The purpose of this study is to evaluate a text message-based program called Essential Coaching for Every Mother which sends daily text messages during the immediate six-week postnatal period. Essential Coaching for Every Mother consists of standardized text messages that provide evidence-based information that women should be aware of related to caring for their newborn and maternal mental health.
This is a 2-group parallel arm randomized controlled trial. Participants will be randomized into either the intervention or a control group, stratified by parity. No changes to in-person care will occur. Mothers in the intervention group will receive daily text messages from enrollment after birth until six-weeks postpartum. Mothers in the control group will receive no content messages. Mothers will be recruited both antenatally and postnatally through social media and study posters. All recruitment and participant engagement will occur remotely via text message. Women who are 37+ weeks pregnant up to 10 days postpartum will be eligible to send a text to a study specific number and complete an eligibility screening. If determined eligible once they deliver, the participant will be randomized into the intervention or control group and they will be asked to complete an electronic consent form and the baseline survey. Participants in the intervention group will start receiving the Essential Coaching for Every Mother program based on their delivery date up to six weeks postpartum. Mothers in the control group will only receive reminder texts to complete the follow-up surveys. Both groups will be asked to complete an online survey at enrolment, six-weeks and six-months postpartum. The investigators aim to recruitment 140 participants in total, 70 per group.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
150
Essential Coaching for Every Mother consists of 53 standardized text messages that provide evidence-based information that women should be aware of related to caring for their newborn and maternal mental health. Messages are personalized with the name of the child. Messages sent from birth to six-weeks postpartum, with two messages sent per day in the first two weeks and a daily message for weeks 3-6. The following topics covered in Essential Coaching for Every Mother include anxiety, depression, maternal self-care, postnatal follow-up, breastfeeding or formula feeding, infant concerns, cord care, well-baby care, normal development, crying, and safe sleep. Women who receive the messages will be able to self-select breastfeeding or formula feeding messages.
IWK Health
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Self Efficacy
Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (Minimum: 0, Maximum: 45; Higher score indicates greater self-efficacy)
Time frame: Change from enrolment (baseline) to six-weeks
Social support
Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (For the sub-scales of family, friends, and significant other \[Minimum: 0, Maximum: 4\]; for the total score, \[Minimum: 0, Maximum: 12\]; higher scores indicate greater support).
Time frame: Change from enrolment (baseline) to six-weeks
Postpartum anxiety
Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (Minimum: 51, Maximum: 204; Higher score indicates higher anxiety)
Time frame: Change from enrolment (baseline) to six-weeks
Postpartum depression
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (Minimum: 0, Maximum: 30; Higher score indicates higher depression)
Time frame: Change from enrolment (baseline) to six-weeks
Self-Efficacy
Karitane Parenting Confidence Scale (Minimum: 0, Maximum: 45; Higher score indicates greater self-efficacy)
Time frame: Change from six-weeks to six-months postpartum
Social Support
Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (For the sub-scales of family, friends, and significant other \[Minimum: 0, Maximum: 4\]; for the total score, \[Minimum: 0, Maximum: 12\]; higher scores indicate greater support).
Time frame: Change from six-weeks to six-months postpartum
Postpartum anxiety
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Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (Minimum: 51, Maximum: 204; Higher score indicates higher anxiety)
Time frame: Change from six-weeks to six-months postpartum
Postpartum depression
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (Minimum: 0, Maximum: 30; Higher score indicates higher depression)
Time frame: Change from six-weeks to six-months postpartum