The Correlation Between Maternal Infant Bonding, Pain and Postpartum Depression

Maternal Care Patterns

The delivery process can be associated with significant maternal pain. which has many long and short term affects. The aim of our study is to assess whether pain during and after childbirth negatively impacts a mother's attachment to her baby (maternal bonding) and the increases the incidence of postpartum depression.

Delivery is a process that is correlated with maternal pain. The maternal pain can have signifcant long term and short term maternal and neontal impact. The most common method for pain reilef during delivery is epidural analgesia. Few studies have examined the assocaition between use of epidural analgesia and postpartum depression, with some studies showing a postive correlation and other condricting so. Maternal bonding is defined as her's emotional state, including maternal feelings towards the infant, it has proven to be the basis for the child's later attachment and sense of self. A stable and strong bond between mother and child is associated with positive parental behavior and of the child's cognitive and behavioral development, while a unstable maternal infant bond can may lead to long term matenal and infant complications. The aim of our study is to assess whether pain during and after childbirth negatively impacts a mother's attachment to her baby (maternal bonding) and the increases the incidence of postpartum depression. In this study women the day after labor will be approched , following obtaining consent will be requested to fill out a the PBO vailadited maternal bonding questtionanire , the valadited EPDS (endinbough postpartum depression questionnaire) and a general questionnaire detailing their demographic , obstetric history and pain levels. At six weeks postpartum a member of the research team will call the study participant and ask the PBO and EPDS questionnaires to asses the correlation between delivery pain , maternal bonding and postpartum depression,

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