Date of Award
3-2025
Culminating Project Type
Starred Paper
Styleguide
apa
Degree Name
Child and Family Studies: Family Studies: M.S.
Department
Child and Family Studies
College
School of Education
First Advisor
Frances Kayona
Second Advisor
Sandi Loxton
Third Advisor
Deborah Wheeler
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Keywords and Subject Headings
post partum depression, effects on mothers and babies
Abstract
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a severe, long-lasting form of depression following childbirth that affects a substantial number of new mothers (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 2022). Research shows that, in fact, one in seven women suffer from PPD, with an unknown number of women going undiagnosed (Bianciardi et al., 2020). This mental illness is filled with feelings of intense sadness, hopelessness, and fatigue. PPD can disrupt a mother’s ability to bond with her new bundle of joy, manage self-care, and participate in routine daily activities (O'Hara & McCabe, 2013). This illness not only has a significant emotional and psychological weight on the mother, but it can also have wide-ranging consequences for the baby’s development and general welfare. Infants of mothers with postpartum depression are at a higher risk for issues such as impaired cognitive and emotional development, attachment difficulties, and behavioral problems (Bennett et al., 2004). Given the vital early years of life for a child’s developmental milestones, understanding the full scope of the dual impact of postpartum depression is essential. Therefore, this Starred Paper aims to understand the psychological, physiological, and developmental effects of PPD on both mothers and their babies while also considering researched strategies for intervention and/or care to alleviate these potential negative outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Doyle, Krista, "The Impact of Post-Partum Depression on Mothers and their Babies" (2025). Culminating Projects in Child and Family Studies. 78.
https://repository.stcloudstate.edu/cfs_etds/78
