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Objective. Maternal stress is a psychological response to the demands of motherhood. A high level of maternal stress is a risk factor for maternal mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, as well as adverse infant socioemotional and cognitive outcomes. Yet, levels of maternal stress (i.e., levels of stress related to parenting) among low-risk samples are rarely studied longitudinally, particularly in the first year after birth. Design. We measured maternal stress in an ethnically diverse sample of low-risk, healthy U.S. mothers of healthy infants (N = 143) living in South Florida across six time points between 2 weeks and 14 months postpartum using the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form, capturing stress related to the mother, mother-infant interactions, and the infant. Results. Maternal distress increased as infants aged for mothers with more than one child, but not for first-time mothers whose distress levels remained low and stable across this period. Stress related to mother-infant dysfunctional interactions lessened over the first 8 months. Mothers’ stress about their infants’ difficulties decreased from 2 weeks to 6 months, and subsequently increased from 6 to 14 months. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that maternal stress is dynamic across the first year after birth. The current study adds to our understanding of typical developmental patterns in early motherhood and identifies potential domains and time points as targets for future interventions.
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This content will become publicly available on August 1, 2026
Adrift in a Sea of Uncertainty: Navigating the Challenges of Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Motherhood for Field‐Going Oceanographers
Balancing parenthood with professional demands is a challenge for many sea-going oceanographers. For early-career women considering or navigating motherhood, this challenge can be particularly pronounced by the physical demands and separation required to conduct research at sea. As sea-going scientists in the United States who have recently navigated pregnancy, postpartum, and oceanographic fieldwork, we shed light on these challenges, especially the lack of clear medical and institutional guidance for making informed decisions. We also highlight recent improvements, including the development of vessel-specific guidelines for cruise participation, efforts by institutions to provide childcare funding to researchers while at sea, and recommendations for staying connected to young children while offshore. While this piece refers to "mothers" and "motherhood", the included recommendations and insights are for all individuals who experience pregnancy and postpartum. We hope this article both raises awareness and offers reassurance to other ocean-going mothers that they are not alone, and that a supportive, evolving community of parent researchers exists. Research expeditions are often a crucial component of oceanographic careers and are frequently the primary method of collecting vital data. While the decision to participate in research at sea, like the decision to start a family, is a deeply personal one, we hope to spark a conversation within the community about how to make this decision more informed and inclusive for current (and future) generations.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2407614
- PAR ID:
- 10644092
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin
- Volume:
- 34
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 1539-607X
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- 75 to 81
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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