Postpartum depressed mothers' experiences interacting with their children

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Maternal Health
• Child Development

Background:

• Postpartum depression (PPD) affects numerous mothers globally.
• Maternal mental health is crucial for infant and family well-being.
• Limited research explores the lived experiences of mothers with PPD in daily interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the meaning of interactions between mothers experiencing postpartum depression and their children.
• To understand the subjective experiences of mothers with PPD in relation to their infants and older children.

Main Methods:

• A phenomenological study design was employed.
• A purposive sample of 12 mothers diagnosed with postpartum depression participated.
• Data were collected and analyzed to identify emergent themes.

Main Results:

• Nine theme clusters revealed mothers' experiences.
• Mothers reported feeling overwhelmed, experiencing guilt, irrational thinking, loss, and anger.
• Mothers described emotional detachment, robotic caregiving, and failure to respond to infant cues.
• Detrimental relationships with older children were observed.

Conclusions:

• Postpartum depression profoundly disrupts maternal-child interactions.
• Mothers with PPD struggle with emotional regulation and connection.
• Interventions are needed to support mothers and mitigate negative impacts on children.