Mothers' memories: an approach to maternal mental health

Abstract

Psychological distress in women who are mothers is a serious public health concern that greatly affects the physical, social, and emotional development of their babies. Often, mothers with mental health issues do not receive the care they require, not only because of the persistent social stigma associated with mental illness, but also due to a lack of resources. From the perspective of our perinatal and child-rearing psychiatry practice, and based on the available literature, we reflect on the care received by those women, who are now mothers, during their own childhoods and its impact on how they currently experience motherhood. Early attachments have a deep impact on both memory and behavior throughout our lifetimes. When they become mothers, women may update their own childcare experiences, a phenomenon known as “psychic transparency” and mobilize the lessons they received as infants about relationships, care, and emotional regulation. The anxiety and frustration faced by mothers today seem to arise, partially, from the conflict between the parenting style they want to offer their babies (warm and conscious) and the one they received at a time when prevailing theories discouraged breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact. Taking care of mothers’ emotional states and supporting their relationship with their babies is a necessary and urgent public health measure, which has intergenerational repercussions in mental health.