling, responding and staying relaxed.
Crying baby
- It's normal for parents to get stressed sometimes, especially by a crying baby. Infant crying is normal and it will stop! Babies start to cry more frequently from around 2 weeks of age. After about 8 weeks of ages babies start to cry less each week. It's okay to walk away if you have checked if baby is safe and the crying is getting to you. Never, ever shake or hurt your baby - it can cause lasting brain damage or death. See ICON resource for advice and support.
- Seek support if you as (as a parent) are feeling in a low mood or concerned about your mental health in the post natal period, speak to your midwife or health visitor. You can self refer to the Wiltshire IAPT Well Being After Baby sessions.
- Focus on how your child feels not just on how they behave; let your child know their feelings are important and understood.
- Play and explore with your child - be excited, enthusiastic, curious and confident about discovering new things. Take time to have fun and play regularly with your child.
- Wiltshire Children's Centres
- Maternity team - speak to midwife
- During pregnancy speak to your midwife to see if you are eligible for the Baby Steps programme, also for more information see Parenting courses.
- Wiltshire HCRG Care Group: Health Visiting (0 – 4 Years) (opens new window)
- Home-Start provides non-judgmental support, friendship and practical help to families with at least one child under five. Further information can be found at: Home-Start South Wiltshire (opens new window) and Home-Start Kennet (opens new window)
- Wiltshire IAPT Service (opens new window) - free mental health support (self-referral)
- Wiltshire IAPT Well Being After Baby sessions (self-referral) (opens new window)
- Support with coping with crying babies - ICON - Advice for professionals (opens new window), ICON - Advice for parents (opens new window)
- Promoting Children and Young People's Emotional Health and Wellbeing (opens new window), Public Health England
- Social and Emotional Wellbeing for Children and Young People Guidance (opens new window), NICE
- Every Child Matters (opens new window)
- Transforming Children and Young People's Mental Health Provision (opens new window) - Green Paper
- Investing in a Resilient Generation - key to a mentally prosperous nation (opens new window)
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