The Effects of Parenting on Mental Health
I recently took a survey of the ways in which Parenting can affect your Mental Health. The questions were not just about how Parenting has effected their Mental Health, but also how it had affected their Partners lives. There were definitely some major trends within the answers and I have put them all together her for you guys to take a look at, as well as some possible positive coping techniques that can be used to combat these effects.
Loneliness / Losing Yourself
One of the biggest challenges of becoming a new parent, especially for Mums is loneliness. When all of your attention and focus goes to being a mum, it makes it difficult to remember who YOU are. If you are lucky enough to have a babysitter or a partner to give you a break for a day, it can be very easy (and sometimes a good idea) to grab some sleep - but it can be a great idea to get out of the house and see friends or even start a part-time course. This is a great way of remembering who you are as well as a parent.
Lack Of Sleep and Energy
Sleep is super important for your Mental Health. It’s extremely difficult to keep yourself together while running on 2 hours sleep. In the first few weeks especially, until you can get your baby into a sleeping rhythm - it can be pretty impossible to keep on top of this. Its important to work as a team with your partner here, as a lack of sleep can affect everyone pretty negatively.
Doubting Your Parenting / Judgement from other people
A big obstacle new parents face is the horrible cocktail of doubting your own Parenting decisions, while also being worried about judgement from other people. It's important to remember that all children are different, and it's important to find positive parenting friends who will help with ideas and support you when you are having doubts.
Anxiety over your Child’s Welfare / Obsession over germs
It can be quite overwhelming to suddenly have the complete welfare of another person in your hands. A lot of parents (especially in the early stages) can obsess over keeping their kids safe from germs and any other sort of safety issue. It’s great to be proactive of your child’s welfare, but it can definitely become a huge worry and source of stress/anxiety. It’s important to remember that most parents go through this stage - and it is something that mostly passes over time as you become more confident in your parenting. Remember its okay to ask opinions from other parents if you think you may be over thinking.
Baby Blues
Baby Blues is very common and can happen in the first couple of weeks after having a baby. Its a general feeling of depression that can stem from any or all of the things discussed on this page. It will not normally last more than two weeks. You can find the NHS information about Baby Blues here
Post Natal Depression
When Baby Blues last for more than two weeks it can often be a sign of PND. Without the right help, Post Natal Depression can cause major mental health issues to a parent. It’s a common issue that can affect 1 in 10 Mums and can also affect Dads. You can view the NHS page about PND here.
Change Of Life Role
This is something both parents can struggle with, and it's quite common. The change in responsibility and having to completely change aspects of your life for Parenting can be quite a shock to the system. Its something that a lot of parents in my surveys have struggled with and its something that can take quite a bit of time to get used to. Just be good to yourself and cut yourself some slack, it will all slot into place in time.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read about The Effects of Parenting on Mental Health. I hope if you came seeking help, that you have found some - but if not, make sure to check out the Get Support page for lots of links to other sites that may be able to help! Thank you to everyone who took part in the Survey to help me get more information for this post, and remember to Stay Golden!
- Joel