Preschoolers whose mothers suffered from depression in the first 9 months postpartum are more likely to be shorter in stature. Research has suggested that a mothers postpartum depression can impact a child’s growth in their first 2 years.
“The research team found that at age 4, kids with mothers who had reported mild or moderate depression when they were infants were 40% more likely to be in the 10th percentile of height or shorter, compared with other kids their age whose mothers did not report early depression symptoms. By age 5, kids of depressed moms were 48% more likely to be at or below the 10th percentile of height.” –SOURCE