Primiparous women's narratives of confidence in the perinatal period

Abstract

Background Pregnancy and childbirth are described as transitional phases or existential thresholds that childbearing women have to cross. Aim To gather insights into the personal experiences of women in pregnancy, labour and the days immediately after birth. Methods We conducted a qualitative study in the postpartum ward at Westmead Hospital. We invited 16 primiparous women who had given birth to a single baby to participate in our study. After the participants signed the consent form, we conducted individual, in-depth interviews. We analysed the data using thematic analysis. Findings Confidence was an overarching theme that contributed to the women's experiences of pregnancy, labour and the immediate days after birth. The experiences encompassed two main categories: positive experiences that aided in building confidence, and negative experiences that adversely affected women's confidence. The themes relating to positive experiences, including effective interpersonal relationships, knowledge promotion and positive self-concept, made the women feel more confident. The themes relating to negative experiences, including lack of control and feeling unprepared, made the women feel less confident in their mothering capabilities. Conclusion Confidence was the overarching theme in this study and knowledge was shown to be the fundamental feature of confidence.

First-Time Parents’ Bonding with Their Baby: A Longitudinal Study on Finnish Parents during the First Eight Months of Parenthood

“…According to Alves et al (2021), mothers experience positive and negative feelings toward their babies, such as fear of the unknown, anxiety, joy, and love, among other emotions [10]. Pregnancy and childbirth can be considered empowering [13], and maternity brings a completely new experience of unconditional love and a deep emotional bond that can be experienced only with one's child [7]. In addition to mothers, fathers have also been found to experience negative emotions during the postpartum period, including anger, touchiness, and resentment of the child [14].…”