Mums Need Support For Teething Problems - NHS

November 2nd 2009

New mothers suddenly find themselves adrift about five months after giving birth, according to an analysis published today.

Crawling, teething and weaning all start to happen - but it proves harder to get day-to-day advice than at birth, women report.

Women find themselves with questions about their baby's development - but by this time friends and family are not around as much as at birth.

Mothers find themselves wanting to know about weaning, sleep and home safety, according to a survey conducted by the UK department of health.

More than 500 mothers were interviewed by pollsters Opinion Matters for the research.

It found that after five months some 81 per cent felt their baby's needs were changing and developing quickly - with teething, weaning and crawling taking place.

But visits from friends and family fell and the partners was also often less available.

Some 32 per cent felt they "did not have any time for themselves" at this point.

Kayleigh Pillington, mother of Logan-Rhys, aged six months, said: "Everyone is so excited about the baby at first, but five months in when you've got more questions than ever because they're doing all these new things, interest in you and the baby really dies down.

"That's when I started to feel anxious - it was all on my shoulders and I just wasn't sure if I was doing it right."

The British government urged parents to use its own advice service at the NHS Baby LifeCheck.

Health visitor Nicola Stenning, based in London, said the site would help parents with infants aged between five and eight months.

She said: "Parents are given essential support and advice in the first few months of their baby's life. But the next stage is also a key time in their child's development and can be a difficult time especially for first time parents.

"It is important that information and advice is easily accessible, which is why NHS Baby LifeCheck was developed."

 

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