The impact of Kangaroo Care on role adaptation and subjective well-being in primiparous mothers following vaginal delivery: A retrospective study

The postpartum period presents unique challenges for primiparous mothers, particularly in relation to role adaptation and emotional well-being. Kangaroo Care (KC), defined as skin-to-skin contact between mother and newborn, has demonstrated benefits for neonatal outcomes; however, its impact on maternal psychological health remains less extensively studied. This study aims to evaluate the effects of KC on role adaptation and subjective well-being in primiparous mothers following vaginal delivery, with the goal of identifying its potential as a supportive intervention during the maternal transition. A retrospective study was conducted between January 2020 and December 2023, enrolling 168 primiparous mothers who delivered via vaginal birth. Participants were assigned to either an observation group (n = 80), which received the KC intervention, or a control group (n = 88), which received standard postpartum care. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, a Role Adaptation Scale (encompassing role identification, parent-child attachment, and caregiving behavior), and a Subjective Well-Being Scale. Post-intervention scores for role adaptation and subjective well-being were compared between groups. Correlation analysis was also performed to examine the relationship between these 2 variables. Mothers in the KC group exhibited significantly higher scores across all dimensions of role adaptation: role identification (P = .018), parent-child attachment (P < .001), and caregiving behavior (P = .001). Additionally, KC participants reported significantly greater subjective well-being, including improvements in life satisfaction, reduced health concerns, and enhanced mood stability (all P < .001). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a positive association between role adaptation and subjective well-being (R = 0.614, P < .001), suggesting that enhanced adaptation is linked to better emotional outcomes. KC following vaginal delivery significantly improves both role adaptation and subjective well-being in primiparous mothers. The observed positive correlation between these outcomes highlights the potential of KC as an effective intervention for promoting maternal adjustment and emotional health in the postpartum period.