# A baby’s mental health begins with the mother — but no mother should have to carry this alone - URL: https://alisanburak.com/en/bebegin-ruh-sagligi-annede-baslar-ama-hicbir-anne-bunu-yalniz-tasimamali - Language: en - Last updated: 2026-08-15 - Page title: A baby’s mental health begins with the mother — but no mother should have to carry this alone | Assoc. Prof. Dr. Alişan Burak Yaşar > A baby’s mental health begins with the mother — but no mother has to carry this alone. Postpartum depression affects approximately 1 in 7 mothers and often This page was translated automatically from Turkish. [Read the original](https://alisanburak.com/bebegin-ruh-sagligi-annede-baslar-ama-hicbir-anne-bunu-yalniz-tasimamali) [← Back to blog](https://alisanburak.com/en/blog) # A baby’s mental health begins with the mother — but no mother should have to carry this alone June 21, 2026Recent Articles A baby’s mental health begins with the mother — but no mother has to carry this alone. Postpartum depression affects approximately 1 in 7 mothers and often goes unnoticed. It is not a "weakness"; it is a common, recognizable, and treatable condition. Babies learn to cope with stress by "connecting" with an adult’s calm nervous system (co-regulation). This is why a mother’s mood can leave its mark on her baby’s social, language, and motor development — in a national cohort of 96,623 infants, this association was observed across all developmental domains. But the key point is hopeful: this is an increased risk, not destiny. Many risk factors for postpartum depression cannot be changed (past history, genetics); social support, however, can be changed and has a measurable protective effect. In 83% of studies involving pregnant women, low social support was associated with depressive symptoms. What is more, when mothers recover, their children’s symptoms also decrease: when maternal depression goes into remission, children’s psychiatric symptoms improve; when it does not, neither do their symptoms. 5 steps to build a support network: 1) Break the isolation — share your feelings with one trusted person. 2) Make support concrete — instead of saying "help me," ask for a specific task: "Please take the baby for 30 minutes at 7 p.m." 3) Connect with peers — connecting with mothers who have had similar experiences helps normalize your feelings. 4) Seek professional help early — CBT, interpersonal therapy, and medication when needed are effective. 5) Take screening seriously — a brief screening tool (EPDS) helps with early detection; partners should also be screened. Important note: If you experience low mood lasting more than 2 weeks, difficulty bonding with your baby, significant impairment in daily functioning, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, seek professional help without delay. This post is for educational purposes; it is not a substitute for a professional assessment. What a baby needs is a mother who is supported. [For scientific sources → CLICK HERE](https://alisanburak.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/anne_bebek_ruh_sagligi.pdf) [← Previous The Endless Feed and the Young Brain](https://alisanburak.com/en/sonsuz-akis)[Next → Setting Boundaries](https://alisanburak.com/en/sinir-koyma) --- Kaynak / Source: https://alisanburak.com/en/bebegin-ruh-sagligi-annede-baslar-ama-hicbir-anne-bunu-yalniz-tasimamali İletişim / Contact: Bağdat Caddesi, Veli Güneysu Apt. No:453 K:4 D:9, Suadiye / Kadıköy, İstanbul · +90 532 642 95 25 · info@alisanburak.com · https://alisanburak.com/bagdat-caddesi-psikoterapi-iletisim