Psychological Impact of Motherhood on the Care of Newborn Among the Postnatal Mother Admitted in Selected Hospital of Goalpara, Assam- A Descriptive study

Background: The postpartum period is a critical time for both mothers and infants. Maternal care during this phase plays a vital role in supporting the health and overall well-being of both the mother and her child. Objectives of the study: To assess the psychological impact of motherhood among postnatal mother, to assess the care of a newborn among the postnatal mother who are admitted in selected hospital of Goalpara, Assam. Methods & materials: A descriptive research design using purposive sampling technique to select 100 postnatal mother on the basis of inclusion criteria. GAD-7 Anxiety Scale, Perceived Stress scale (standardized) and Self structured newborn care practice checklist tools were used. Result: With regard to anxiety, 60% of mothers had severe anxiety, 25% had moderate anxiety, 11% had mild anxiety, and only 4% experienced minimal anxiety. Similarly, more than half of the mothers (58%) reported severe stress, 40% had moderate stress, and 2% had mild stress. In relation to newborn care practices, 64% of mothers practiced unsafe newborn care, while only 36% practiced safe newborn care. Conclusion: This study showed that the postnatal mother experienced severe anxiety, severe stress and unsafe newborn care practices. Therefore, it is recommended that early identification of anxiety and stress, strengthening family support systems specially spouse support, providing mental health counselling, and implementing educational interventions during antenatal and postnatal periods are essential to promote maternal well- being and ensure safe newborn care practices. Addressing maternal psychological health should be considered a priority component of postnatal care services. KEYWORDS Psychological impact, Postnatal Motherhood, Newborn care, Maternal mental health.