Primiparous mothers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the Postpartum Parent Support Program (PPSP) at the second to fourth postpartum weeks

Carroll, Ann Marie (1996) Primiparous mothers' perceptions of the effectiveness of the Postpartum Parent Support Program (PPSP) at the second to fourth postpartum weeks. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was (a) to determine whether the Postpartum Parent Support Program (PPSP) is helping mothers identify their postpartum learning needs; (b) to determine whether the PPSP is providing mothers with consistent, helpful, and confidence building information during the first postpartum weeks; (c) to determine whether the PPSP is helping mothers identify and use sources of support in the community; and finally (d) to determine whether early discharge affects maternal confidence in self and child care at 2-4 weeks postpartum. -- The sample consisted of 61 primiparous mothers who delivered healthy, full-term infants at the tertiary obstetrics facility for Newfoundland. Mothers completed a demographic questionnaire during their hospital stay and a telephone interview between their 2nd and 4th postpartum weeks. -- Results found that the learning needs self-assessment questionnaire is frequently not introduced as outlined by the PPSP implementation plan or in keeping with principles of adult learning. -- While the PPSP is, for the most part providing mothers with consistent, helpful, and confidence building information, information regarding infant feeding from hospital nurses was frequently rated as inconsistent and not helpful. Furthermore, mothers indicated a need for information in various areas that were not provided, possibly due to inadequate use of the PPSP questionnaire. Overall, mothers were significantly more satisfied with information from community health nurses than with information from hospital nurses. While the PPSP is providing confidence building information to new mothers, those who received an explanation of the purpose of the PPSP questionnaire were significantly more confident in self and infant care at 2-4 weeks postpartum than mothers who did not receive an explanation of the purpose of the questionnaire. -- The PPSP is helping mothers identify and use sources of community support. However, mothers most in need of breastfeeding support (those who were breastfeeding with supplementation) were less likely to be aware of sources of community support than were exclusively breastfeeding women. -- Finally, mothers who were discharged early were neither more nor less confident at 2-4 weeks postpartum than mothers discharged later.

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