Postpartum women's experiences of social and healthcare professional support during the COVID-19 pandemic: A recurrent cross-sectional thematic analysis.
Leanne Jackson, Leonardo De Pascalis, Joanne A Harrold and 2 others
PMID 34756734WHAT IT FOUND
Postnatal women described lockdown as isolating, with reduced family support and rushed virtual healthcare.
When restrictions eased, renewed contact helped, but missed milestones, excluded partners, and limited online support still left many feeling unsupported.
Key findings
01Most respondents felt their postnatal experiences were more isolated and difficult to manage because family and friends could not provide usual emotional and practical support.
02Virtual and phone healthcare was often felt to be rushed, impersonal, or a tick-box check, leaving mothers with unanswered questions and fear of being a burden.
03Easing restrictions improved wellbeing through renewed independence and contact with loved ones, but women still grieved lost time with their babies and found technology less intimate than face-to-face support.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study used 24 interviews, so themes are perceptions from a small group and not measured clinical outcomes. Participants were UK mothers who were married and mostly similar in age, education, and occupation, so the findings may not apply to other groups. Ethnicity and place of birth were not routinely recorded, so the study cannot address differences by ethnicity or birth setting. The study did not test whether any support model improved maternal or infant wellbeing.
Declared interests
The study received no funding. One author reported support from the National Institute for Health Research Applied Research Collaboration South London and an NIHR Senior Investigator Award. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as evidence that any specific postnatal care change improved outcomes. This was a small qualitative study of mothers' perceptions, not a trial of support services.