Success In Promoting Infant Mental Health In The Community
AAIMH SA Branch had a presence at the recent Pregnancy, Babies and Children’s Expo in Adelaide on 13th and 14th April, with a stall operated by a group of committee and general branch members.
Our stall was simple but effective in attracting interest from parents-to-be, parents, grandparents and others. We handed out ‘A
Letter From Your Baby’
with a soft, bright orange face washer to promote gentle, caring touch. Some beautiful knitted toys donated to our Committee were given
away in a prize draw, with entrants required to scan a QR code and answer a one question survey. The survey asked ‘What do you plan on
doing with your baby to provide positive experiences for them in their first 3 years of life?’ and was accompanied by a brief video from the
Harvard Center on the Developing Child ‘Experiences Build Brains’, as well as the paragraph:
‘Did you know that when your baby is born
they will have billions of brain cells? But the brain cells are not, for the most part, connected. Connections between brain cells—or
signals sent through the brain—are strengthened through repeated positive experiences. Research and clinical experience
demonstrate that a baby’s earliest relationships and experiences with their parents and other caregivers dramatically influence brain
development, social-emotional and cognitive skills, and future health and success in school and life.’
A word cloud generated from the survey responses shows key themes from responses.
Some highlights from the event that demonstrate the success of our attendance include:
- A number of stall visitors saying ‘I didn’t even know infant mental health was a thing’
- People opening up to mention their experiences of birth traumas, reflecting on the impact on their mental health as a parent and the related effect on their infant’s mental health
- Lots of interest from Dads about how they can support their infant’s mental health.
Photos from the event indicate the levels of interest from Expo visitors.
