BACKGROUND: The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is rapidly increasing. It is associated with adverse physical and mental health outcomes for women and their babies. Mother-infant bonding is important for maternal health and infant development, but the effect of GDM on mother-infant bonding has not been examined. OBJECTIVE: To explore and describe the impact of GDM on perceived mother infant-bonding in the antenatal and postnatal period. METHODS: Qualitative, individual, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 women from diverse backgrounds with current or previous GDM. Data were analysed using reflexive inductive thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes were generated from the analysis: 1) Concern for baby's health and its impact on bonding
2) GDM management, the pregnancy experience, and bonding
3) Continuity and discontinuity of the impact on bonding between the antenatal and postnatal periods. CONCLUSION: It was found that GDM can have both positive and negative impacts on perceived mother-infant bonding, which appear to change over the course of the perinatal period. Further observational research is needed to assist in understanding the impact of GDM on mother-infant bonding and the potential mediating effect of mental disorders, including depression.