For the longest time, I’ve been considering the role and influence of co-occupation in perinatal occupational therapy work with maternal populations. I’ve read so many resources, always thinking about how to tie it together to comprehensively clarify the simplest way to articulate and share how this conceptual perspective can positively shape, inform and nurture growth and development of perinatal OT roles and practices. After all these years, I’ve found a Masters thesis by Karline Doidge, which pretty much sums up everything I’ve been trying to pull together over the last 6 years. Classic. Glad I’ve found it now, rather than after I’ve written the same chapter in my thesis!
If you’re interested in how co-occupation fits into perinatal maternal health OT practice, particularly for maternal mental health, this is a great place to start. Might need to put aside a free weekend with snacks and beverages to get stuck into properly, but I think it’s worth every moment. Enjoy 🙂
Doidge, K. (2012). Co-occupation categories tested in the mothering context. (Master of Occupational Therapy), Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin, New Zealand. Click here to access thesis online.
Author: Dr Hannah Slootjes (PhD)
I'm an occupational therapist, women's health researcher, academic, writer, mum, and passionate life learner. In 2022, I completed PhD exploring how OTs globally do, could or should work to promote health and maintain wellbeing for mothers during and after pregnancy, and matrescence. Titled, 'The Role of Occupational Therapists in Perinatal Health' my thesis introduced the Person-centered Occupational Model of Matrescence (POMM) to understand women's wellbeing from a human-centered approach, and the Functional Co-occupation Spectrum (FCS) for working with mother-infant dyads.
I am currently teaching occupational therapy and public health students at La Trobe University, and writing a textbook about working with women during perinatal stages and matrescence based on my thesis (aiming for publication in 2024). I still love clinical practice, and work in women's health locally in Bendigo.
After taking a year-long sabbatical to recover and re-energise after completing my PhD, I'm rolling up my sleeves and gearing up for the next life chapter! I'm still writing and teaching, and will be increasing practice-based supports for OTs from this website from May 2023. I am so looking forward to reconnecting with OTs practicing and researching in this space, and cannot wait to be part of the next phase of practice-based professional development!
View all posts by Dr Hannah Slootjes (PhD)
Research & evidence-based practice for OTs in perinatal health, motherhood, and matrescence 