title: Barriers to optimal social support in the postpartum period.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the specific barriers to mothers' realization of social support during the first-year postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  A qualitative approach in which social support data were analyzed thematically.
  
  
  METHODS
  An urban medical center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-one women who had given birth in the year prior to study enrollment were recruited through posted flyers at multiple community sites.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data were collected during three focus groups. The data that related to social support were extracted from a larger qualitative data set and analyzed separately for prominent social support inhibitors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major themes that emerged were availability of trustworthy child care, cost of child care, demands of infant care, changing priorities, a transient population, and availability of family.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emergent barriers to social support such as the demands of infant care and changing priorities are likely challenges for women regardless of socioeconomic status. However, the volume of text related to availability (proximity) of family, availability of trustworthy child care, and the consequences of a transient lifestyle may be attributed to the composition of the study sample.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Barkin
authors.forename: Joan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bloch
authors.forename: Kristina C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Hawkins
authors.forename: Tiffany Stanfill
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D003144:Communication Barriers; D019052:Depression, Postpartum / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008019:Life Style; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000523:psychology; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: barriers to social support; postpartum; postpartum social support; social support