Maternal support during the first year of infancy

Area of Science:

• Perinatal mental health
• Parental support systems
• Maternal well-being

Background:

• Rising visibility and incidence of child and adolescent mental health issues.
• Social support as a protective factor against ill-health in families.
• Identified gap in research on support needs for expectant and new mothers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore mothers' experiences during pregnancy, labor, and early parenthood.
• To identify mothers' specific support needs.
• To determine primary sources of support for new parents.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative and qualitative data collection via a 37-question survey.
• Inclusion of 122 mothers in the study sample.
• Statistical analysis including descriptive statistics and chi-square tests, alongside content analysis.

Main Results:

• Significant need for mothers to discuss labor experiences postpartum.
• Partners were a common source of support, but not always the most effective.
• Extended social networks and healthcare services sometimes provided more crucial support than partners.

Conclusions:

• Mothers require affirmation in their parenting role.
• Maternity and child health services nurses are vital in supporting new parents' emotional states.
• Increased resources for parent groups, including fathers, can enhance parental health and reduce service utilization.