Unheard birth trauma stories : narratives of men who witnessed crisis during child birth and implications for counselling

Abstract

This study explored the experiences of men who have been witnesses to unexpected critical childbirth situations which could have led to birth trauma. As this study looked at direct experiences of each man, a qualitative approach using Inductive Thematic Analysis was elected as the most appropiate for the research. This study also addressed men’s perceptions on counselling in relation to postnatal paternal mental health. Semi-Structured, audio-recorded individual interviews were carried out with five participants. Findings evidence that men felt marginalized during pregnancy and after childbirth but mostly they felt left out during birth. Helplessness, Unpreparedness, and Craving Information were all major themes elicted from the participants. This contributed towards high levels of anxiety and distress. The aftermath was also discussed vis-à-vis the relationship dynamics the fathers have with their child, partner and grandparents. Lastly, this study also highlighted the fact that fathers needed support following such an experience but for a number of reasons they did not seek help themselves. Implications for counselling are also discussed. Recommendations elicited from the data include further research in Paternal Perinatal Mental Health with links to Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, a wider spectrum of critical birth situations need to be analysed for a clearer picture of the affect on males in such situations. Additionaly, recommendations were put forward for healthcare staff to participate in professional development courses. Recommendations for practice were elicted for the antenatal, birth and postnatal phase. These include preparatory sessions for men.