First-time parent experiences of social support in the early postpartum period: a couple's perspective

• Main Author: McPherson, Laurie
• Other Authors: Piotrowski, Caroline (Family Social Sciences)
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: parents; social support
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1993/23909

This study aimed to address gaps in the literature by taking a qualitative approach to better understand both facilitators and barriers to acquiring positive social support for first-time parent couples. An interpretative phenomenological approach was utilized to explore the lived experience of first-time parent couples as they navigated the first few months of parenthood. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to identify potential sources of social support within and outside the couple relationship, and to better understand the role these supports played in their adaptation to the parenting role. The study revealed three super-ordinate themes central to our understanding of social support and its critical role in the positive adaptation of first-time parents: 1) predicting social support needs; preparing for the unknown, 2) assessing capacity to meet the demands of early parenthood, and 3) feeling supported as a first-time parent.