An Early Sleep Psychoeducational Intervention to improve sleep management and reduce depressive symptoms in new mothers

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Sleep is commonly disturbed during pregnancy and following childbirth. Even individuals who have been ‘healthy sleepers’ will notice a change in their sleep patterns during pregnancy. Given the high associations between sleep deprivation and depression amongst insomnia patients and depressed patients, it is important to note that sleep deprivation may be one factor that contributes to a greater propensity for women to become depressed in the post-natal period compared to other periods in their life. Post Natal Depression (PND) is common yet rarely acknowledged until after the full onset of symptoms negatively affecting all family members. The aim of the current study is to educate and prepare first time parents about sleep and sleep management with a new baby. First time mothers attending prenatal classes will be approached during the last trimester of their pregnancy and randomised to either a sleep psychoeducational intervention or treatment as usual. The primary aim of this project is to determine the efficacy of a brief pragmatic sleep intervention in improving sleep management and reducing depressive symptoms or prevalence of PND in first time mothers compared with treatment as usual.