Maternal perception of couple relationship before and after the birth of first and second child and twins

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the changes in quality of couples' relationships from pregnancy to postpartum in pregnant Italian women who conceived spontaneously and to analyze the differences in transition to motherhood with respect to birth of (a) first child, (b) second child, and (c) twins. Background: The transition to motherhood leads to several changes for parents and can significantly affect a couple's adaptation. The couple's adaptation to parenthood may depend on whether they are having a first child, a second child, or twins. Method: A total of 119 women (61 primiparous women with single pregnancy, 42 multiparous women with single pregnancy, and 16 primiparous women with twin pregnancy) completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale during the third trimester of pregnancy and 3 months after childbirth. To explore whether the three groups differed regarding the quality of the couple relationship during pregnancy, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was conducted. Subsequently, a series of mixed 2 Â 3 ANOVA with Time (pregnancy and postpartum) as the within factor and Group as the between factor for each dependent variable linked to the dimensions of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale was carried out to explore whether the quality of the couple relationship differed 3 months after childbirth. Results: Results highlighted that, during pregnancy, mothers expecting one child (both primiparas and multiparas) reported a higher level of couple relationship quality than did women expecting twins. However, after childbirth, mothers of twins reported significant improvements on some qualitative aspects of their couple relationship (Affective Expression), whereas the other mothers reported some worsening in the perceived

Predictor role of marital conflict on maternal competency with mediating role of perceived stress and concerns during pregnancy: A structural equation model

“…Skill and sensitive care will be provided with maternal competence that responds to infants' needs and fosters infant development. 7 The effective factors for maternal competency were intimate partner support, social support, maternal perception of infant behavior, and mental health. 8 The transition to motherhood is not only associated with positive experiences but also with conflict and despair.…”

“…Competency in the maternal role should increase with time and as the woman's self‐concept develops. Skill and sensitive care will be provided with maternal competence that responds to infants' needs and fosters infant development 7 . The effective factors for maternal competency were intimate partner support, social support, maternal perception of infant behavior, and mental health 8 …”

Does it pay to invest in your couple relationship?

“…The level of satisfaction in a relationship tends to fluctuate over time and may decline after the birth of children (Smorti et al, 2022). A successful couple relationship requires good communication, including positivity, openness, and trust, which they have cultivated as a way to develop the kind of intimacy and support that preserves a relationship (Hou et al, 2019) One important predictor of a successfully maintained romantic relationship is the sense that one's partner is investing in it, leading to relationship satisfaction (Gadassi et al, 2016; Stafford & Canary, 1991).…”