Abstract
Objective
To determine whether embedding educational information about child development and optimal parenting practices from the Bright Futures Guidelines for Health Supervision into baby books can reduce women’s depressive symptoms and parenting stress during the first 18 months of motherhood.
Methods
A sample of 167 low-income, primarily African-American, first-time mothers were randomized into three conditions while pregnant: an educational book group, a non-educational book group, or a no-book group. Depressive symptoms and parenting stress were assessed using two questionnaires during home visits when women were in their third trimester of pregnancy (baseline) and when their child was 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months of age.
Results
Hierarchical Linear Models showed that women who received books with educational information shed depressive symptoms and parenting stress at a faster rate than women who received similar books without educational information and women who did not receive books.
Conclusions
These findings indicate that providing women with child development and parenting information via baby books can be an effective strategy for promoting new mothers’ emotional wellbeing. Since feelings of sadness and stress are risky for both mothers and their infants, this easy to implement intervention holds great promise.
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Acknowledgements
Many thanks to the late Dr. Carol Connor and Dr. Osman Umarji for their valuable help with the analysis. We are especially grateful to the families that participated in this study. Funding for this study was provided by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (R01HD047749 and R01HD78547). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. The first author wishes to thank her Mexican parents, family and community whose love, example and support continue to guide and inspire her.
Funding
Funding for this study was provided by the National Institute for Child Health and Human Development (R01HD047749) and (R01HD78547).
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Ochoa, W., Reich, S.M. & Díaz, G. A Randomized Control Trial of Using Baby Books to Reduce New Mothers’ Feelings of Stress and Depression. Matern Child Health J 25, 1615–1625 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03200-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-021-03200-9