Pregnant women’s expectations for the early postpartum period after their first childbirth

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore pregnant women’s expectations for the early postpartum period after their first childbirth. The objectives were to explore women's’ expectations for their physical and emotional state in the early postpartum period, to inquire into women’s expectations for caregiving during this period, to identify sources of influence on maternal expectations, and to consider the perceived adequacy of information received about the early postpartum period. A qualitative approach was adopted, with semi-structed interviews used to generate data from a purposive sample of seven expectant mothers in the third trimester of their first pregnancy. A response rate of 100% was attained. The interviews conducted were audio-recorded and transcribed to collect the actual verbatim responses of the participants and facilitate content analysis. The data collected was then analysed using Braun and Clarke's (2006) thematic analysis. While some women had established expectations for the early period following childbirth, the focus of others was on the pregnancy and birth, and they were unable to clearly visualise the period beyond that. The mother’s physical state in the early postpartum and her ability to independently care for the neonate was viewed as somewhat unpredictable, being that it would be heavily influenced by the mode of delivery. Most of the women reported feeling unprepared for the postpartum period, with some questioning their own mothering abilities. Expectant mothers predicted that the assistance provided by a compassionate midwife, as well as by their family, and particularly their partners, would be invaluable to their adjustment in the early postpartum period. Antenatal educational classes were not felt to offer sufficient information about the puerperium, and women were unsure whether listening to the stories of other mothers provided an accurate picture of what their own experience would be like. The study concluded that many women perceive the early postpartum as a somewhat unknown and, to a certain extent, unknowable period for which they were largely ill equipped. Based on the findings, a number of recommendations for practice, education, and future research are proposed, including the necessity for large-scale quantitative research to provide better insight into maternal knowledge and expectations regarding the postnatal period prior to childbirth. This would allow improvments to both prenatal education and postnatal care in accordance with women’s needs.