The emotional wellbeing of Bangladeshi mothers during the postnatal period

Abstract

There have been significant studies commenting on the postnatal experience and the emotional well-being of mothers following the birth of their child. This paper focuses on the emotional well-being and health beliefs of Bangladeshi mothers during this period. An attempt was made to understand if postnatal depression was recognised, how it was interpreted and to explore the effect it has on the well-being of the mother, her family and the wider community. A qualitative approach was used to explore the values and views of the mothers by means of a focus group interview. Ten mothers who resided in Wales and were brought up within a Muslim community participated in the study. Findings suggest that when mothers experienced emotional issues they sought the support of their family, friends and religious leaders, and, although familiar with some primary care services, they were not always their first point of contact. It is proposed that health visitors could discuss their role, particularly in relation to perinatal mental health, with the Bangladeshi mothers. This may help the mothers to access support and services. It is important for health visitors to understand the significance of cultural diversity and the competing interpretations of postnatal depression and also to recognise why mothers might seek alternative methods to manage their health during the ante and postnatal period.