Stress can come in many forms for young children, from angry faces and reactions, rough handling, big changes in their daily routine or being overloaded by too much stimulation.
Here are some common signs that indicate that baby is in stress: They are not eating, and refuse to take feed. They are crying more than normal. They lack emotions.
Infant and toddler stressors can be physical, like malnourishment, lack of sleep, or violence. A particular stressor for infants is when they do not have a good relationship with a stable caregiver.
Many women worry that stress may lead to miscarriage, the death of a baby before 20 weeks of pregnancy. While extra stress isn't good for your overall health, there's no evidence that stress causes miscarriage.
You wouldn't expect a newborn baby to have muscular tension, would you? But newborn babies can experience tension too and very often this can be because of labour or delivery. Musculoskeletal tension can also contribute to feeding difficulties when there is an associated cranial nerve dysfunction.
In 1998, Harvard research showed that babies who cried excessively were susceptible to stress as adults, and sensitive to future trauma. Chronic stress in infancy can also lead to an over-active adrenaline system, causing anti-social and aggressive behavior, and even affect physical illness far into the future.
Babies not only pick up on their mother's stress, but they also show corresponding physiological changes, according to a UC San Francisco-led study.
Chronic stress could also cause problems for your baby. These can include effects on your unborn baby's growth and the length of gestation (your pregnancy). They can also increase the risk of problems in your baby's future physical and mental development, as well as behavioural issues in childhood.
Try stroking your baby's back firmly and rhythmically, holding them against you or lying face downwards on your lap. Undress your baby and massage them gently and firmly. Avoid using any oils or lotions until your baby's at least a month old. Talk soothingly as you do it and keep the room warm enough.
Anxiety can also be expressed as a tantrum, crying, freezing behavior, anger, avoidance, or irritability, since toddlers lack the language and emotional regulation skills to explain and cope with how they're feeling.
Being unsettled and crying is very common in young babies up to four months old. Sometimes there is a medical reason for a baby's crying, but usually it is normal infant behaviour that settles as the baby gets older. All babies are different – some cry for longer periods and are more unsettled than others.
“Infants are fairly resilient, but we are concerned about harm when yelling out of anger around an infant or towards an infant happens at a significant level of intensity or commonly in the home,” says Horvitz. “This will likely increase infant anxiety, which overtime may have an impact similar to trauma.”
When infants display anger and aggression, it is often due to discomfort, pain or frustration. Older babies will use aggression to protect themselves, to express anger or to get what they want. When your baby is aggressive, it is because he has not learned a better way of behaving.
Research has shown that, during pregnancy, your baby feels what you feel—and with the same intensity. That means if you're crying, your baby feels the same emotion, as if it's their own. During the gestational period, your baby is preparing themselves for life in the outside world.
“Assuming there are no medical issues, there is no harm in a baby's excessive crying,” he says. “They may get a hoarse voice, but they will eventually get tired and stop crying. Your baby may also get a little gassy from swallowing air while crying, but that's OK.
Crying it out
It's OK to let your baby cry if the baby doesn't seem sick and you've tried everything to soothe your baby.
Now researchers say they have found that leaving infants to cry has no impact on their behavioural development or their attachment to their mother, but may help them develop self-control.
Usually by week 10, babies are less fussy, start going to bed earlier, and become more peaceful little creatures.
Parents should try to refrain from arguing around a baby.
High stress can impact the development of the emotion parts of the brain. A baby can detect anger in a voice as early as 5 months. Parental arguing causes stress in the baby, elevating their heart rate and increasing their blood pressure.
Studies have shown that infants as young as one month-old sense when a parent is depressed or angry and are affected by the parent's mood. Understanding that even infants are affected by adult emotions can help parents do their best in supporting their child's healthy development.