Investigating a Unique Dwelling Space for New Mothers and Babies

Summary Ensuring a calm and healthy first two weeks of life is thought to provide important health outcomes for both mother and infant. Yet this immediate post-partum period is largely under investigated. This study is embedded in a complimentary residential facility specifically designed to provide a supportive and comfortable environment for post-partum mothers and their babies. But how do their outcomes compare with those mothers and infants who are unable to benefit from such a facility?

Project Details

Ensuring a calm and healthy first two weeks of life is thought to provide important health outcomes for both mother and infant. Yet this immediate post-partum period is largely under investigated.

This study is embedded in a complimentary residential facility specifically designed to provide a supportive and comfortable environment for post-partum mothers and their babies. But how do their outcomes compare with those mothers and infants who are unable to benefit from such a facility?

Research questions of interest are:

• How well does a mother recover from the stresses of a pregnancy and the traumas of a labour?
• Is she able to spend quality time with her newborn infant, to attach and bond and to establish breast feeding?
• What are the essential components of this dwelling place service that lead to improved maternal and infant outcomes?

We seek 1 or more post graduate students to investigate these questions, and to determine whether the service can be generalised to the broader community. This study would be suitable for a Masters or Doctorate Research Degree in the clinical and/or psychological and social sciences.