If Children Are Born Premturously, Parents' Mental Health Must Be Cared For

Prematured child care (pixabay)

JAKARTA - Child care is premature different from that of a child born on time. Prematurated babies born more than three weeks before the estimated date of birth or before the 37th week. According to health experts, enriching information about premature baby care at home after leaving the hospital can be a way that parents can do.

Mental parents need special attention because often they are not ready to face it. Moreover, mothers after giving birth emotionally usually feel various feelings such as sadness, emotion, fatigue that can be recognized as baby blues to a more severe condition, namely postpartum depression or depression after giving birth.

"Not only father, but the most important thing is usually mother. Mentally often not ready to face the presence of your little one (who was born premature). These are emotional forms that are often experienced by a mother who gives birth to a little one with premature conditions," said Child Psychologist who graduated from the University of Indonesia Irma Gustiana Andriani, M.Psi quoted from ANTARA.

Not to mention, some mothers experience challenges related to breastfeeding, low level of self-confidence, for example due to excessive worries about the future of children.

This is exacerbated by the large number of stigmas in society related to premature children not being able to grow and develop optimally, then children cannot excel and social labels that also appear and social media standards regarding premature child health.

Another thing that can make it difficult is that a number of studies state that premature children can experience developmental delays, including questions in speech, language and social emotional problems such as lack of concentration, lack of focus, lack of silence, some look impulsive, thus disrupting socialization and the learning process.

"Worries can also arise from a financial perspective, because access to health must be more intense than babies born at the age of enough months," said Irma.

On the other hand, mothers also have the potential to find it difficult to get support from their partners. For example, a partner or father blames premature birth on the mother, thus making them very vulnerable to mental health problems.

Irma reminded that every child is special and they can grow and develop optimally and achieve despite being born premature. He found many cases of premature children in his clinic who could catch up with them and excel.

"Riset stated that children are more stimulated by certain music or rhythm, psychologically strong endurance, bonding with their parents is very strong because when they are small the skin body contact is usually more intense," he said. Despite the worries, parents should be grateful for the birth of their babies and respect the time together to get to know them.