The experience of motherhood

1
The experience of motherhood

• Judith Lumley
• Centre for the Study of Mothers Childrens
  Health

2
Rationale and development

• Developed by Jill Astbury currently at WHO
• Designed to be used with mothers as part of the
  neonatal follow-up of very low birth-weight/very
  preterm infants
• Aim to assess the impact of the child on the
  mothers everyday life

3
Psychometric properties

• Paper published in the Journal of Reproductive
  and Infant Psychology by Jill Astbury (1995-7)
• 20-item scale with 10 negative and ten positive
  statements
• Good psychometric properties

4
Specific issues in EOM

• VLBW follow-up origins explains one statement
• I feel anxious whenever I remember the babys
  start in life
• One problematic statement
• I wish those close to me would share the work of
  baby care with me
• No significant difference in mean scores between
  women with depression and those not depressed, 2
  years after birth

5
EOM (continued)

• No significant difference in mean score between
  women with current depression and those not
  depressed, 2 years after birth
• High scores at 2 years after birth are associated
  with high levels of anxiety (Spielberger
  State/Trait Anxiety Scale)

6
Recent and current uses

• Follow-up of women depressed six months after
  birth, and control group from State-wide survey
  two years after birth
• Missing Voices, Melbourne OUP, 1994
• PRISM (community-randomised trial) to reduce
  depression EOM included in six month and
  two-year follow-up, along side other measures

7
Positive statements

• I feel relaxed whenever I think about the baby
• I have easy access to transport when I go out
  with the baby
• I enjoy mealtimes with the baby
• I have time to pursue my own interests
• I have enjoyed sex since the baby was born
• I like my life just as it is

8
(continued)

• I am coping with the stresses of motherhood
• I have greater confidence since I became a mother
• I have an active life
• I feel great fulfillment in looking after the
  baby

9
Response options

• Not at all
• Somewhat
• Moderately so
• Very much so