Project Description
This capstone project aimed to increase my knowledge and advocate for occupational therapy's role in maternal health and bonding. The created resources aim to educate, support, and encourage mothers with the complex transition to motherhood to support bonding and role competence. As well as provide students with avenues for success in addressing maternal health and bonding.
Needs Assessment
Nearly 1 in 8 women experience postpartum depression (CDC, 2022). Competence within this role transition is influenced by various factors such as maternal perceptions, infant temperament, mother-infant bonding, and social support.
The infant mortality rate is the leading cause of infant deaths. In 2020 the infant mortality rate in the United States was 5.4 deaths per 1,000 (CDC, 2022).
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists recently developed new guidelines for postpartum care emphasizing the importance of mothers receiving supportive services throughout pregnancy and after birth (Avery et al., 2018).
The need is representative of the recent literature regarding infant mortality rates and a call to action from the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists.
Literature Review
When transitioning to motherhood, physical, psychological, and psychosocial changes occur during the perinatal period. In this transition, individual roles, occupational identities, and occupational routines are continuously challenged (Slootjes et al., 2016).
OTPs uniquely provide holistic care and support mothers as they transition to motherhood, especially during breastfeeding. A study by Sponseller et al. (2021) indicated that mothers reported a greater sense of self-efficacy and self-worth following occupational therapy intervention for breastfeeding (Sponseller et al., 2021).
OTPs play a unique role in working with mother-infant pairs, specifically in co-occupations that have been studied for over a decade in OT practice (Pitonyak, 2014).
OTPs use the foundations of a client-centered approach to engage and promote role competence and occupational performance through the transition to motherhood (Breen-Franklin, 2018).
Mission Statement
To explore maternal bonding and quality of life for mothers through a needs assessment, which will guide resources to inform occupational therapy practitioners and mothers to promote quality of life and maternal bonding experience through the transition to motherhood.
Vision Statement
To improve maternal care and quality of life for mothers and their infants through delivering evidence-based resources guided by occupational therapy practice.
Project Leader
As the project lead, I was responsible for the planning, development, implementation, and execution of my project. Throughout the doctoral capstone experience, I facilitated communication with all key stakeholders to ensure the successful completion of the doctoral capstone experience.
Project Mentors
Faculty Mentor | Expert Mentor
Project Outcomes
This capstone project had a total of seven deliverables which are outlined below.
Developed three case study scenarios as a part of an educational workbook to outline occupational therapy's role in maternal health of bonding and educate students on avenues for success when working within this practice area.
Certificate of completion for CEU coursework in breastfeeding
Certificate of completion for CEU coursework in postpartum care
Experiential-based manuscript on maternal health and bonding
Development of an infographic resource advocating for occupational therapy’s role in maternal health and bonding
Creation of one Introductory level presentation for occupational therapy practitioners
An evidence-based educational workbook for perinatal women addresses developmental milestones, activity ideas, breastfeeding, babywearing, and other considerations to assist with the transition to motherhood
Impact & Future Directions
Through completing my doctoral capstone, I have gained experience providing care to women during the perinatal period and developed an increased knowledge of occupational therapy's role in maternal health and bonding. By producing resources, I aim to ensure that evidence-based care is provided to women during the perinatal period to equip them better to transition to motherhood.
I plan to pursue a career in pediatric outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation settings. Throughout the doctoral capstone experience, I gained specialized knowledge and clinical experience, further enhancing my personal and professional skills and understanding of how to work with mother-infant dyads.
Contact Information
Email: Ashleybeaver141@gmail.com
Phone: 419-551-8020
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework; Domain and process (4th ed.). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 74(Suppl. 2), 7412410010. https://dx.doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2020.74S2001
Avery, M. D., Bell, A. D., Bingham, D., Corry, M. P., Delbanco, S. F., Gullo, S. L., Ivory, C. H., Jennings, J. C., Kennedy, H. P., Kozhimannil, K. B., Leeman, L., Lothian, J. A., Miller, H. D., Ogburn, T., Romano, A., Sakala, C., & Shah, N. T. (2018). Blueprint for advancing high-value maternity care through physiologic childbearing. Journal of Perinatal Education, 27(3), 130–134. https://doi.org/10.1891/1058-1243.27.3.130
Bigelow, A., Power, M., MacLellan‐Peters, J., Alex, M., & McDonald, C. (2012). Effect of mother/infant skin‐to-skin contact on postpartum depressive symptoms and maternal physiological stress. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic & Neonatal Nursing, 41(3), 369–382. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1552-6909.2012.01350.x
Breen-Franklin, A. (2018). Transitions across the lifespan: An occupational therapy approach. occupational therapy in mental health, 34(4), 405–407. https://doi.org/10.1080/0164212x.2018.1524734
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022). Depression during and after pregnancy. https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/features/maternal-depression/index.html
Pitonyak, J. S. (2014). Occupational therapy and breastfeeding promotion: our role in societal Health. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68(3), e90–e96. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.009746
Sponseller, L., Silverman, F., & Roberts, P. (2021). Exploring the role of occupational therapy with mothers who breastfeed. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(5). https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2021.041269
Slootjes, H., McKinstry, C., & Kenny, A. (2015). Maternal role transition: Why new mothers need occupational therapists. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 63(2), 130–133. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.12225