Parents' mental health struggles 'can lead to behavioural problems in kids'
It's led to calls for more support for parents
There's a warning expectant parents in South Yorkshire could end up causing their kids behavioural problems if they don't get the right mental health support.
A new study's claiming there's a direct link between the emotional wellbeing of expectant parents and their child's behaviour when they've turned two.
NHS phyciatrist Dr Nasrat Mir helps parents across Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster with their mental health says it's vital they get help before the baby is born:
"If you are going to have a mother and father both in strife, unhappy and unable to engage with a child and unable to give that child attention, particularly in their first year. It would be understandable that if a child is deprived of that, the child is going to suffering some sort of way and it comes out in the behaviour."
The research shows first time mums experiencing stress and anxiety are much more likely to see their child develop behavioural problems unless they tackle it in the first two years of their child.
Dr Nasrat Mir said:
"Prevention is better then curing, we need to therefore be prepares to intervene even before the child is born. This is a strong case for parenting skills to be taught, to do work on relationships with the child and also between the parents."
Joanne Dakin is in charge of Health Visitors across Doncaster said:
"We know that from the 1001 critical days we focus on in health visiting, that actually the first two years of a child's life build the foundation for their future. So I think it's really important that we have that research to back up that actually we need to be thinking earlier and younger with children what we are doing."