Time Mothers Research Articles

Pre-pandemic adversity and maternal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating role of pandemic stress and family relationships

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic was a time of increased stress for families. Parents with a history of adversity may have been at higher risk of experiencing mental health problems during this time. The current study aims to investigate the relationship between pre-pandemic adversity pandemic related stressors and maternal mental health outcomes during the pandemic. MethodsData was drawn from the Mothers' and Young People's Study (MYPS), a longitudinal of first time mothers and their children. Participants were 418 mothers who completed the MYPS COVID-19 sub-study. Data was collected during pregnancy, at 1, 4, 10 years postpartum, and during the COVID-19 pandemic (approximately 14 years postpartum). Path-analysis was used to test the relationship indirect relationship between pre-pandemic adversity and maternal depressive and anxiety symptoms, via family functioning and pandemic related stress. ResultsThe hypothesised model was a good fit to the data accounting for 34 % and 33 % of the variance in maternal depressive and anxiety scores, respectively. A significant indirect effect was found between pre-pandemic adversity and both maternal anxiety and depressive systems via family relationships during the pandemic and pandemic related stress. LimitationsMYPS participants who took part in the COVID-19 sub-study were more likely to be older, have a higher level of education, and speak English as a first language, compared to the total MYPS sample. ConclusionsFamily inclusive service responses which aim to strengthen family relationships may be particularly important for families where there is a history of adversity to support parental mental health.

Negotiating intensive mothering and the gendered politics of active leisure among first time mothers in Canada

ABSTRACT In this paper, we investigate the meanings and experiences of active leisure among first time mothers. The connection of first time mothers’ experiences to broader concepts such as intensive mothering, social policy, and neoliberalism are also examined within the context of their well-being. Using narrative analysis, 27 interviews were conducted with nine first time mothers participating in three in-person interviews over three months. Five stories were constructed that call attention to the importance of social relationships in creating opportunities for active leisure participation as well as confronting challenges related to the first time mothers’ recovering post-partum bodies. The findings from this study are important to consider for prospective first time mothers and those who wish to support them (e.g. academics, policymakers, sport, leisure, health and social service professionals) as the transition to motherhood may be marked with social isolation, depression, and a need to be connected to others.

The Concept of Motherhood in a Modern Fiction Text (Mother's Time by G. Sosiashvili)

The Concept of Motherhood in a Modern Fiction Text (Mother's Time by G. Sosiashvili)

Pandemina: Psychological Effects of Becoming First Time Mothers In The Middle of the Pandemic

This research investigated the psychological effects of selected first-time mothers in Cebu province during COVID-19. It further described the participant’s experiences as a first-time mother during a pandemic, the apprehensions and challenges of a first-time mom, and the effects on the psychological well-being of such challenges and uncertainties. This study utilized the qualitative research method. This study's sixteen (16) participants were selected through convenient and purposive random sampling. The researcher's semi-structured interview guide was used in data gathering through in-depth interviews. The thematic analysis of Braun and Clarke was used to analyze the qualitative data. Codes, categories, and common themes were identified from the transcript of in-depth interviews. Eight (8) emergent themes were established from the participants' responses that were classified under three (3) overarching themes that provided answers to the sub-problems. The emergent themes were extracted from the significant statements of the key participants. For the descriptions of the participants on their experiences as first-time moms during the pandemic, the overarching theme, The Experiences of the Participants during the Pandemic, has two (2) emergent themes that were categorized as: On Experiences on COVID-19 health protocols and Heightened Maternal Protective Instinct. For the challenges and apprehensions of the participants as first-time mothers during COVID-19, the overarching theme is Challenges and Apprehensions. The participants have two (2) emergent themes classified as Transition to Motherhood and Financial Factors Affecting Emotions. For the effects of such challenges and apprehensions on the psychological well-being of first-time mothers during COVID, the overarching theme Effects of Such Challenges and Apprehensions on the Psychological well-being of the Participants has four (4) emergent themes were identified: Psychological Effects during Motherhood; Increased Maternal Value; Relationship with Society; and Heightened Maternal Motivation from Witnessing Developmental Milestones. The findings and recommendations derived from the study were used to improve understanding of the lived experiences of first-time mothers during COVID and future research designed to delve into coping strategies for such experiences to the overall well-being.

Negotiating work, family, and traffic: Articulations of married women's employment decisions in Greater Jakarta

AbstractThe international literature on women and work calls on scholars to consider geographical, sociocultural, and institutional contexts governing women's employment dynamics over their life course. In Indonesia (and other lower middle‐income regions in Southeast Asia), female labor force participation is lower in urban areas than rural areas. The largest drop‐off occurs after marriage and childbearing. In this article, we argue that class and spatial context matters in examining the relationship between gender norms, gendered mobilities, and employment outcomes in mega‐urban settings. Using qualitative research, we probe beyond conventional demographic studies to explore the dynamics of married women's (decisions to stay, leave, change, or return to) employment in Greater Jakarta, Indonesia's largest urban core. Our participants were discouraged from employment participation by norms that prioritize married women's role as primary caregivers, and spatial and workplace/regulatory constraints. Our analysis underscores how the participants' employment‐related decisions consistently revolve around the concept of opportunity costs, defined as conflicts and tensions arise from mother's time away from children due to gender norms, lack of childcare and flexible formal employment options, and the long working and commuting hours in Greater Jakarta. Economic pressures for women to participate in the labor market are not matched by work–family policies, which are still rooted in entrenched ideals of women as wives and mothers.

Rainfall, mothers' time use, and child nutrition: evidence from rural Uganda.

Care provision is a key component of women's time use with implications for the health and wellbeing of children. Shifting labor demands resulting from weather shocks may imply that women in developing countries have less time for care provision, potentially affecting their children's nutrition. Nonetheless, a broad literature focusing on the indirect impacts of climate change on child nutrition has yet to explore the mechanisms whereby this occurs, and whether mothers' time use is one of these mechanisms. Using the Uganda National Panel Survey, a unique data set that gathers data on farming activities, time use, and anthropometric measures, I analyze how rainfall variability affects mother's time use and whether time use is a mechanism whereby rainfall variability affects child nutrition in the short run (measured as weight-for-age and weight-for-height Z-scores). My results show that increased rainfall variability in the last month decreases mothers' time share in other household-related activities (e.g., fetching water), while it increases the probability of child wasting. Moreover, using mediation analysis, I find that none of the mothers' time-use variables appears to be a mediating factor between rainfall variability and child nutrition. These results suggest that mothers adjust their time use due to rainfall variability without jeopardizing their children's nutritional levels.

“This is not what I imagined motherhood would look like”: pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting during COVID-19 – a qualitative analysis of the first year since birth

BackgroundChildbearing is one of the most emotional and transformative events in a woman’s life. This study aims to explore the impact COVID-19 had on childbirth, postpartum, and the first year since giving birth.MethodsThis was a qualitative study using data previously collected for a larger study of women who had given birth during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. The findings presented here are from an analysis of a subset of open-ended questions. Sixty-six participants completed questions about how COVID-19 affected childbearing and postpartum experiences. Data was analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.ResultsThematic analysis of the data identified five major themes and several subthemes, including: (1) amplification of new mother typical emotions (positive emotions and negative emotions), (2) financial impact on mothers and their families, (3) persistent impact of COVID-19, (4) new mom paradigm crash (first time mothers and experienced mothers faced different issues such as lack of education and support, adding a layer to the day-to-day, and negotiating time with others) and (5) validating the importance of maternal health. On the whole, participants were overwhelmed, isolated, and did not have enough physical and emotional support. There was a lack of supportive maternal healthcare both in the short-term and long-term, with an emphasis on poor postpartum support.ConclusionsThis study supports previous findings that women who gave birth and entered motherhood during the COVID-19 pandemic were impacted in many ways. These findings contribute to the understanding of women’s experiences not just in the immediate postpartum period, but in their daily lives one year after childbirth. The results highlight that our nation’s traditional maternal healthcare model may be insufficient, especially when facing a national crisis. Strain placed on the healthcare system by COVID-19 impacted both the physical and mental health of mothers who were often left with inadequate care, education, and support. Our findings point to the need for more supportive maternal health both during childbirth and postpartum.

Qualitative Investigation of Infant (birth-6 months’ age) feeding practices among First Time Mothers in rural Nigeria

Qualitative Investigation of Infant (birth-6 months’ age) feeding practices among First Time Mothers in rural Nigeria

Diabetes mellitus associated with type A insulin resistance

Insulin resistance type A is a monogenic disorder with insulin action defect, observed in females with acanthosis nigricans (AN), hyperandrogenism, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance (IR) without obesity. We present a family case of diabetes mellitus (DM) with IR in two sisters with obesity and positive family history of DM in three generations. Hyperglycemia was identified at the age of 13 in the older sister and at 11 in the younger sister after COVID-19. Type 2 diabetes (DM2) was diagnosed in mother in the same time with children. Maternal grandmother was diagnosed with DM2 in 58 years old. Patients were examined in 6 months after diagnosis hyperglycemia in Endocrinology Research Centre. The older sister had obesity, AN, and striae distensae. Glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) 6.2%. Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), hyperinsulinemia and IR, hyperandrogenism, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), arterial hypertension were diagnosed. The younger sister had obesity, striae distensae. HbA1c — 6.0%. Impaired fasting glucose (IFG), IGT, hyperinsulinemia, IR, NAFLD were diagnosed. Antibodies (AAb) to ZnT8A, IA2, GAD absented in both sisters. A genetic test was provided, a heterozygous mutation in the INSR gene p.V167M was identified in both sisters, mother and grandmother. IR type A was identified in a family with the phenotype of DM2 in this case. This case demonstrated that children with carbohydrate metabolism disorders and obesity without Islet cell autoantibodies have to reffered for a genetic testing. Disordered carbohydrate metabolism was diagnosed in the same time after a COVID-19 in three family members who did not previously have disordered carbohydrate metabolism. We suppose that SARS-CoV-2 can be a trigger for the development of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in IR type A.

Relationship between the concentration of ergothioneine in plasma and the likelihood of developing pre-eclampsia.

Ergothioneine, an antioxidant nutraceutical mainly at present derived from the dietary intake of mushrooms, has been suggested as a preventive for pre-eclampsia. We analysed early pregnancy samples from a cohort of 432 first time mothers as part of the Screening for Endpoints in Pregnancy (SCOPE, European branch) project to determine the concentration of ergothioneine in their plasma. There was a weak association between the ergothioneine levels and maternal age, but none for BMI. Of these 432 women, 97 went on to develop pre-term (23) or term (74) pre-eclampsia. If a threshold was set at the 90th percentile of the reference range in the control population (≥ 462 ng/mL), only one of these 97 women (1%) developed pre-eclampsia, versus 96/397 (24.2%) whose ergothioneine level was below this threshold. One possible interpretation of these findings, consistent with previous experiments in a reduced uterine perfusion model in rats, is that ergothioneine may indeed prove protective against pre-eclampsia in humans. An intervention study of some kind now seems warranted.

Maternal Employment and Child Malnutrition in Ecuador.

This paper estimates the causal impact of maternal employment on childhood malnutrition status in Ecuador to understand the trade-off between the time mothers devote to work and the time they dedicate to child-caring activities. We use the instrumental variables (IV) approach and exogenous cantonal variation in maternal labor market conditions to account for the potential endogeneity of mothers' employment. The analysis employs the Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey 2018 and the Living Conditions Survey 2014. The IV estimations indicate that maternal employment increases the probability of having stunted children by between 4.2 and 18.1 percent, while no significant effect is found in the case of children suffering from wasting, being underweight, or being overweight. The effect of maternal employment on stunting is stronger among mothers with high education and living in high-income households. Inconclusive effects of mothers' overweight status are reported. The results are robust to several robustness checks. Overall, our findings suggest that the additional income that a working mother may obtain (the income effect) does not offset the loss of time available for direct childcare (the time constraint) in terms of child health status, and this effect is even more apparent for more affluent and more educated mothers. Government interventions, including effective conditional cash transfers and/or in-kind family policies, intended to reduce the cost of raising children among vulnerable families appear to be aligned with our findings.

Mother’s Age and Social Integration Modulate Sex-biased Maternal Investment in Wild Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi)

In many mammal species, mothers are crucial for the survival and development of young offspring. In primates, maternal investment may ensure immatures’ survival and also foster their social integration in the group, providing long-term fitness benefits. In this study, we analysed maternal investment in a wild group (N = 49) of male philopatric spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). We assessed whether maternal investment is biased toward sons (compared with daughters) and which factors modulate this relation. We studied 20 mother–offspring dyads, measuring the time mothers spent in body contact, nursing, carrying, grooming, and playing with their offspring, for a total of 359 focal samples from February to July 2022. We then ran generalized linear mixed models to assess how these responses varied depending on the two-way interactions of offspring sex with offspring age, maternal age, and maternal centrality. Our results showed that mothers were more likely to nurse, carry, and have body contact with younger than older offspring, regardless of their sex. However, we also found that mothers invested more in male than female offspring; differences were mediated by mothers’ age and social integration in the group. Older mothers, in particular, were more likely to carry sons than daughters, whereas the contrary was true for younger mothers. Moreover, socially more central mothers were more likely to be in body contact with sons than daughters. Overall, our study shows that some maternal behaviours are sex-biased in male-philopatric species, although maternal experience and social integration may modulate this relation.

Is proactive telephone-based breastfeeding peer support a cost-effective intervention? A within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis of the ‘Ringing Up about Breastfeeding earlY’ (RUBY) randomised controlled trial

ObjectiveThe ‘Ringing Up about Breastfeeding earlY’ (RUBY) randomised controlled trial showed increased breastfeeding at 6 months in participants who received the proactive telephone-based peer support breastfeeding intervention compared with participants...

Childbirth expectations and coping strategies of first-time mothers attending a comprehensive health centre in Ekiti State, Nigeria.

Childbirth is a complex life event for every woman. Women will have positive experiences if their expectations are met during childbirth, unmet expectations can result in negative experience. This study assessed the knowledge, expectations and coping strategies used by first time mothers attending a Comprehensive Health Center in Ekiti State. The study adopted a qualitative research design and twenty individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. Purposive sampling technique was used and the sample size was determined by saturation of data. Interviews were analyzed using qualitative thematic content analysis. Findings revealed limited knowledge about labour as majority of the participants had no knowledge of labour signs and process. Also, almost all the women were not familiar with the various methods for relief from discomfort during labour and first-time mothers expect midwives to care for them throughout the labour process. This study emphasized the need for healthcare professionals to provide suitable comprehensive education on the process and signs of labor as well as the various methods of pain relief. Supportive networks should also be provided for women during prenatal clinics. Also, health care professionals should consider the needs of mothers and try as much as possible to provide holistic support.

Maternal Investment Fosters Male but Not Female Social Interactions with Other Group Members in Immature Wild Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).

In several species, individuals form long-lasting social relationships with other group members, which provide them with important fitness benefits. In primates, patterns of social relationships are known to differ between sexes, but little is known about how these differences emerge through development or the role that mothers might have in this process. Here, we investigated how sex differences in social behaviour emerge during the first six years of primate life and how sex-biased maternal investment can foster immatures' social development and social interaction with other group members. For this purpose, we observed 20 males and females aged between zero and six years in a wild group of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) that was male-philopatric and, therefore, expected to show sex-biased maternal investment. Our results showed no sex difference in the social development of offspring with regards to body contact and grooming, but the probability of play was rather constant throughout age for females, whereas, for males, it became higher than females around two years of age, peaking between three and four years of age. Moreover, we found differences between female and male immatures in the importance of maternal investment (which included the time mothers spent nursing, carrying, grooming, touching and playing with their offspring) for their social integration in the natal group. In particular, maternal investment increased the probability of playing with other group members for sons, but not for daughters. Our findings suggest that mothers, through sex-biased maternal investment, might have a crucial function in the social development of spider monkeys, fostering the abilities that young offspring need to thrive as adults. By shedding light on maternal investment and social development in a still understudied primate species, these findings contribute to understanding the evolutionary roots of human maternal care and social development.

Important aspects of intrapartum care described by first-time mothers giving birth in specialised obstetric units in Norway: A qualitative analysis of two questions from the Babies Born Better study

ObjectiveTo explore aspects of intrapartum care that were importanrt for primiparous women who had given birth in large obstetric units in Norway. MethodsWe used data from the Babies Born Better (B3) survey, version 1, which is an international, web-based qualitative survey. We performed a reflexive, thematic analysis of the responses to two questions about descriptions of aspects of positive care and areas of care requiring improvement during the intrapartum period. The responders could give up to three responses to each question and there were no word limits. ResultsIn all, 677 first time mothers who gave birth at the five largest specialised obstetric units in Norway during 2014–2015 were included in the study. The thematic analysis of the 2 205 responses resulted in three final themes: ‘Communication and positive interactions with the caregivers’, ‘Autonomy and active involvement in the labour process’, and ‘Safety, competence and quality of labour care’. ConclusionFor women who give birth for the first time in specialised obstetric units both relational aspect such as communication and respect, and environmental aspects such as facilities, are of importance. First-time mothers might be particularly vulnerable to absence of positive interactions with caregivers because they lack the resources former birthing experience can give. It is essential to give unexperienced birthing women special attention during childbirth because the first birth may influence decisions in following pregnancies.

Transactional associations between infant negative emotionality and maternal sensitivity: Maternal emotion dysregulation as a moderator.

The relations between maternal sensitivity and infant negative emotionality have been tested extensively in the previous literature. However, the extent to which these associations reflect unidirectional or bidirectional effects over time remains somewhat uncertain. Further, the possibility that maternal characteristics moderate the extent to which infant negative emotionality predicts maternal sensitivity over time has yet to be tested in cross-lag models. The goal of the present study is to address these gaps. First time mothers (N = 259; 50% White; 50% Black) and their infants participated when infants were 6, 14, and 26 months of age. Infant negative emotionality was assessed via maternal report and direct observation during standardized laboratory tasks, which were subsequently combined to yield a multimethod measure at each wave. Maternal sensitivity was observationally coded at each wave and mothers self-reported emotion dysregulation at 6 and 14 months. A random intercepts cross-lagged model with maternal emotion dysregulation specified as a moderator revealed that infant negative emotionality at 6 months was negatively associated with maternal sensitivity at 14 months, but only among mothers higher in emotion dysregulation. Higher maternal sensitivity was in turn associated with lower infant negative emotionality when infants were 26 months of age. The indirect pathway was significant, lending support for the transactional model. Implications for future research and prevention/intervention are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Psychosocial predictors of early postpartum depressive and anxious symptoms in primiparous women and their partners

BackgroundWhile the majority of research on postpartum depressive and anxious symptoms has focused on mothers, a growing body of research suggests a need to understand the role of the partner’s health and relationship quality as predictors of postpartum maternal depression, while also better understanding correlates of partner or paternal depression in the postpartum period. The purpose of the current study is to evaluate mother and partner stress, anxiety, mood, infant care support, and relationship quality as predictors of perinatal depressive and anxious symptoms in first time mothers and partners during the postpartum hospital stay.MethodsFirst time parent couples (n = 116) completed a survey during the two-day postpartum stay in a Midwest hospital. Depressive (EPDS) and anxiety symptoms (DASS-21-Anxiety) were assessed in both mothers and partners. Hierarchical linear regression was used to evaluate relationship satisfaction, partner infant care support, stress, and co-parent mood as predictors of mood in mothers and partners separately.ResultsStress was a predictor of anxiety and depression symptoms in both mothers and partners. Additionally, co-parent anxiety significantly predicted anxiety in both mothers and partners. Maternal relationship satisfaction was a predictor of the partner’s depressive symptoms, and maternal perceptions of partner infant support predicted maternal depressive symptoms.ConclusionsTogether, these results suggest that stress, relationship satisfaction, and co-parent mood are related to depressive and anxious symptoms in mothers and partner, underscoring the need to continue exploring mother and partner mental health in a dyadic framework.

Breastfeeding perceptions of first time mothers: A metaphor analysis

Our purpose in the present study is to determine mothers’ perceptions of breastfeeding through metaphors. This is qualitative, cross-sectional and descriptive study. The present study included 33 volunteer mothers who gave birth vaginally for the first time, received care in the postpartum service, and breastfed their babies at least 10 times. To reveal the metaphors related to the concept of breastfeeding, each mother was asked to complete the sentence “Breastfeeding is like… because….” The perceptions of the mothers about breastfeeding were gathered under three main themes: positive, negative and neutral metaphors. The identified metaphors were divided into five categories: indescribable emotion, peace, healing, task and inflicting pain. The mothers produced more positive metaphors about breastfeeding.

Mothers’ Knowledge of Infants' Fever Management: A National Prospective Study

The aim of this study was to describe mothers' knowledge of infant fever management after birth and six months later and its association with sociodemographic characteristics, perceived support, sources of consultation and health education; and to assess determinants of change in mother's knowledge from birth to six months. Mothers (n = 2804) answered a self-reporting questionnaire after giving birth in maternity wards in six hospitals in Israel; six months later follow- up interviews were conducted by telephone. The mothers' knowledge level of infant fever management was low after birth (mean = 50.5, range 0-100, SD = 16.1), and rose to a moderate level six months later (mean = 65.2, SD = 15.0). Mothers having their first born, with lower household income or education were less knowledgeable about infant fever management after birth. However, these mothers showed the largest improvement after six months. Mothers' perceived support or sources of consultation and health education (partner, family, friends, nurses, and physicians) were not associated with their knowledge at either time. Moreover, mothers stated self-learning from internet and other media as often as receiving health education by health professionals. Public health policy for health professionals in hospitals and community clinics is essential to promote clinical interventions promoting mothers' knowledge of infant fever management. Efforts should focus at first time mothers, those with non-academic education, and those with a moderate or low household income. Public health policy enhancing communication with mothers regarding fever management in hospitals and community health settings, as well as accessible means of self-learning is warranted.