Partner Support In The Postnatal Period: the Impact of Partner Parental Leave on Maternal Health and Wellbeing in New Zealand

The transition to motherhood is a period of extreme change and stress. Consequently, mothers can experience periods of ill health which can be further compounded by a lack of support. Although maternal health has been studied extensively through a variety of lenses there has been little research into the impact of partner parental leave on maternal health and wellbeing. This is an important area of research as there are indications that social support, particularly from a partner or spouse, can act as a protective factor against ill health. The current study addresses these gaps and explores the lived experiences of mothers in New Zealand, focusing on the impact of partner parental leave on maternal health and wellbeing. Semi-structured interviews were used to explore the postnatal experiences of 11 women whose male partners took more than two weeks of parental leave following the birth of their child. The research used thematic analysis to develop four main themes in relation to how partner parental leave impacted maternal health; these were ‘I don’t know what I would have done without it’, ‘Sharing the mental load’, ‘A debt to be paid back’ and ‘Let’s get flexible’. Findings suggest partner parental leave had a positive impact on maternal health and wellbeing by increasing the availability of partner support and shifting domestic care duties. Partners were perceived to provide essential support which helped mothers in the first weeks and months of motherhood. Findings also suggested that taking leave resulted in the subversion of motherhood ideologies and shifts in gender roles in the home which freed Mothers from some of their home based tasks and enabled them to practise self-care and prioritise their own wellbeing. Conversely, partner parental leave also had negative consequences as it was perceived to create an obligation between the partner and their employer. This resulted in unanticipated reductions in support for the Mothers as their partners worked longer hours. Informed by the insights of the Mothers and the wider literature, this research contributes to scholarship illustrating the need for comprehensive postnatal support of mothers as well as research focusing on mothers and maternal health and wellbeing. Implications of this research include the re-evaluation of New Zealand’s state operated partner parental leave, particularly that the duration should be increased with the explicit purpose of better supporting mothers and their health.