Faculty Collaboration Database

How Postpartum Women With Depressive Symptoms Manage Sleep Disruption and Fatigue. Res Nurs Health 2017 Apr;40(2):132-142

Date

01/14/2017

Pubmed ID

28084629

DOI

10.1002/nur.21782

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85015302961 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   11 Citations

Abstract

Postpartum sleep and fatigue have bidirectional relationships with depressive symptoms and challenge women's everyday functioning. The everyday process of managing postpartum sleep and fatigue in the context of depressive symptoms remains unexplored. We conducted a grounded theory study with a sample of 19 women who screened positive on the Postpartum Depression Screening Scale (PDSS™) Short Form at 3 weeks postpartum. Women completed semi-structured in-home interviews and the full PDSS and Modified Fatigue Symptoms Checklist at 1, 3, and 6 months postpartum. The sample was on average 27 years old, with 2.8 children, and 63% were African-American. They described a basic social process of Finding a Routine Together, during which women's experiences with their infants progressed from Retreating at month 1 toward Finding a New Normal at month 6. In their work to Find a Routine Together, mothers' patterns of change over time were continuous, gradual, or prolonged. Their progress was influenced by depressive symptoms, social support, work and daycare, stability in social circumstances, and underlying stressors. This study's findings suggest the need to allocate resources and tailor interventions to meet the needs of women who are most vulnerable to the health effects of ongoing persistent severe fatigue, disordered sleep, and sub-clinical and clinical levels of depressive symptoms. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Author List

Doering JJ, Sims DA, Miller DD

Author

Jennifer Doering PhD Associate Professor in the Nursing department at University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adolescent
Adult
Depression
Depression, Postpartum
Fatigue
Female
Grounded Theory
Humans
Interviews as Topic
Longitudinal Studies
Middle Aged
Mothers
Postpartum Period
Risk Factors
Sleep Wake Disorders
Social Support