Blessings and Curses: Exploring the Experiences of New Mothers during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum experiences of new parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The postpartum period can be a time of significant transition, both positive and negative, for parents as they navigate new relationships with their babies and shifts in family dynamics. Physical distancing requirements mandated by public health orders during the COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to create even more stress for parents with a newborn. Examining personal experiences would provide health care professionals with information to help guide support during significant isolation. Feminist poststructuralism guided the qualitative research process. Sixty-eight new mothers completed an open-ended on-line survey. Responses were analyzed using discourse analysis to examine the beliefs, values, and practices of the participants relating to their family experiences during the pandemic period. It was found that pandemic isolation was a time of complexity with both ‘blessings and curses’. Participants reported that it was a time for family bonding and enjoyment of being a new parent without the usual expectations. It was also a time of missed opportunities as they were not able to share milestones and memories with extended family. Caring for a newborn during the COVID-19 pandemic where complex contradictions were constructed by competing social discourses created difficult dichotomies for families. In acknowledging the complex experiences of mothers during COVID-19 isolation, nurses and midwives can come to understand and help new parents to focus on the blessings of this time while acknowledging the curses.

“COVID affected us all:” the birth and postnatal health experiences of resettled Syrian refugee women during COVID-19 in Canada

“…The COVID-19 environment also impacted resettled refugee women’s mental health during the postnatal period, causing increased feelings of fear, isolation, and disappointment. These findings are consistent with other recent reports on the experiences of non-newcomer women who are postpartum during COVID-19 in Atlantic Canada [ 14 , 16 , 19 ]. The COVID-specific experiences of non-newcomer women parallels the pre-pandemic postpartum experiences of resettled refugee women.…”

“…Women in our study described the stresses and pressures they faced as a result of decreased informal support, increased childcare and homeschooling demands, and the closures/restrictions of valuable support services (e.g., doulas)—all of which have been reported in other literature with non-newcomer women [ 10 , 14 , 19 ]. These stressors were coupled with feelings of disappointment and loss related to missed or robbed birth- and postnatal-related moments and milestones [ 14 , 16 , 19 ]. Studies with non-newcomer women have also found significant increases in postpartum anxiety [ 12 ] and depression symptoms [ 61 ] during the pandemic, in addition to a significant increase in healthcare visits for postpartum mental health concerns [ 62 ].…”

“…The COVID-19 pandemic has posed ethical challenges regarding the implementation of policies that reduce the spread of the virus but may cause unintentional harm to women and their families [ 11 ]. Most notably, COVID-related restrictions around the presence of in-person support people in-hospital and at home (e.g., family, friends, doulas) has had detrimental impacts on maternal mental health during the postpartum period [ 14 , 16 , 19 ]. The unavailability of support people left women overwhelmed, exhausted, in a particularly vulnerable stage of life.…”

“…In addition to disrupted healthcare access, COVID-19 restrictions and physical distancing requirements have socially isolated many postnatal women and limited their access to in-person social and informal supports [ 16 – 18 ]. Informal supports (e.g., meal preparation, childcare, advice sharing) provided by family, friends, or community members contributes to women’s postnatal health, mitigates against postpartum depressive symptoms, and contributes to maternal self-efficacy [ 6 , 8 ].…”

Infant feeding experiences and concerns among caregivers early in the COVID‐19 State of Emergency in Nova Scotia, Canada

“…Though there were many reported negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, participants also reported unanticipated positive experiences, including less pressure and more time with their baby, which has been reported by others. Like those in our study, Nova Scotian caregivers who responded to an open-ended survey on post-partum experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic also described a complex time, reporting not only negative themes, such as isolation, but also 'blessings', such as freedom from social expectations and more family bonding time (Joy et al, 2020).…”