Parenting Research Centre | Maternal Postpartum Health and Weight Retention

Maternal Postpartum Health and Weight Retention

What factors impact on a mother’s retention of weight, diet and eating patterns, and levels of physical activity in the year following childbirth?

The Maternal Health and Wellbeing study investigated factors that affect weight retention and healthy lifestyle behaviours in new mothers in the 12 months following the birth of a child.

The study collected information about maternal weight retention, physical activity, diet and eating patterns, psychosocial wellbeing (social support, depression, anxiety, sleep, stress) and child temperament. An anonymous survey was completed by 106 women with infants aged between four and 12 months.

The study found that child temperament was not associated with maternal weight retention following childbirth. Only one of the maternal psychosocial factors investigated was found to be associated with maternal weight retention: women who reported higher levels of parenting competence also reported greater levels of weight retention.

Women who reported greater levels of fatigue also reported less engagement in physical activity, while easier child temperament was associated with healthy maternal eating and positive lifestyle behaviours.

Maternal psychosocial variables were also associated with healthy eating and lifestyle behaviours. In particular, greater use of adaptive coping strategies and lower levels of depression, anxiety, stress and fatigue resulted in more positive lifestyle behaviours.