Experiences of Being a Mother: Meanings of Childbirth, Pain and Birth
Journal Title: Fronteiras: Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science - Year 2014, Vol 3, Issue 3
Abstract
The experiences of delivery and birth profoundly shape the lives of women, couple and family. The objective of this study is to understand the meanings attributed to childbirth, pain and birth, by Portuguese and immigrant women in Portugal, and identify the meanings and feelings experienced by the woman who becomes a mother. It is a qualitative study, resorting to semi-structured interviews and content analysis, to 60 immigrant and 22 Portuguese women, supported by Nvivo10. The results suggest that the meanings of childbirth, labour pains, and birth are diverse and ambivalent, according to the experience of each woman. Labour pains presented disparate meanings between being horrible or necessary, but rewarding. Often perceived as painful, from the processes of labour and delivery, also surfaced positive/rewarding sensations and feelings, ranging from anxiety to happiness, or a good and unforgettable experience. Childbirth was associated with more negative perceptions than birth, but both were more positive than negative meanings.
Authors and Affiliations
Emília de Carvalho Coutinho| Escola Superior de Saúde de Viseu, IPV/CIDETS, Viseu, Portugal, Alcione Leite da Silva| Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, UA, Aveiro, Portugal, Carlos Manuel Figueiredo Pereira| Escola Superior de Saúde de Viseu, IPV/CIDETS, Viseu, Portugal, Diana Filipa Chaves Rouxinol| Viseu, Portugal, Vitória Barros Castro Parreira| Escola Superior de Enfermagem do Porto, Porto, Portugal
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP15423
- DOI 10.21664/2238-8869.2014v3i3.p259-274
- Views 349
- Downloads 15
Leadership Styles of School Principals
The main objective of this research was to identify and characterize the type or types of leadership of eight Principals of secondary schools in the region of Alentejo-Portugal. This research reflects, on one hand the...
Coping strategies in cyberbullying. A qualitative approach from students’ perspective
Children and adolescents use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) daily, but this extended use exposes them to several online risks including cyberbullying (online bullying among peers). Using a qualitativ...
Establishment of Authorship and Identity of the Work of Art Through the Study of the Production of an Artist Using a Quantitative-Qualitative Method
The certification of authorship and identity of a work of art, in this case painting, raises two major problems: the first one to remove any trace of subjective interpretation of the identity characteristics of the wo...
Three Hypotheses Concerning the Human Dimension of the Atlantic Forest´s Biodiversity
The environmental legacy of contemporary ecosystems is the product of the historical relation of past population with the environment. We propose three hypotheses of the human dimensions of biodiversity of the Atlantic...
Proposta de Expansão Urbana para o MunicÃpio de Santa Lúcia-SP
O planejamento inadequado da expansão urbana tem ocasionado desequilÃbrios ambientais e sociais. Para tanto há a necessidade de instrumentos que possam nortear o desenvolvimento sustentável das cidades. O presente...