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Articles

Maternal adjustment to the birth of a child: Primiparity versus multiparity

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Pages 269-286 | Received 10 Dec 2007, Accepted 13 Jun 2008, Published online: 13 Aug 2009
 

Abstract

Introduction: The literature has highlighted the birth of a first child as a crisis moment that implies change and reorganisation. None the less, the specificities of maternal adjustment to the birth of another child are not yet completely known. Goals: To understand differences in adjusting to the birth of a child, in primiparous and multiparous mothers. Specifically: (1) identify and describe differences in adjusting at two different moments: 2–5 days after the birth and 8 months post‐partum; (2) identify and describe differences or continuities among primiparous and multiparous mothers regarding the temporal evolution of adjustment. Method: 179 mothers (98 primiparous; 81 multiparous) were assessed in two different periods: 2–5 days after the birth and 8 months later, concerning adjustment and need for reorganisation. The assessment protocol included a social‐demographic data file, the Emotional Assessment Scale, the Brief Symptom Inventory, the Perceived Stress Scale, and adjectival scales. Results: Primiparous mothers report greater adjustment difficulties right after the birth. Multiparous mothers show a less positive adjustment trajectory, mainly reflected in increasing levels of negative emotional reactivity. Conclusion: Results support the existence of different adjustment trajectories for primiparous and multiparous mothers, suggesting the need for differentiated psychological intervention strategies regarding each group.

Notes

1. In Portugal, this happens in the fourth to fifth month after the birth.

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