The Impact of Family Support on Maternal Sleep Quality
Abstract
Poor sleep quality is the most common complaint reported by women during the postpartum period. Inadequate and disrupted sleep after childbirth is strongly associated with postpartum depression, and vice versa. Sleep difficulties during this period may not be fully resolved until six years after the baby is born. This study aimed to determine the impact of family support, including assistance with baby care and household chores, on mothers' sleep quality. The research was conducted using a cross-sectional method with the standardized Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire administered online. The respondents were 214 mothers with children aged 0–2 years. The study results revealed that 70.1% of respondents received assistance with baby care, and 56.1% received help with household chores, either from their husbands, family members, childcare services, or domestic helpers. However, approximately 79% of respondents still experienced poor sleep quality. Chi-square test results showed a p-value > 0.05, indicating no significant effect of family support in baby care and household chores on mothers' sleep quality. It is crucial for healthcare professionals to educate families about the importance of mothers' rest needs to prevent sleep disturbances from impacting the health of both the mother and the family.
References
Al Rehaili, B. O., Al-Raddadi, R., ALEnezi, N. K., & ALYami, A. H. (2023). Postpartum quality of life and associated factors: a cross-sectional study. Quality of Life Research, 32(7), 2099–2106.
Baattaiah, B. A., Alharbi, M. D., Babteen, N. M., Al-Maqbool, H. M., Babgi, F. A., & Albatati, A. A. (2023). The relationship between fatigue, sleep quality, resilience, and the risk of postpartum depression: an emphasis on maternal mental health. BMC Psychology, 11(1), 10.
Cantwell, L. R. (2022). Improving Sleep Opportunities in Hospitalized Postpartum Mothers. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 6(11), 951–952., May, 2013–2015.
Forbes, L. K., Lamar, M. R., & Bornstein, R. S. (2021). Working Mothers’ Experiences in an Intensive Mothering Culture: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 33(3), 270–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/08952833.2020.1798200
Gessesse, D. N., Tsega, N. T., Aklil, M. B., Temesgan, W. Z., Abegaz, M. Y., Anteneh, T. A., Tibebu, N. S., Alemu, H. N., Haile, T. T., & Seyoum, A. T. (2022). Prevalence and associated factors of poor sleep quality among postpartum women in North West Ethiopia: a community-based study. BMC Psychiatry, 22(1), 538.
Hanefeld, N., Glover, L., Jomeen, J., & Wadephul, F. (2021). Women’s experiences of using the Alexander Technique in the postpartum: ‘…in a way, it’s just as beneficial as sleep.’ Midwifery, 103(August), 103155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2021.103155
Iranpour, S., Kheirabadi, G. R., Esmaillzadeh, A., Heidari-Beni, M., & Maracy, M. R. (2016). Association between sleep quality and postpartum depression. Journal of Research in Medical Sciences: The Official Journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 21.
Jami Ingledue. (2017, July 24). The Mental Workload Of A Mother. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-mental-workload-of-a-mother_b_59765076e4b0c6616f7ce447?guccounter=1%26guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8%26guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAH6ebMGETD-MnLZhqrqaOfj-psuFLfu1T5KHlg8ns3jw2MGYxMKeI5mB1qFD3IiqlNhcDeaagnOpAGZ9M4dxgPf5ZXv010qSnKxrcUqUSQU58q_jXc06TThSl9VABCgTrdQZFqSoQPtUFpzykcXKhcusdrPthWTXYd6Mg-hR-FGx
Khadka, R., Hong, S. A., & Chang, Y. S. (2020). Prevalence and determinants of poor sleep quality and depression among postpartum women: A community-based study in Ramechhap district, Nepal. International Health, 12(2), 125–131. https://doi.org/10.1093/inthealth/ihz032
Lakey, B., Vander Molen, R. J., Fles, E., & Andrews, J. (2016). Ordinary social interaction and the main effect between perceived support and affect. Journal of Personality, 84(5), 671–684.
Liu, C. (2023). Sleep Deprivation in a Postpartum Woman with Short Sleeper Syndrome. In A Clinical Casebook of Sleep Disorders in Women (pp. 29–34). Springer.
Newman, L., Thorne, H., Gupta, C. C., & Sprajcer, M. (2023). How do infant feeding method, sleeping location, and postpartum depression interact with maternal sleep quality? Sleep Medicine, 110, 183–189.
Qi, W., Liu, Y., Lv, H., Ge, J., Meng, Y., Zhao, N., Zhao, F., Guo, Q., & Hu, J. (2022). Effects of family relationship and social support on the mental health of Chinese postpartum women. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 22(1), 65.
Richter, D., Krämer, M. D., Tang, N. K. Y., Montgomery-Downs, H. E., & Lemola, S. (2019). Long-term effects of pregnancy and childbirth on sleep satisfaction and duration of first-time and experienced mothers and fathers. Sleep, 42(4), zsz015.
Sivertsen, B., Hysing, M., Dørheim, S. K., & Eberhard-Gran, M. (2015). Trajectories of maternal sleep problems before and after childbirth: a longitudinal population-based study. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 15, 1–8.