The Process of "Persevering Toward Normalcy" After Childbirth

Doering, Jennifer J.; Durfor, Stephanie L.

doi:10.1097/nmc.0b013e31821826e7

Cited by 18 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…As in other research, breastfeeding participants reported that flexible practices of infant care enabled them to get more sleep (Doering & Durfor, 2011). We found among the formula-feeding participants that personal behavioural choices were guided by authoritative cultural norms (Chianese, Ploof, Trovato, & Chang, 2009).…”

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confidence: 58%

Exploring Maternal Perceptions of Infant Sleep and Feeding Method Among Mothers in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Rudzik

Ball

2015

Matern Child Health J

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. (2016) 'Exploring maternal perceptions of infant sleep and feeding method among mothers in the United Kingdom : a qualitative focus group study.', Maternal and child health journal., 20 (1). pp. 33-40. Further information on publisher's website:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1798-7Publisher's copyright statement:The nal publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10995-015-1798-7.Additional information: Use policyThe full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that:• a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in DRO • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders.Please consult the full DRO policy for further details. In a context with strong rhetorical support for breastfeeding in the health system, yet extremely low rates of breastfeeding after hospital discharge, UK women's decisions about infant feeding reflect the reality of competing priorities in their lives, including obtaining adequate sleep. Popular wisdom in the UK tightly links breastfeeding and inadequate night-time sleep. Mothers are advised by peers and family to introduce formula or solid foods to infants to promote longer sleep. The first objective of this study was to investigate women's understandings of the nature of infant sleep and their perceptions of links between infant feeding method and sleep. The second was to explore how these perceptions influence infant feeding and sleep practices in the first year. Underpinning our work is the understanding that infant care choices result from tradeoffs by which mothers strive to balance infant-and self-care. We conducted seven focus groups with mothers of infants in two regions of the UK. Verbatim transcripts were thematically coded and emergent themes were identified. We found clearly diverging narratives between breastfeeding and formula-feeding mothers. Breastfeeding mothers viewed the fragmentary nature of infant sleep as natural, while mothers who were formula feeding felt this was a problem to be fixed. The strategies and approaches used to promote infant and maternal sleep in each group were aligned with this underlying perception of how infant sleep works. Maternal perceptions of the nature of infant sleep and its relation to infant feeding method impact infant care practices in the first year of life. SignificanceParents of infants under a year of age desire to obtain adequate sleep for themselves and their infants. Infant feeding and sleep are tightly connected in popular perception, yet little research has directly explored women's experiences of infant feeding and sleep. This study reveals that a divergence of perceptions of infant sleep and feeding between feeding groups underlies the use of different strategies for night-time s...

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confidence: 58%

Exploring Maternal Perceptions of Infant Sleep and Feeding Method Among Mothers in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Rudzik

Ball

2015

Matern Child Health J

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“…Despite recognition of the potential dangers resulting from sleepy employees [29] there has been little attempt to understand sleepiness in new parents returning to work. This oversight within the literature has further consequences when considered that despite high levels of sleepiness, new mothers “persevere” to meet their essential work and economical demands [30]. Future research should consider practical implications for high risk activities, such as driving, and the potential impact of self-limiting risk exposure behaviours.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Change in Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness in Postpartum Women

2014

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Sleep disruption strongly influences daytime functioning; resultant sleepiness is recognised as a contributing risk-factor for individuals performing critical and dangerous tasks. While the relationship between sleep and sleepiness has been heavily investigated in the vulnerable sub-populations of shift workers and patients with sleep disorders, postpartum women have been comparatively overlooked. Thirty-three healthy, postpartum women recorded every episode of sleep and wake each day during postpartum weeks 6, 12 and 18. Although repeated measures analysis revealed there was no significant difference in the amount of nocturnal sleep and frequency of night-time wakings, there was a significant reduction in sleep disruption, due to fewer minutes of wake after sleep onset. Subjective sleepiness was measured each day using the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale; at the two earlier time points this was significantly correlated with sleep quality but not to sleep quantity. Epworth Sleepiness Scores significantly reduced over time; however, during week 18 over 50% of participants were still experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness (Epworth Sleepiness Score ≥12). Results have implications for health care providers and policy makers. Health care providers designing interventions to address sleepiness in new mothers should take into account the dynamic changes to sleep and sleepiness during this initial postpartum period. Policy makers developing regulations for parental leave entitlements should take into consideration the high prevalence of excessive daytime sleepiness experienced by new mothers, ensuring enough opportunity for daytime sleepiness to diminish to a manageable level prior to reengagement in the workforce.

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“…Postpartum mothers describe the necessity to persevere through their sleep disturbance in order to work and meet essential economical demands (Doering & Dufor, 2011). Similarly, new fathers have been shown to return to work despite their high level of fatigue, which is consequently inversely associated with work safety behaviors (Mellor & St John, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sleep and sleepiness among first‐time postpartum parents: A field‐ and laboratory‐based multimethod assessment

Insana

Montgomery‐Downs

2012

Developmental Psychobiology

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The study aim was to compare sleep, sleepiness, fatigue, and neurobehavioral performance among first-time mothers and fathers during their early postpartum period. Participants were 21 first-time postpartum mother-father dyads (N=42) and seven childless control dyads (N=14). Within their natural environment, participants completed one week of wrist actigraphy monitoring, along with multi-day self-administered sleepiness, fatigue, and neurobehavioral performance measures. The assessment week was followed by an objective laboratory based test of sleepiness. Mothers obtained more sleep compared to fathers, but mothers’ sleep was more disturbed by awakenings. Fathers had greater objectively measured sleepiness than mothers. Mothers and fathers did not differ on subjectively measured sleep quality, sleepiness, or fatigue; however, mothers had worse neurobehavioral performance than fathers. Compared to control dyads, postpartum parents experienced greater sleep disturbance, sleepiness, and sleepiness associated impairments. Study results inform social policy, postpartum sleep interventions, and research on postpartum family systems and mechanisms that propagate sleepiness.

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The Process of "Persevering Toward Normalcy" After Childbirth

Cited by 18 publications

References 25 publications

Exploring Maternal Perceptions of Infant Sleep and Feeding Method Among Mothers in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Exploring Maternal Perceptions of Infant Sleep and Feeding Method Among Mothers in the United Kingdom: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Longitudinal Change in Sleep and Daytime Sleepiness in Postpartum Women

Sleep and sleepiness among first‐time postpartum parents: A field‐ and laboratory‐based multimethod assessment

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