Mental health of primipara mothers within one month of childbirth observed by midwives through newborn visits

Abstract

Research Objective

The objective of this study is to identify the perspectives that midwives who make newborn visits focus on to assess the mental health of primipara mothers within a month of childbirth.

Methods and Subjects of the Study

The study was conducted among midwives (n=13) who make newborn visits to examine the mental health of primipara mothers mainly at the time of their visits to provide mothers with postpartum guidance. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews, and a qualitative analysis was performed.

Results

The investigation by midwives resulted in the following categories and subcategories of perspectives concerning primipara mothers’ mental health and primipara mothers who are not in good environments for parenting. ‘Conditions of mothers’ were classified into seven subcategories: expressing difficulty, feeling overly compelled to take care of the newborn and a tendency for self-blaming, disorderly life activities, inappropriate coping behaviors, poor postpartum physical recovery, uncomfortable living environment, and financial situation impacting the mother. ‘Newborns and child rearing situations’ were classified into three subcategories: a difficult baby, confusion about parenting, and anxiety about breastfeeding. ‘Mothers’ experiences impacting parenting were classified into six subcategories: lack of parenting experience, parenting history impacting child rearing, a career impacting child rearing, mental health history, painful childbirth experience, and death of someone close to the mother. Finally, ‘support given to mothers was classified into five subcategories: inappropriate support from a partner and/or a family member, inappropriate support from a medical professional, isolation and/or an inappropriate relationship, asking numerous questions due to anxiety, and inability to communicate and collect information easily.

Conclusion

Midwives deduced the mental health conditions of primipara mothers within one month of childbirth along with the conditions the mothers and their newborns were in, their living environment, and so forth, and observed that the mothers’ experience, support given to them, and nature of their relationships with others impacted the mothers’ mental health conditions. The study confirmed the importance of providing specific support responding to individual needs of respective primipara mothers who gave birth within one month. Midwives are expected to assess both primipara mothers’ living conditions and the conditions of the mothers and their newborns, and offer primipara mothers assistance by utilizing and collaborating with various social resources in local communities.