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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.
... Finally, women in this study highlighted that movement enabled them to place themselves at the centre, to relax and cope, aligning with research into postpartum self-connection and self-care as essential for new mothers' well-being (Lambermon et al., 2020;Rose et al., 2024). This is particularly significant in ultra-Orthodox society, given their high birth rate and where women's numerous roles and cultural norms often limit self-care opportunities (Leiter et al., 2019). ...
Body image is a major postpartum problem negatively correlated with postpartum depression. The present study tests this correlation amongst ultra-Orthodox women in Israel and analyses whether movement classes are effective in improving postpartum body image. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, the study followed two groups of ultra-Orthodox postpartum women (n = 45): one group that participated in movement classes (n = 23) and a comparison group that did not (n = 22). Results of the study found a negative correlation between depression and body image amongst ultra-Orthodox women (r(53) = −0.342, p < .05) and a trend of movement classes positively affecting postpartum body image (t(43) = 1.388, p = .086). Furthermore, semi-structured interviews found three themes as to how movement 1. Regulates emotions, 2. Releases stress and 3. Places the mother at the centre. Discussion of the results highlights the importance of maintaining positive body image and emotional health in the postpartum period, and that, according to the perception of participants in this study, movement positively contributed to their sense of self and coping abilities. These connections are critical regarding ultra-Orthodox women, whose birth rate is significantly higher relative to broader society. The current study should serve as a basis for encouraging postpartum movement participation amongst ultra-Orthodox and other similar conservative religious sectors of society.
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