D.Cur. / The postpartum-period is a very emotional time for the mother with a new baby, which increases her need for support. Various factors contribute to this need for support, such as the change from the extended family to the nuclear family, which has reduced the number of network persons. The hospitalisation period of the mother after the birth of a baby has also decreased drastically, owing to the high medical costs associated with the birth of a baby. This results in the mother being discharged from the hospital much earlier and her accessibility to professional support being limited thereby. This source of support, namely the professional person who provides the mother with support, is also insufficient since the growth of the population far exceeds that of the nursing occupation, and the need is to huge for only professional persons to provide in. If the mother does not receive the necessary support that she may need, it could lead to postpartum-depression, which has a detrimental effect not only on the mother but also on the new baby and the mother's family. This research is therefore vitally important to the midwife, as it ensures a healthy mother and baby, not only in the hospital environment but also at home in her community where she must live and raise her baby. Community support to the mother during the postpartum-period is a relatively unfamiliar field in midwifery. Although the term community support is often used, the definition thereof has not yet been clarified, and it is used in different contexts, with different meanings. The term community support to the mother has therefore not yet been adequately described within the context of the postpartum-period. The objective of this research is to investigate and describe, and analyse the term community support to the mother during the postpartum-period, and to identify the characteristics of community support to the mother during the postpartum-period, as well as the network persons who must provide this community support to the mother, in order to establish the necessary guidelines for the provision of sufficient community support to the mother during the postpartum-period.

This study questioned if women who held unrealistic positive expectations concerning the postpartum period, prenatally, would experience more depression and less positive affect than women whose prenatal expectations were more realistic in relation to their postpartum experience. The 135 married women who participated in a LaMaze class completed a questionnaire at approximately seven months prenatal concerning their expectations about the postpartum period (6-8 weeks after delivery), as well as the Beck's Depression Inventory (BDI) and the Affect Balance Scale (ABS). The expectations questionnaire was re-administered 6-10 weeks after delivery to compare expectations to actual experience. The BDI and ABS were also readministered at this time to provide a change score between prenatal and postpartum depression and affect. Positive expectations that proved to be unrealistic were compared with the BDI and ABS change scores. A high discrepancy between positive expectations and postpartum experience was not significantly correlated with depression on the BDI. However, unrealistic positive expectations were significantly correlated with decreased positive affect, postpartum, on the ABS. Three out of the four positive affect subscales of the ABS were significantly affected by unrealistic positive expectations. That is, prenatal unrealistic positive expectations affected these new mothers' positive emotions of vigor, contentment and joy, rather than their negative affect or depression. A prenatal self report index of child care information also correlated significantly with the discrepancy between expectations and postpartum experience. Participants with less child care information had more unrealistic expectations about the postpartum period. / Master of Science

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002 / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This review examines the medical model's conceptualisation of postnatal depression (pND) from a feminist perspective. The arguments are fourfold: Firstly, it argues that the fundamental problem underlying the concept of PND is its conception as existing on a continuum with psychosis at the most severe end and maternity blues at the least severe end. The link with psychosis implies that it is potentially pathological requiring medical and psychiatric intervention. On the other hand its link with maternity blues gives scientific credence to continued research on emotional sequelae of reproduction that are below the psychiatric threshold of urgency. Secondly, the medical model's construction of PND implies that women are predisposed to mental illness because of their ability to bear children and thus pathologises normal experiences of childbirth. Thirdly, the medical model's preoccupation with classification and categorisation has become little more than an exercise in labeling that has removed women from their own experiences. Focusing on birth as an activity that is separate from the rest of pregnancy objectify women and ignores the socio-political context within which they give birth and care for their infants. Fourthly, it is argued that a different way of researching postpartum mood disorders is necessary to overcome a reductionistic and pathological model of childbirth. This is important if healthcare delivery hopes to provide adequate treatment for all women in the postnatal period. Especially in South Africa, where the dominant culture has for many years defined the experiences of the 'other', it is important to generate research that should include the 'voices' of the 'other' to prevent hegemonic practice from assuming an expert understanding of PND. This review does not deny the contributions from the medical establishment, but argues that a critique of its underlying assumptions is important to prevent women from being further marginalised by ignoring the socio-political context in which their lives are embedded. The implications for research within South Africa are also addressed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie oorsig ondersoek die mediese model se konseptualisering van postnatale depressie vanuit 'n feministiese perspektief. Die argument is vierledig: Eerstens blyk die konseptualisering van postnatale depressie, naamlik dat dit op 'n kontinuum bestaan, met psigose aan die mees disfunksionele kant en 'maternity blues' aan die minder ernstige kant, 'n fundamentele, onderliggende probleem te wees. Die verband met psigose impliseer dat postnatale depressie potensieel patologies is en mediese en psigiatriese insette benodig. Die verband met 'maternity blues' aan die ander kant, bied wetenskaplike begronding vir volgehoue navorsing op die gebied van emosionele aspekte van kindergeboorte wat nie van psigiatriese belang is nie. Tweedens impliseer die mediese model se konstruksie van postnatale depressie dat vroue 'n predisposisie tot geestessiektes het bloot deur die feit dat hulle die vermoë het om kinders voort te bring. Sodoende word patologiese kenmerke gekoppel aan normale ervarings van kindergeboorte. Derdens het die mediese model se beheptheid met klassifikasie en kategorisering verval in etikettering wat vroue van hul eie ervarings vervreem. Deur te fokus op geboorte as 'n aktiwiteit wat verwyder is van die res van swangerskap maak van vroue objekte wat verwyderd is van die sosio-politieke konteks waarbinne hulle geboorte skenk en sorg vir hul babas. Vierdens word dit beredeneer dat 'n nuwe benadering tot navorsing oor postpartum gemoedsteurings daar gestel behoort te word om 'n reduksionistiese en patologiese model van kindergeboorte te voorkom. Dit is belangrik as gesondheidsorgdienste hoop om toereikende behandeling te bied vir alle vroue in die postnatale periode. Veral in Suid-Afrika, waar 'n dominante kultuurgroep vir so lank die ervarings van ander omskryf het, is dit belangrik om navorsing voort te bring wat die 'stemme' van die 'ander' insluit om sodoende te verhoed dat die heersende praktykvoeringe van die dag 'n eensydige deskundige-verstaan van postnatale depressie voorveronderstel. Hierdie oorsig ontken nie die bydraes van die mediese model nie, maar beredeneer die feit dat 'n kritiese beskouing van die onderliggende aannames belangrik is om sodoende te verhoed dat vroue verder gemarginaliseer word deurdat die sosio-politieke konteks waarin hul lewens gegrond is, buite rekening gelaat word. Die implikasies vir navorsing binne 'n Suid-Afrikaanse konteks word dus ook ondersoek.

University of Macau / Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities / Department of Psychology

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / This study aimed to determine whether low-income women residing in a rural community in South Africa experienced any significant difference in the prevalence rates of depressive symptoms postpartum as compared to depressive symptoms prepartum. Thirty women between the ages of 16 and 38 were recruited during pregnancy from the local community clinic in Kylemore, South Africa. The women where assessed for elevated levels of depressive symptomatology using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) during pregnancy and again at three and six months postpartum. It was found that 18 (60%) of the women reported elevated levels of depressive symptomatology during the prepartum assessment, with 11 (37.9%) and 12 (48%) women reporting elevated levels of depressive symptomatology at the three months and six month postpartum assessment respectively. It was further found that the sample from the current study did not experience any significant difference in the rate of depressive symptomatology from the prepartum assessment to either of the postpartum assessments. The results also suggests that a relationship exists between the levels of depressive symptomatology prepartum and the levels of depressive symptomatology postpartum, as those women who experienced high levels of depressive symptomatology during pregnancy continued to show high levels of depressive symptomatology at the postpartum assessments. The findings from the current study thus suggest that the classification of postpartum depression as a unique and separate entity, that differs from depression occurring in women at other times and from depression as experienced by men, may be misleading. The term suggests a depression that develops following childbirth, while in the current study it seemed that when depressive symptoms were reported postpartum, they were also already apparent during pregnancy. The findings from the current study therefore suggest that the existence of postpartum depression as a distinct diagnosis or illness is problematic – a suggestion that has frequently been suggested in the literature (Aderibigbe, Gureje, & Omigbodun, 1993; Chandran, Tharyan, Muliyil & Abraham, 2002; Cooper, Campbell, Day, Kennerly & Bond, 1988; Cox, Murray & Chapman, 1993; O’Hara, Zekoski, Phillips & Wright, 1990; Patel, Rodrigues, & DeSouza, 2002).

published_or_final_version / abstract / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This research addressed the challenges faced by women in today's society during the transition to motherhood, and explored the possible benefits of an online natural helping network of blogging peers. Given the content of the literature describing the transition to motherhood and the many hardships that pose possible obstacles for an ideal transition, this research attempted to uncover the reasons why mothers blog and what benefit, if any, they experience as a result of blogging. This study explored the following questions: Why do women blog during the transition to motherhood? What is the relationship among the seven identified variables: blogging intensity, authentic self-disclosure, perceived general social support, perceived social support from blogging, current depression, stress, and parenting competence? This dissertation employed a cross-sectional research design using a web-based survey. The data were trimmed to limit the participants to residents/citizens of the United States and mothers of preschool aged (0-5) children who lived with them four or more days per week. The data were further limited to include only those participants (N = 501) who completed the survey in its entirety. New mothers experienced benefits as a result of their authentic participation in blogging and reported key reasons that they participated including: to share their experiences with others, to preserve their memories, to interact with a like-minded audience, and to feel understood. There were significant positive correlations between authentic self-disclosure and perceived social support, and sense of parenting competency, and a negative relationship between authentic self-disclosure and maternal depression and perceived stress. Multiple regression analysis indicated that social support was the strongest predictor of current depression. Social support was also a predictor of stress and of perceived parenting competence. Additionally, social support significantly predicted authentic self-disclosure. With a growing reliance on technology and social media, social work has an obligation to identify and utilize the beneficial aspects of this medium.

Exclusive breastfeeding for at least 6 months provides numerous infant and maternal benefits. Yet mothers with risk factors, such as lower education, lower socioeconomic status, younger maternal age, planned cesarean birth, and anxiety and depression, are more likely to stop breastfeeding in the early postpartum period. Few studies have focused on perinatal depression as a risk factor for breastfeeding cessation. To tailor effective interventions, nurses must first understand the lived experience of breastfeeding for mothers at risk for perinatal depression. A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted to elucidate the experience of breastfeeding for mothers with perinatal depression. The study was grounded in Swanson’s middle-range theory of caring. After university Institutional Review Board approval, a purposive sample of 10 women was recruited from various organizations. Participants completed a demographic questionnaire and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and semistructured, audiorecorded face-to-face or telephonic interviews were conducted. The researcher transcribed the data which was transformed into constituents of the mothers’ lived experience by utilizing Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method. Five constituents emerged: choosing selflessness, harboring inadequacy, deliberate persevering, discerning meaning, and cherishing intimacy. The constituents embodied the essence of the mothers’ thoughts and feelings connected to breastfeeding. By daily choosing selflessness, mothers consciously decided to breastfeed despite physical or psychological struggles. They often were harboring inadequacy due to ongoing struggles which led to incessant thoughts of maternal incompetence. Yet they successfully breastfed for at least 2 weeks after birth by deliberate persevering. Through breastfeeding, they were discerning meaning to realize their value as mothers. Finally, they reveled in purposeful moments of togetherness with their babies through cherishing intimacy. The study findings inform recommendations for nursing education, practice, research, and policy. Nursing education must include basic breastfeeding and perinatal mental health knowledge in prelicensure curricula and up-to-date lactation management techniques and perinatal mental health awareness training in continuing education. Practicing maternal-child nurses must provide education and support to mothers about advantages and difficulties of breastfeeding throughout the perinatal period. Future research includes determination of support needs for women with perinatal depression with subsequent development and evaluation of therapeutic actions to promote breastfeeding success. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2017. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2003 / Refer to document

Este trabalho visou compreender as motivações e os sentimentos que estão subjacentes ao discurso da mãe biológica que doa o filho, bem como as repercussões desse ato em suas vidas. Atendimentos psicológicos a essas mães, ainda na maternidade, por vezes, revelam uma racionalização de tal motivação, deixando implícito algo que se supõe ser da ordem do desejo. Foram entrevistadas seis mães na faixa etária entre 22 a 40 anos, com escolaridade e nível sócio-econômico baixos e que doaram, no mínimo, 2 filhos. As idades das crianças doadas variaram de 0 a 3 anos. Foi realizada uma entrevista semi-estruturada com cada mãe compreendendo dados sócio-demográficos e questões que atendem aos objetivos da pesquisa. Foram analisados os conteúdos verbais e não-verbais do discurso das genitoras sob uma perspectiva psicanalítica, buscando identificar as possíveis motivações e os sentimentos relacionados ao ato de doar o filho. Constataram-se as condições de pobreza material e emocional que permeiam as vidas dessas mães, impedindo-as de terem um desenvolvimento emocional equilibrado que lhes possibilitem maternar. Elas tiveram uma infância marcada por privações, violências, carências, incompreensões e abandono. O contexto econômico e familiar vivenciado no momento da gestação era desfavorável ao equilíbrio psíquico, somado ainda à gravidez prematura. Em relação aos motivos que favoreceram a doação, encontrou-se a imaturidade como causa principal aliada à falta de apoio familiar e do pai da criança somados as dificuldades sócio-econômicas. Quanto aos sentimentos experimentados por elas após a doação, identificou-se culpa, tristeza, angústia, pesar e arrependimento. Foram percebidos sentimentos de incapacidade e insuficiência como também motivadores inconscientes para a doação. No que se refere às repercussões da doação na vida dessas mães, constatou-se que mesmo tendo vislumbrado um recomeço após a doação, todas se mostraram amarguradas, cansadas, insatisfeitas e infelizes. A conclusão a qual se chegou com este estudo, é que a motivação do ato de doar um filho é contextualizada e individual, dependendo de fatores sociais, porém, muito mais, dos intrapsíquicos. É um assunto complexo, impossível de ser generalizado. Há que se observar as peculiaridades de cada caso e os fatores a eles subjacentes. / This work aimed at understanding the motives and feelings that underlie the speech of biological mothers who give away their children as well as the consequences of such act in their lives. Psychological attendance to those mothers, still in the maternity ward, reveal a rationalization of such a motive, making it implicit something supposed to belong to the area of desire. Six mothers between the ages of 22 and 40 years old were interviewed. They presented low education and low social-economic levels and gave away two children at least. Children ages varied between 0 to 3 years old. A semi-structured interview was conducted with each mother comprehending social-demographic data and questions that met the objectives of this research. Verbal and non-verbal contents of genitors discourse under a psychoanalyst perspective were analyzed with the aim of identifying possible motives and feelings related to the act of giving away a child. It was verified that the mothers presented poor material and emotional conditions that permeate their lives hindering them from having a balanced emotional development that would enable them to be mothers. Their childhood was characterized by hardships, violence, needs, incomprehension and abandonment. Their social-economic and family context during pregnancy was unfavorable to a psychological balance, adding to that premature pregnancy. It was found that the main cause for giving away a child was immaturity together with the lack of family support and absence of the childs father as well as social-economic difficulties. The feelings experienced by the mother after giving away their children, are guilty, sadness, anguish, grief and repentance. Feelings of insufficiency or incapacity were also found to be unconscious motivators to the act of giving away. In relation to the impact of the act of giving away in the mothers lives, it was found that even after wondering about re-starting a new life after giving away a child, all of them appeared to be bitter, tired, dissatisfied and unhappy. It is concluded with this work that the motives for giving away a child is contextual and individual depending on social factors and much more on intra-psychological factors. It is a complex subject, impossible to be generalized. The particularity of each case should be carefully studied as well as the factors underlying them.