Sleep deprived new mothers are doing it tough, but getting help from early parenting centres improves their mental health, according to a new report.
A study from the Key Centre for Women's Health in Society at The University of Melbourne reveals very poor health among mothers with unsettled babies who are admitted to early parenting centres.
The researchers, who assessed 79 women, found they were dangerously sleep deprived with 80% getting fewer than six hours sleep in 24 hours.
Many had symptoms of depression and anxiety and some had suicidal thoughts. At the same time many were coping with additional life demands like a death in the family, moving house and job or relationship problems.
The report titled "Building an evidence base for practice in early parenting centres," will be launched tomorrow (Friday 8 April) in Melbourne. It describes a review of the international literature on early parenting interventions and a follow-up study of mothers and infants admitted to a residential program at Tweddle Child and Family Health Service in Footscray.
Tweddle has served Victorian families for 85 years and is one of three public access early parenting centres in Melbourne. Often misnamed "sleep schools" and historically regarded as a luxury for mothers who “can't cope”, they now offer a range of short-term services and programs to address early parenting problems.
"Our report found that Australia's early parenting centres are a unique resource and provide highly effective treatment for distressed mothers and unsettled babies," said Dr Jane Fisher, senior author of the report.
The University of Melbourne study found that after getting help at Tweddle, women's health and circumstances improved dramatically. One month after discharge, the amount of babies' crying and fussing halved. While at admission, 77% reported their baby's sleep as being poor or very poor, only 29% said it was a problem one month later. This psycho-educational approach appears to be an effective treatment for these difficulties, said Dr Fisher.