Caroline Bäckström

‘It makes you feel like you are not alone’: Expectant first-time mothers’ experiences of social support within the social network, when preparing for childbirth and parenting

‘It makes you feel like you are not alone’ : Expectant first-time mothers’ experiences of social support within the social network, when preparing for childbirth and parenting

It's like a puzzle : Pregnant women's perceptions of professional support in midwifery care

PROBLEM Pregnant women are not always satisfied with the professional support they receive during their midwifery care. More knowledge is needed to understand what professional support pregnant women need for childbirth and parenting. BACKGROUND Childbearing and the transition to becoming a parent is a sensitive period in ones life during which one should have the opportunity to receive professional support. Professional support does not always correspond to pregnant womens needs. To understand pregnant womens needs for professional support within midwifery care, it is crucial to further illuminate womens experiences of this support. AIM To explore pregnant womens perceptions of professional support in midwifery care. METHODS A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews. Fifteen women were interviewed during gestational weeks 36-38. Data was analysed using phenomenography. FINDINGS The women perceived professional support in midwifery care to be reassuring and emotional, to consist of reliable information, and to be mediated with pedagogical creativity. The professional support facilitated new social contacts, partner involvement and contributed to mental preparedness. The findings of the study were presented in six categories and the category Professional support contributes to mental preparedness was influenced by the five other categories. CONCLUSION Pregnant women prepare for childbirth and parenting by using several different types of professional support in midwifery care: a strategy that could be described as piecing together a puzzle. When the women put the puzzle together, each type of professional support works as a valuable piece in the whole puzzle. Through this, professional support could contribute to womens mental preparedness for childbirth and parenting.

‘To be able to support her, I must feel calm and safe’: pregnant women’s partners perceptions of professional support during pregnancy

BackgroundProfessional support does not always meet the needs of expectant fathers or co-mothers. The way in which professional support is offered during pregnancy varies internationally, depending on the country. In order to attain a greater understanding of partners’ experiences of professional support, it is necessary to further illuminate their perceptions of it. The aim of this study was therefore to explore pregnant women’s partners’ perceptions of professional support during pregnancy.MethodsQualitative research design. Partners of pregnant women were interviewed during gestational week 36–38. Individual semi-structured interviews were used to explore the partners’ perceptions. The data was analysed using a phenomenographic approach. The study was performed in a county in south-western Sweden; the data collection was conducted from November 2014 to February 2015. Fourteen partners (expectant fathers and co-mothers) of women who were expectant first-time mothers with singleton pregnancies, were interviewed.ResultsThe findings of the study are presented through four descriptive categories: Ability to absorb adequate information; Possibility to meet and share with other expectant parents; Confirmation of the partner’s importance; and Influence on the couple relationship. Using a theoretical assumption of the relationship between the categories showed that the fourth category was influenced by the other three categories.ConclusionsThe partners perceived that professional support during pregnancy could influence the couple relationship. The partners’ ability to communicate and to experience togetherness with the women increased when the expectant couple received professional support together. The support created also possibilities to meet and share experiences with other expectant parents. In contrast, a lack of support was found to contribute to partners’ feelings of unimportance. It was essential that the midwives included the partners by confirming that they were individuals who had different needs for various types of professional support. The partners perceived it easier to absorb information when it was adequate and given with a pedagogic that made the partners become interested and emotionally engaged.