*2.3. Context of the Study*

The study took place in Nova Scotia, Canada. Approval for the study was received through the IWK Health Centre's Research Ethics Board (#1025663). Data was collected from May to June 2020, which represented the emergence of the recovery period of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nova Scotia, Canada. The peak COVID-19 or first wave of the COV-19 pandemic period was March and April 2020. During this time, the provincial public health measures were implemented within the province. The public health order was for households to stay physically distanced from one another. This requirement was from March to May, at which point the bubble family was introduced (early May), followed by small groups of less than 10 outdoors. Self-isolation (or isolation/quarantine) was much more restrictive and for certain persons/families, such as those that travelled outside the province. Following the public health orders, travel was restricted, and many workplaces were either closed or employees were instructed to work from home, if possible. Many retail stores and resources for new mothers, such as daycares, family resource centres, and public libraries, were also closed, although grocery stores remained open. Hospital services were restricted, and many consultations were done virtually (via phone or through the use of other technologies) rather than in person [34]. All of these factors led to periods of isolation experienced by the parents/families in this study and the inability to access their usual support networks.
