Low-income Mothers Of Infants Research Articles

Mothers\u2019 Facebook posts about infant health: findings from the Grow2Gether study

BackgroundSocial media is a common way for mothers to seek advice about their infants. However, little is known about how low-income urban mothers use social media to obtain infant health information and whether this information is consistent with expert pediatric recommendations.Objectives(1) identify the types of health questions asked by low-income mothers of infants in a social media parenting group; (2) describe whether peer answers are consistent with or contradict AAP guidelines; (3) identify the practices that mothers post about that are inconsistent with AAP guidelines.MethodsForty-three low-income mothers were enrolled in Grow2Gether, a private Facebook group intervention focused on infant care and moderated by a psychologist. All health questions posted by mothers were coded thematically; answers to questions from the group were assessed for consistency with American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) guidelines related to infant feeding, sleep, screen time, and safety. Additionally, all unique posts that contained practices inconsistent with these AAP guidelines were thematically coded.ResultsIn total, 215 posts were coded. Participants posted 61 questions related to infant health, most commonly solid food introduction (8/61), teething (8/61), and breastfeeding (7/61). Of the 77 answers given by peers, 6 contradicted guidelines. Separately, mothers had 73 posts demonstrating practices inconsistent with AAP guidelines [safe sleep (43/73) and screen time (21/73)].ConclusionsMothers’ Facebook group interactions in the context of an infant care intervention revealed that when mothers posed direct questions regarding infant health, their peers generally gave answers that did not contradict AAP guidelines. In contrast, mothers’ posts simply describing sleep and screen time practices commonly contradicted guidelines.

Depressive symptoms and compromised parenting in low-income mothers of infants and toddlers: distal and proximal risks.

Low-income mothers develop depressive symptoms at higher rates than the general population, adding to the existing risk that economic hardship places on their infants and toddlers. Emphasizing a few key intervention targets, an approach that is especially relevant to mothers when depressive symptoms compromise their energy and concentration, can improve interventions with populations facing adversity. The goal of this study was to identify contextual risk factors that significantly contributed to depressive symptoms and that, in combination with depressive symptoms, were associated with compromised parenting. Using baseline data from 251 ethnically diverse mothers from six Early Head Start programs in the Northeastern and Southeastern US, who were recruited for a clinical trial of an in-home intervention, Belsky's ecological framework of distal to proximal levels of influence was used to organize risk factors for depressive symptoms in hierarchical regression models. Under stress, mothers of toddlers reported more severe depressive symptoms than mothers of infants, supporting the need for depressive symptom screening and monitoring past the immediate postpartum period. Multivariate models revealed intervention targets that can focus depression prevention and intervention efforts, including helping mothers reduce chronic day-to-day stressors and conflicts with significant others, and to effectively handle challenging toddler behaviors, especially in the face of regional disciplinary norms. Presence of a live-in partner was linked to more effective parenting, regardless of participants' depressive symptom severity.

Exploring Healthy Eating and Exercise Behaviors During the Postpartum Period

ObjectiveDuring the childbearing years, women are at an increased risk for overweight or obesity, yet little is understood about their motivators or barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. A better understanding of women's postpartum experience could improve nutrition education for this population. The objective of this study was to explore factors that influence healthy eating and exercise among low-income mothers of infants 3 to 12 months old.Study Design, Setting, Participants, and InterventionSix focus groups (n=21) with black, white, or Hispanic women residing in Michigan were conducted. The Theory of Planned Behavior informed the focus group guide.Outcome, Measures and AnalysisEstablished qualitative analysis methods were used to evaluate the transcripts.ResultsMothers prioritized their needs below infant and child care, chores, errands, and jobs. When mothers were able to attend to personal needs, mothers felt that activities like showering, sleeping, or taking care of their appearance were the most important. Mothers opted for foods that were convenient and highly palatable over healthy foods, feeling healthy eating was less relevant post-pregnancy or past weaning. Healthy foods were prioritized only when mothers felt it would benefit the infant. Strenuous daily tasks, such as working or infant care, justified a lack of exercise for many participants. Support and advice from female relatives was valued by mothers and facilitated exercise and healthy eating. Though small differences did exist between racial and ethnic groups, the major themes were consistent.Conclusions and ImplicationsMothers may be more open to nutrition education or interventions that focus on the mother-infant dyad rather than solely on maternal health.FundingMichigan State University AgBioResearch ObjectiveDuring the childbearing years, women are at an increased risk for overweight or obesity, yet little is understood about their motivators or barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. A better understanding of women's postpartum experience could improve nutrition education for this population. The objective of this study was to explore factors that influence healthy eating and exercise among low-income mothers of infants 3 to 12 months old. During the childbearing years, women are at an increased risk for overweight or obesity, yet little is understood about their motivators or barriers to healthy eating and physical activity. A better understanding of women's postpartum experience could improve nutrition education for this population. The objective of this study was to explore factors that influence healthy eating and exercise among low-income mothers of infants 3 to 12 months old. Study Design, Setting, Participants, and InterventionSix focus groups (n=21) with black, white, or Hispanic women residing in Michigan were conducted. The Theory of Planned Behavior informed the focus group guide. Six focus groups (n=21) with black, white, or Hispanic women residing in Michigan were conducted. The Theory of Planned Behavior informed the focus group guide. Outcome, Measures and AnalysisEstablished qualitative analysis methods were used to evaluate the transcripts. Established qualitative analysis methods were used to evaluate the transcripts. ResultsMothers prioritized their needs below infant and child care, chores, errands, and jobs. When mothers were able to attend to personal needs, mothers felt that activities like showering, sleeping, or taking care of their appearance were the most important. Mothers opted for foods that were convenient and highly palatable over healthy foods, feeling healthy eating was less relevant post-pregnancy or past weaning. Healthy foods were prioritized only when mothers felt it would benefit the infant. Strenuous daily tasks, such as working or infant care, justified a lack of exercise for many participants. Support and advice from female relatives was valued by mothers and facilitated exercise and healthy eating. Though small differences did exist between racial and ethnic groups, the major themes were consistent. Mothers prioritized their needs below infant and child care, chores, errands, and jobs. When mothers were able to attend to personal needs, mothers felt that activities like showering, sleeping, or taking care of their appearance were the most important. Mothers opted for foods that were convenient and highly palatable over healthy foods, feeling healthy eating was less relevant post-pregnancy or past weaning. Healthy foods were prioritized only when mothers felt it would benefit the infant. Strenuous daily tasks, such as working or infant care, justified a lack of exercise for many participants. Support and advice from female relatives was valued by mothers and facilitated exercise and healthy eating. Though small differences did exist between racial and ethnic groups, the major themes were consistent. Conclusions and ImplicationsMothers may be more open to nutrition education or interventions that focus on the mother-infant dyad rather than solely on maternal health. Mothers may be more open to nutrition education or interventions that focus on the mother-infant dyad rather than solely on maternal health.

Parenting Enhancement, Interpersonal Psychotherapy to Reduce Depression in Low-Income Mothers of Infants and Toddlers

Depressive symptoms and clinical depression are highly prevalent in low-income mothers and negatively affect their infants and toddlers. The aim of this study was to test interpersonal psychotherapy combined with parenting enhancement on depressive symptoms and parenting behavior, compared with an equal attention-control condition. Mothers (n = 226) of Early Head Start infants and toddlers from the southeastern and northeastern United States were randomized to the intervention delivered in-home by psychiatric mental health advanced practice nurses or an equal attention-control condition delivered by generalist nurses. Rigorous clinical depressive symptom and depression assessments and videotaped, coded mother-child interactions were used as baseline and 14-, 22-, and 26-week postintervention measures. Both the intervention and control groups had significantly reduced Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores at each subsequent time point compared with baseline (p < .0001). However, only mothers receiving the intervention showed a significant increase in positive involvement with their child, as measured by closeness, positive effect, affection, and warm touch at T4 (t = 2.22, df = 156, p < .03). Both intervention and control conditions resulted in symptom reduction, but only the intervention mothers showed significant interaction changes with their child, an essential step in reducing the negative child outcomes associated with maternal depressive symptoms. Results suggest that a combination of generalist and specialist nurses could be used to treat depressive symptoms in these mothers. Further study with longer postintervention observation is needed to see if, over time, the intervention led to longer-lasting symptom reduction.

Parenting Enhancement, Interpersonal Psychotherapy to Reduce Depression in Low-Income Mothers of Infants and Toddlers: A Randomized Trial

Parenting Enhancement, Interpersonal Psychotherapy to Reduce Depression in Low-Income Mothers of Infants and Toddlers: A Randomized Trial

Abuse from In-Laws during Pregnancy and Post-Partum: Qualitative and Quantitative Findings from Low-income Mothers of Infants in Mumbai, India

To examine experiences of perinatal (in pregnancy or post-partum) abuse from in-laws and to assess associations between such experiences and perinatal intimate partner violence (IPV) from husbands, as reported by Indian women residing in low-income communities in Mumbai. The present study includes both qualitative and quantitative research conducted across two phases of study. The qualitative phase involved face-to-face, semi-structured in-depth interviews (n=32) with women seeking health care for their infants (6months or younger) and self-reporting emotional or physical abuse from their husband. The quantitative arm involved survey data collection (n=1,038) from mothers seeking immunization for their infants 6months or younger at three large Urban Health Centers in Mumbai. Results of the qualitative study documented the occurrence of both non-physical and physical abuse from in-laws during pregnancy and post-partum. Non-physical forms of abuse included forced heavy domestic labor, food denial and efforts toward prevention of medical care acquisition. Quantitative results demonstrated that 26.3% of the sample reported perinatal abuse (non-physical and physical) from in-laws and that women experiencing perinatal sexual or physical IPV from husbands were significantly more likely to report perinatal abuse from in-laws (AOR=5.33, 95% CI=3.93-7.23). Perinatal abuse from in-laws is not uncommon among women in India and may be compromising maternal and child health in this context; such abuse is also linked to perinatal violence from husbands. Programs and interventions that screen and address IPV in pregnant and post-partum populations in India should be developed to include consideration of in-laws.