Postpartum Fatigue is a predominant concern of women after childbirth. Postpartum Fatigue is a pervasive and distressing experience that has negative health-related effects on women, infants, and families. Using grounded theory this study explored the process of postpartum fatigue in 13 women from diverse contexts in the six-week period after childbirth. The human process of Persevering emerged from the data. Persevering explained how participants continued Caregiving in the face of all but the most debilitating Postpartum Fatigue. Caregiving of the infant and older children was the outcome of the Persevering process. The need and ability to persevere emerged out of relationships between Postpartum Fatigue, Self-Transcendence, and Coping Techniques.Persevering is depicted by the model "Persevering through Postpartum Fatigue." The model has five major concepts: Influencing Factors, Postpartum Fatigue, Coping Techniques, Self-Transcendence, and Caregiving. Influencing Factors is a group of factors that participants identified as having the most influence on Postpartum Fatigue across the first six weeks postpartum. The three Influencing Factors were: Maternal-Infant Sleep Pattern Conflict, Infant Characteristics, and Fatigue Limiting Factors.Postpartum Fatigue was characterized by four dimensions: Mental, Physical, Stress-Worry, and Frustration. Each of these dimensions had empirical, context-dependent manifestations. Participants responded to Postpartum Fatigue by using a wide variety of Coping Techniques. Coping Techniques helped women manage Postpartum fatigue. Self-Transcendence was an ongoing human capacity called upon by the women to facilitate perseverance. Through the meaning and purpose ascribed to their infants and children, participants found the strength to persevere in caregiving through all but the most debilitating Postpartum Fatigue.The process of Persevering is explained through the relationships of Postpartum Fatigue, Coping Techniques, and Self-Transcendence. Profound negative feelings and an overwhelming desire to rest and sleep brought on by Postpartum Fatigue were offset by the use of Coping Techniques and Self-Transcendence, which enabled women to persevere in the provision of care to their children. "Persevering through Postpartum Fatigue" contributes a more explanatory view of Postpartum Fatigue as it is expressed in the everyday lives of postpartum women.

Background: During the early postpartum period, new mothers commonly experience fatigue and depressive symptoms which may affect their ability to function and care for themselves and their newborn. Given the demonstrated positive effects of physical activity on mood and fatigue, the purpose of this study was to describe physical activity levels across late pregnancy and the first three months postpartum, and to determine the associations between physical activity and postpartum functional status, mood, and fatigue at 6- and 12-weeks postpartum. Design: We employed a longitudinal, descriptive study design. Prenatal classes were used to recruit women. Questionnaires containing validated measures of functional status, physical activity, mood, and fatigue were administered at baseline (pregnancy), 6- and 12-weeks postpartum. Results: The sample consisted of 73 primiparous women with a mean age of 30 (+3.7) years. The majority were married (83%), Caucasian (98%), educated (70%) and middle to upper-middle class. Women in this study were physically active, with the majority being moderately active (52%). Few women had low physical activity levels (n = 4-8) throughout the study. Household activities and walking accounted for the majority of physical activity. Women in this study reported moderate levels of fatigue, with fatigue levels decreasing over time. For most postpartum women, mood and fatigue scores improved from six to 12 weeks; however, for 26% of women, scores did not. Self-care and social/community activity subcategories of functional status were the slowest to improve. Women who were low/moderately physically active at six weeks postpartum were three times as likely to have low functional status in comparison to highly physically active women (OR 3.22, 95% CI: 1.07, 9.73). At 12-weeks women with higher mental (OR 1.33, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.79) and physical fatigue (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.07, 1.40) were more likely to be in the lower functional status group at 12-weeks postpartum. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that high levels of self-reported mental and physical fatigue relate to lower functional status for primiparous women at six and twelve weeks postpartum. Women who are highly physically active at six and twelve weeks postpartum are more likely to have higher functional status, but this effect is influenced by perception of both mental and physical fatigue. / Thesis (Master, Nursing) -- Queen's University, 2011-09-29 15:57:25.901

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