Introduce
Finding out that you are expecting a baby can bring a wide range of emotional responses. These are shaped by personal experiences, cultural background, and the support systems available.
The transition to parenthood starts before and during pregnancy. This period of adjustment can be an incredibly exciting time but it can also place pressures on relationships as families grow. Pregnancy can affect both parents in different ways and may have a lasting impact on their relationship with each other and their child.
Understanding how parents respond to pregnancy is important for practitioners working in early years, health care or social care settings. By exploring these responses, the early support needs can be identified and appropriate interventions can be provided to promote positive outcomes.
Develop
The following video covers pregnancy to birth and is part of the Your Baby and You series, created by the Greater Manchester Perinatal and Parent Infant Mental Health Programme:
Pregnancy is a time of significant change, and it’s natural for parents to feel stressed at times. However, when stress becomes prolonged or overwhelming, it can negatively affect both the mother and the baby. Persistent stress can impact the mother’s mental and physical health, potentially influencing the baby’s development in the womb and outcomes later in life.
Reflect
Stop and Reflect: The following questions are designed to help you think about the range of experiences and emotions surrounding pregnancy and encourage you to reflect on the factors that influence parent responses to pregnancy:
– What expectations do parents often have about pregnancy, childbirth and parenting and how might these affect parental responses to pregnancy?
– What strategies might help parents to prioritise their own wellbeing during pregnancy and in the early days following birth?
– How might different levels of support – from partners, family, and community – affect parents during pregnancy and beyond?
Optional
There are many resources to support parents during pregnancy. You can find an example from GMCA below:
The following video covers parental mental health and is another resource from the Your Baby and You series, created by the Greater Manchester Perinatal and Parent Infant Mental Health Programme.
There are a range of videos available which you can find here. The series of videos cover key topics, making them a useful resource to share with parents.