Postpartum fatigue, baby-care activities, and maternal-infant attachment of vaginal and cesarean births following rooming-in.

AIM

This study compares women's postpartum fatigue, baby-care activities, and maternal-infant attachment following vaginal and cesarean births in rooming-in settings.

BACKGROUND

Postpartum women admitted to baby-friendly hospitals are asked to stay with their babies 24 hours a day and to breastfeed on demand regardless of the type of childbirth.

METHODS

The study used a descriptive cross-sectional study design. A total of 120 postpartum women were recruited from two accredited baby-friendly hospitals in southern Taiwan. Three structured questionnaires were used to collect data, on which an analysis of covariance was conducted.

RESULTS

Women who experienced a cesarean birth had higher postpartum fatigue scores than women who had given birth vaginally. Higher postpartum fatigue scores were correlated with greater difficulty in baby-care activities, which in turn resulted in weaker maternal-infant attachment as measured in the first 2 to 3 days postpartum.

CONCLUSIONS

Hospitals should implement rooming-in in a more flexible way by taking women's postpartum fatigue and physical functioning into consideration.