Introduction: Literature shows that infant distress and care-giving can be sources of stress of primary care givers, especially for first-time mothers. This study aimed to determine the efficacy of Dunstan baby Language in decreasing parenting stress among first time mothers compared with those receiving standard newborn care alone. Methods: This research utilized a quasi-experimental approach, where 18 first-time mothers with babies 0-2 months old were allocated to receive standard care plus Dunstan baby language training or standard care alone. Maternal stress was measured at baseline and after the intervention period with the Parental Stress Scale. The scores were compared within and between the two study arms. A repeated measures mixed model was used for the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) results. Results: A total of 27 participants were enrolled in the study. The Dunstan baby language group had 18 participants, while the control group had 9 participants. An apparent decrease was noted in the week 1 to week 2 and the week 2 to week 3 Parental Stress Scale scores in the Dunstan baby language group compared with the control group which had minimal changes in their mean scores. The mean difference between the two groups was not significant. Conclusion The use of Dunstan baby language in addition to standard care may decrease stress among first time mothers with 0-2 month old babies.
Parenting