What Postpartum Is Really Like

Some new data on the postpartum experience and what you can do to have a better experience

Today’s newsletter is a bonus Parenting Translator newsletter with some data from BabyCenter that I think is too important to ignore. After being through the postpartum period four times now, I can definitively say that the lack of support provided for new mothers in the United States is beyond appalling. It is up to all of us to share data like this in hopes that increased awareness will help to change the experience for mothers in the future.

A recent survey conducted by Everyday Health Group – Pregnancy & Parenting for BabyCenter investigated the postpartum experience of 1,742 mothers aged 18 to 49 years in the United States, with a child between 0 and 6 months of age in June 2023. The survey asked mothers about their postpartum experiences and mental health

Here’s what the survey found:

1. Mothers feel more prepared to care for their baby than themselves. This survey found that 65% of mothers leave the hospital feeling prepared to care for their baby, but only 47% feel ready to care for themselves. This is particularly true for first-time mothers— with only 38% of them feeling ready to care for themselves. This discrepancy may arise because there are classes, books, blogs, and apps dedicated to teaching new mothers to care for their babies but there are far fewer resources to help new mothers to learn how to care for themselves.

2. Mothers are typically more satisfied with the medical care for their baby than themselves. 81% of mothers report that they are satisfied with their baby’s medical care while only 65% of mothers are satisfied with their own medical care in the postpartum period. This statistic suggests that the quality of medical care may be better for infants than their mothers in the postpartum period.

3. Mothers feel less supported after they leave the hospital. Most mothers report they received the support they needed during labor and birth (65%) and recovery in the hospital (56%). Yet, only 41% of mothers say they get the support they need after leaving the hospital. This drop in support after leaving the hospital reflects the lack of postpartum services available in the US.

4. Mothers of color are particularly likely to indicate that they do not have the support that they need. Only 22% of Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) mothers and 32% of Black mothers reported that they felt supported in the postpartum period, compared to 44% of White mothers.

5. Mothers who took a maternity leave of 13 weeks or longer and mothers with a partner who took at least 9 weeks of leave are less likely to experience anxiety in the postpartum period. Yet, in this survey, the average maternity leave was 11.8 weeks for mothers and 4 weeks for fathers. Clearly, parents in the US do not have the opportunity to take the maternity/paternity leave that would be optimal to their mental health.

6. The support that mothers have at home doesn't seem to be enough. Reassuringly, nearly all mothers (97%) have some help in the early weeks with a newborn (77% have help from a partner, 48% have help from a mother, and 23% have help from a mother-in-law). 54% of mothers also paid for additional support (such as grocery delivery or child care). Mothers also lacked support and guidance on how to cope with the medical and mental health symptoms that follow childbirth, such as how to deal with pain, bleeding, breastfeeding problems, and fluctuations in mood and stress levels. 

Limitations 

The results of this survey were made available by Everyday Health Group but they have not yet been evaluated by the peer review process for publication in an academic journal, meaning that the methods of data collection and analysis have not been rigorously examined by experts in the field.

Translation

The results of this survey suggest that many mothers feel unsupported during the postpartum period and that our health system seems to prioritize the needs of the baby over the mother during this time. These findings suggest that the following may help to promote maternal health and well-being during the postpartum period:

1. Educate yourself about the postpartum experience. Some resources include this Postpartum Timeline, this Postpartum Mental Health Guide, information on recovering from birth trauma, and this book on the postpartum experience (Not Your Mother’s Postpartum Book).

2. Form a postpartum support network before you have the baby. Make sure you have a “village” to support you by asking your partner, your family, and your friends for help. Find in-person or online groups of new mothers for emotional support and to know you are not alone in your struggles.

3. Identify professionals who can help you. Before having a baby, try to find a postpartum doula, a lactation consultant, a physical therapist specializing in pelvic health, and a mental health professional specializing in postpartum mood disorders. Then, if you need their support after birth, you will know who to call.

4. Advocate for paid maternal and paternal leave. This survey found that both maternity and paternity leave reduced the risk for postpartum anxiety. Unfortunately, very few parents in the United States have more than a few weeks of paid leave.

5. Join a support group for new mothers. Joining a support group can help mothers feel less alone and get access to new information on ways to improve maternal wellbeing.

6. Contact a free resource for postpartum mental health support. Hotlines such as The National Maternal Mental Health Hotline and the Postpartum Support International Helpline provide counseling and support for mothers experiencing postpartum stress.

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Welcome to the Parenting Translator newsletter! I am Dr. Cara Goodwin, a licensed psychologist with a PhD in child psychology and mother to four children (currently a newborn, 3-year-old, 5-year-old, and 8-year-old). I specialize in taking all of the research that is out there related to parenting and child development and turning it into information that is accurate, relevant, and useful for parents! I recently turned these efforts into a non-profit organization since I believe that all parents deserve access to unbiased and free information. This means that I am only here to help YOU as a parent so please send along any feedback, topic suggestions, or questions that you have! You can also find me on Instagram @parentingtranslator, on TikTok @parentingtranslator, and my website (www.parentingtranslator.org).

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