Baby Swim As an Intervention for Depressive Symptoms and Lacking Attachment During the Postpartum Period (BIDAP)

Uppsala University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Attachment; Postpartum; Depression - Major Depressive Disorder

Treatments: Behavioral: Baby swimming

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06807801

BIDAP

Details and patient eligibility

About

Mental health issues are very common during and after pregnancy, and studies from around the world indicate that 10-15% of all pregnant and postpartum women experience depression. Risk factors for developing depression include a history of depression, low levels of social support, and stressful life events. The symptoms are the same as for depression during other periods of life, but often include feelings of inadequacy regarding motherhood, along with associated feelings of shame or guilt. Obsessive thoughts directed toward the baby may also be part of the symptomatology. Such thoughts are typically experienced as frightening by the mother but, in the vast majority of cases, do not pose any risk to the child. Maternal depression can also affect a mother's ability to bond with her baby, and difficulties in forming an attachment can, in turn, increase and perpetuate depressive symptoms. In the long term, insecure attachment between mother and child can lead to behavioral problems in the child, such as aggression and avoidance, anxiety and depression in adolescence, negative effects on cognitive development, and trust issues in close relationships.

Baby swimming is a structured form of interaction that takes place in 34-degree Celsius water in a calm environment, aiming to teach the baby vital skills while stimulating social, intellectual, and motor development. At least one parent actively participates and is encouraged to perform various exercises. These activities strengthen the bond between the baby and the parent and contribute to making time in the water a safe and enjoyable experience. Previous studies have shown that baby swimming can improve attachment between parent and child.

In the present project, the aim is to investigate whether baby swimming can be used as an intervention for depressive symptoms in new mothers and whether this intervention can reduce depressive symptoms while also strengthening the bond between mother and child.

Enrollment: 100 estimated patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Women who have

• given birth at full term
• are 18 years or older
• have a baby aged 3-7 months at the time of inclusion
• exhibit depressive symptoms according to the EPDS scale.

Exclusion criteria

• Multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets)
• Known psychotic disorder or bipolar disorder
• Inability to communicate adequately in Swedish or English, or inability to read and complete digital questionnaires in Swedish or English.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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100 participants in 2 patient groups

Waiting list

Active Comparator group

Description:

After completing the baseline questionnaire at T0, participants will be randomized into two groups: half will receive the intervention immediately (the treatment group), while the other half will receive it after seven months (the waitlist control group).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Baby swimming

Intervention

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants in the treatment group will be contacted by a researcher and invited to an introductory meeting at the swimming facility, where they will receive information about the baby swimming course from the instructor. The course will take place twice a week for five weeks, totaling 10 sessions of 30 minutes each. During the sessions, mothers will be encouraged to engage in physical contact, maintain eye contact, and respond to their baby's signals. The course will also include water safety exercises.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Baby swimming