Exploring emotional wellbeing in the perinatal period: A qualitative study in Australia

Australian women define emotional wellbeing as the absence of illness, multidimensional and heavily shaped by the influence of social media, interpersonal relationships, and antenatal midwifery models of care. Findings show improving perinatal mental health literacy among women, families, and maternity care providers may enable earlier recognition and support for emotional wellbeing in the transition to motherhood. Further research is warranted to target knowledge and awareness of emotional wellbeing to support the development of a mentally healthy vocabulary for pregnant women and mothers.