title: The relationship of postpartum partner satisfaction to parents' work, health, and social characteristics.
abstract: This prospective study was conducted to identify work, health, and social predictors of partner satisfaction at 6 months postpartum. Surveys were completed by 261 expectant fathers and mothers (128 couples) during pregnancy and at 6-months postpartum. Both fathers and mothers experienced significant postpartum declines in partner satisfaction and caring. Postpartum partner satisfaction was related to partners' expressions of caring and mental health, and to several work characteristics, including parents' contributions to housework, satisfaction with housework sharing, and fathers' having reasonable (instead of excessive) workloads.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice and Community Health, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, MN, USA. dgjerdin@umphysicians.umn.edu
authors.forename: Dwenda K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Gjerdingen
authors.forename: Bruce A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Center
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006796:Household Work; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008910:Minnesota; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012892:Sleep Deprivation; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors