First-time mothers’ confidence mood and stress in the first months postpartum. A cohort study.

Highlights • First-time mothers’ with confidence scores below the clinical cut-off (KPCS <40) fell significantly from 24% to 13% from 2 to 6 months after birth. • First-time mothers’ symptoms of depression scores above the clinical cut-off (EPDS ≥ 8) fell significantly from 15% to13% from 2 to 6 months after birth. • The Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale assessed at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor of both maternal confidence and parental stress 6 months postpartum. • Further research is needed to validate the KPCS, EPDS and PSS in a Danish context as tools for identifying mothers who may be in need of support. Abstract Objectives The aims were to describe first-time mothers’ confidence, mood and stress 2 and 6 months postpartum and to investigate the extent to which the tools measuring maternal confidence and maternal mood used alone or together at 2 months postpartum predict first-time maternal confidence, mood and stress 6 months postpartum. Design A cohort including 513 first-time mothers’ self-reported questionnaires concerning three scales: The Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (KPCS), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) collected 2 and 6 months postpartum. Descriptive statistic, simple and multiple linear regression analysis were used. Results First-time mothers’ with confidence scores below the clinical cut-off (KPCS <40) fell significantly from 25% to 14% (p < 0.001), symptoms of depression above the clinical cut-off (EPDS ≥ 8) fell significantly from 16% to 12% (p < 0.001), and parental stress as a mother fell significantly from a mean of 32.88 to 30.98 (p < 0.001). The KPCS assessed at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor for both maternal confidence (R² = 0.38) and parental stress (R² = 0.26) 6 months postpartum. Conclusion The results support the assumption that parenthood is a complicated period for first-time mothers characterised by low confidence, symptoms of depression and high stress which improve over time for the majority of mothers. The KPCS at 2 months postpartum was the strongest predictor of the measures used. Further research is needed to identify parents who are struggling, especially for health professionals’ whose role is to support parents in their parenthood the first period after birth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]