Self-Care and General Well-Being in Postpartum Mothers

Abstract

INTRODUCTION:Mothers are crucial to society, yet they may experience depression or other mental illnesses during pregnancy and after birth. Preventative programs to reduce postpartum mental illness lack a clear evidence base, and a strength-based approach focusing on well-being is generally not provided. This study aims to explore postpartum mothers’ self-care practices and well-being from the perspective of a strength-based approach. Rather than rely on a deficit approach and further problematize the experiences of postpartum women, this study aimed to identify the relationship and predictability of self-care with general well-being for postpartum mothers.METHODS:This study was a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design using an online survey with women aged 18 years and older who had given birth in Australia to a child between 6 weeks and 12 months (N =140) regarding their self-care practices and general well-being.RESULTS:A hierarchical multiple linear regression found a strong relationship between self-care behaviors and well-being during the first year of motherhood. Findings also revealed that significant confounding factors impacted the relationship between self-care and well-being with the number of complications experienced during pregnancy to postpartum and prior experiences of “baby blues.”DISCUSSION:Findings from the current study provide evidence of the importance of self-care, and a strength-based approach for enhancing self-care skills may assist in improving the well-being of postpartum mothers. Further research is needed to identify other interactions affecting the relationship and to investigate causality.