CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION 1.0 BACKGROUND Maternal postpartum psychological state is a positive or negative postpartum outcome that is directly influenced by underlying maternal factors; both intrinsic and extrinsic (O'Hara, 1991). These factors often cause disorders generally characterized by the regulation of mood, thought and/or behavior that affect mothers to the point that social integration becomes problematic for both the child, the partner and the person who cares for them . (Who, 2004). Postpartum psychological states have a number of characteristics that make them a particularly attractive target for prevention interventions, but little has been done either locally or globally. These include a clear time of onset, for example during childbirth, a distinct risk period up to six months postpartum and an identified population with a risk period equal to expectant mothers (who, 2004) (Patel, 2002) states whereas the maternal psychological state during pregnancy and the postnatal period can have serious consequences for the health and well-being of the mother and her baby; as well as your partner and other family members. Considering that the progression of stressors during this period causes mental illnesses such as maternal depression and postnatal psychotic disorders, adequate assessment and methods could prevent negative outcomes of maternal psychological states. Given that these psychological states can set in motion harmful patterns of parenting and developmental processes that may be difficult to change over time, there has been limited availability of effective prevention programs globally that represent opportunities missed to improve the growth and development of children (WHO, 2008)Mat...... half of the document .......postnatal maternal psychological state since maternal mental health is inextricably linked to the physical and psychological development of the child; and addressing the mother's mental needs is likely to benefit society, children and national outcomes1.3 OBJECTIVES1.3.1 BROAD OBJECTIVE To explore the factors influencing postpartum maternal psychological states at KNH, Postnatal Ward1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES1) To determine the level of knowledge among mothers about the maternal model of care in the KNH postnatal ward.2) To find out mothers' perception of pregnancy and the labor process3) To study the effectiveness of caregiver psychological support interventions for patients in the KNH postnatal ward4) To determine other factors, if any, influence the psychological state of mothers in the KNH postnatal ward