Research

Early postnatal period

These questions are about how prepared and supported you felt in the early postnatal period across different areas of new parenthood.

About you

What are your pronouns?

Which age range do you fall into?

Did you attend antenatal classes? (For example NHS, NCT, or another company such as Happy Parents Happy Baby.)

If you attended, which class or provider was it? If you did not attend, write N/A.

Your experience

What aspects of your baby's behaviour did you find most surprising or challenging in the early weeks?

How well did antenatal education prepare you for the reality of feeding your baby, and what do you wish had been covered?

Did you feel adequately supported by your midwife or health visitor once you were home, and was there anything you needed more of?

Looking back, did you have a realistic picture of what your own physical recovery after birth would look like?

How did exhaustion and sleep deprivation affect you in those early weeks, and did you have anything in place to help you cope?

Is there anything else you think would be useful for us to know? (optional)