Expectations and Experiences of Women in Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Infant Feeding: A Qualitative Research Protocol

Abstract

Maternity and pregnancy involve significant biopsychosocial changes in the lives of women. These changes determine their experience of motherhood and can be a crucial aspect in the choice of parenting style. Women require a source of knowledge and support that goes beyond the technical, clinical environment, led by qualified nurses for holistic and humanized care. The objective of this study is to identify women’s beliefs, expectations, and experiences of their motherhood and its different stages, and their perception of the care they receive, in order to enhance effective management of their new role at a health and social level. A phenomenological qualitative study using thematic analysis will be used, within the theoretical framework provided by the Social Cognitive Theory and the influence of gender. The sample size will be defined by the sampling saturation criterion and should include rural and urban women, with different socioeconomic status. The information will be collected with semi-structured interviews that will be analyzed based on the codification of the texts in three levels and the subsequent triangulation of the results. The biopsychosocial aspects involved in motherhood make it a complex process, with women as the main player. Therefore, mothers’ opinions on the barriers and enablers they encounter in their environment are essential to place them at the center of the process. In addition, knowing the perceptions of women could help improve the work of nurses, having impacts on the humanization of health care and responding to women’s needs during their motherhood.

Perceptions of Mothers about Support and Self-Efficacy in Breastfeeding: A Qualitative Study

“…A purposive sampling [ 29 ] was undertaken among those women who showed interest in participating. The research protocol, which was developed for the qualitative study, was published in April 2021 [ 30 ].…”

Child Birth Experiences of Primiparous Mothers: A Phenomenological Study

“…Fear of labor, caesarean section, mother and newborn health, health care professionals' behaviors, and future family life post-partum are all aspects that women are terrified of throughout pregnancy and childbirth (Wigert et al, 2020). Fear may be a result of women being terrified by other people's stories about various complications of birthing process which may cause stress which may negatively influence a woman's daily life, such as a wish for delayed pregnancy and a preference for elective caesarean section (Adalia et al, 2021). Some research findings also emphasize women's specific needs for assistance during labor and delivery, such as being treated as a unique human and having a trustworthy relationship (Downe et al, 2018).…”