Postnatal mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: Impact on mothers’ postnatal sense of security and on mother-to-infant bonding

BACKGROUND: The unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic context imposed new living conditions which greatly modified women's experience of the postpartum period and brought significant changes to postnatal care. OBJECTIVE: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic context on maternal sense of security and on mother-to-child bonding in the postpartum. DESIGN: This study had a mixed research design. We compared levels of mother-child bonding disturbances and of maternal emotional security amongst two samples of postnatal women recruited before and during the pandemic. Postnatal depression was also evaluated. A qualitative analysis of the participants' comments on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was performed with an open-coding approach. PARTICIPANTS: Two samples of French-speaking mothers in the first six months after their childbirth, recruited before the pandemic (N=874) and during the pandemic (N=721). FINDINGS: Mother-child bonding disturbances measured with PBQ and levels of emotional security levels evaluated with PPSSi did not differ significantly between the samples. A high prevalence of women at risk of postnatal depression was found in both samples. However, participants’ comments on their postnatal experience during the pandemic contrasted with their quantitative data. Fears of contamination, social isolation, and lack of support were the main factors of insecurity. Lack of closeness with relatives and friends, limited presence of the partner in the maternity ward, and early interactions with the newborn with a mask appear to have altered mother-child bonding during this pandemic period. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The findings highlight the importance of considering social and environmental factors and needs when evaluating postnatal mental health and providing postnatal care to new mothers during a health crisis. Health services and professionals should pay particular attention to mothers’ mental health and well-being and guarantee continuity of care to avoid parents’ isolation in the sensitive postpartum period.