ผลของโปรแกรมการกำกับตนเองต่อน้ำหนักคงค้างหลังคลอดในมารดาที่มีบุตรคนแรก

Abstract

Excess postpartum weight retention in first-time mothers has an ongoing impact on their health. Therefore, self-regulation to maintain a normal weight range is crucial. This quasi-experimental research study, using a control group, pretest-posttest design, aimed to compare average weight retention before and after undertaking a self-regulation program, and the average weight retention between the control and experimental groups. The sample group was comprised of 52 first-time mothers who brought their infants to get vaccinations at the Well-Baby Clinic, Health Promotion Center Region 1, Chiang Mai, from November 2021 to July 2022, after the fourth month of the puerperium period. Mothers were divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 26 people in each group. The sample group was selected according to the inclusion criteria. The experimental group underwent the self-regulation program along with routine care, while the control group underwent only routine care. The research intervention tools included the Self-Regulation Program; a self-regulation guide; the Z-Size Ladies: BMI Timeline & Program, which assesses ladies’ sizes and facial images; and a weighing scale. Tools for data collection included a Personal Data Form and an Obstetric History Form, and postpartum weight retention dietary and physical activity record books. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, and independent t-test. The findings demonstrated that: 1. Average postpartum weight retention among the experimental group, after undertaking the self-regulation program, was lower than before undertaking the program with a statistical significance of p < .05. 2. After the experiment, average postpartum weight retention among the experimental group was lower than that of the control group with a statistical significance of p < .05. The results demonstrated that nurses and midwives can use the self-regulation program to control weight retention within a normal range among first-time mothers. Furthermore, there should be a follow-up prospective study to assess the effectiveness of the self-regulation program on weight control among participants of this study in a subsequent pregnancy.