You Can’t Treat the Infant Without the Mother: Advancing OT’s Role in Perinatal Care

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Course Description

The perinatal period is a significant life transition that influences caregiver health, routines, roles, and participation in meaningful occupations (Little et al., 2025). Maternal health during this time is multifaceted, encompassing emotional well-being, physical recovery, and the developing caregiver–infant relationship. These domains are deeply interconnected, and challenges during this transition can create meaningful opportunities for growth, adaptation, and connection. Maternal mental health plays a critical role in both caregiver and infant outcomes, influencing feeding, sleep, bonding, and overall occupational performance within the dyad (Waqas et al., 2022). Additionally, physical concerns such as pelvic floor dysfunction and musculoskeletal impairments can limit occupational engagement and contribute to increased emotional distress during this time (Burkhart et al., 2021).

Despite occupational therapy’s holistic foundation, many practitioners feel underprepared to address the full scope of perinatal needs (Khan, 2023). This session presents a unified, occupation-based approach to integrating maternal mental health into perinatal OT practice. Drawing from two capstone projects, it highlights how practitioners can adapt services, enhance support, and advance holistic care through both a systems-level model for embedding maternal mental health into practice and a structured perinatal program spanning from pregnancy to postpartum.

Together, these approaches provide a comprehensive framework that includes screening, coaching, collaboration, and education across the perinatal continuum. Participants will engage in case-based learning and interactive activities to apply screening tools, develop therapeutic communication strategies, and identify appropriate interventions. Emphasis will be placed on practical implementation, including workflow integration, documentation, and referral pathways, with strategies for immediate clinical use.