title: Low-income, urban minority women's perceptions of self- and infant care during the postpartum period.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe low-income, urban, first-time mothers' perceptions about self-care and infant care during the first 6-months postpartum.
  
  
  METHODS
  Naturalistic approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recruitment from community centers and churches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen Hispanic and African American women who delivered their first infants within the past 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Demographic and health information data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Semistructured interviews were conducted; data were coded and then clustered conceptually into categories.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Postpartum maternal self- and infant care issues included four categories: preparedness for discharge, confidence and satisfaction with mothering, concerns about infant care, and indifference to maternal self-care. Women were confident in caring for themselves and their infants and reported few unmet learning needs or health concerns. External sources of stress included finances, uncertain living arrangements, and relationship issues.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health care providers who care for low-income postpartum women need to acknowledge the influence of external stressors that contribute to health outcomes in this population. It is vital that nurses collaborate with other health care providers to make certain that community connections are made for women who might need additional services beyond the postpartum check-up visit.
authors.forename: Patricia D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Suplee
authors.forename: Marcia R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: Lynne C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Borucki
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007224:Infant Care / Q000523:psychology*; D054525:Minority Health; D016487:Parenting / Q000523:psychology; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D011203:Poverty; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012648:Self Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: infant care; minority women; postpartum; self-care