New parents’ sleep, movement, health, and well-being across the postpartum period

ABSTRACT

Objective

The aim of this study was to examine changes and the bi-directional relationship in sleep and movement, and health and well-being among new parents and differences by sex.

Methods

This secondary data analysis included both conditions from a randomized control trial to improve new parents’physical activity [PA] and recruited couples. Parents (n = 181, 117 couples represented 31.5 ± 4.4 years, 51.3% women, 83.3% White) completed questionnaires on regular overnight sleep duration, PA, mental health (perceived stress), physical health (physical quality of life [PQoL]), and well-being (life satisfaction) at 2-, 4-, 6-, and 8-month postpartum. Random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were stratified by sex to examine changes in sleep and PA with health and well-being across time.

Results

Sleep and stress were interrelated at different times for fathers (2 months), and mothers (8 months). Sleep and PQoL improved across time, with mothers reporting less sleep than fathers at 4 and 6 months. PQoL at 4 months was related to MVPA at 6-months. Life satisfaction and PA at 2 months was related to PA at 4 months.

Conclusion

Mothers and fathers experienced different sleep and stress trajectories. Mental health improved postpartum with early connections to PA. Supporting the 24-hour movement behavior cycle and mental health across the parenthood transition may benefit couples.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Grant #133614. CLK was funded by the National Institutes of Health (K99HD107158).

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data available on request from the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15402002.2024.2339815

Notes

¹ We considered modeling the interdependence among mother and fathers. However, based on the number of parameters (22) in our models and contemporary recommendations of 10 participants/parameter, our models are saturated (Barbeau et al., 2019; Kline, 1998). Our model fit indices were good, so we are confident the additional parameters in the current models did not impact results. To meet these recommendations and account for additional partner parameters in a dyadic approach, a larger sample is required. Examining couple’s interdependence in the current sample of couples with both partners (64 couples, 128 participants) would have limited power.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research [133614]; National Institutes of Health [K99HD107158].