Hmong Women in Wisconsin: What Are Their Concerns in Pregnancy and Childbirth?

Abstract

Childbirth in different cultures is treated as a traumatic life crisis and a time of vulnerability for the mother and infant. This qualitative descriptive study explored specific concerns related to pregnancy and childbirth in 52 Hmong women living in central and northeastern Wisconsin. Women were questioned using a semistructured interview about 4.6 months after childbirth. They described concerns related to breastfeeding, contraception, touch, communication with health caregivers, and procedures performed during childbirth. Women preferred bottle-feeding over breastfeeding. They reported difficulty practicing birth control because of cultural expectations of male and female roles, but were aware of the need for education about methods of contraception. Fear of miscarriage if they were touched by doctors and nurses resulted in delayed prenatal visits. The women believed that invasive procedures such as episiotomies and circumcisions are not natural, and they preferred natural tearing and healing. It is important for health caregivers to be culturally sensitive and understanding of Hmong practices and beliefs when touching and communicating with these women and when educating them about breastfeeding, contraception, and medical procedures during hospitalization.

Infant Feeding Practices: The Case of Hmong Women in Australia

“…A few women changed to bottlefeeding despite the fact that they breastfed their infants successfully in Laos or Thailand. Their reasons for bottlefeeding are similar to what has been identi ed in other immigrant groups and in developing countries where breastfeeding rates have declined rapidly (Fishman, Evans, & Jenks, 1988;Ghaemi-Ahmadi, 1992;Henderson & Brown, 1987;Jambunathan & Stewart, 1995;Romero-Gwynn, 1989;Rossiter, 1992;Serdula, Cairns, Williamson, & Brown, 1991;Tuttle & Dewey, 1994). These include the need to study English and work, the availability of infant formula, and their inability to provide suf cient milk.…”

“…Some had been going to the English class prior to their pregnancy and hence they needed to resume their study. This pattern has also been reported among Hmong women in the United States (Jambunathan & Stewart, 1995;Tuttle & Dewey, 1995), and other group of Southeast Asian women (Ghaemi-Ahmadi, 1992;Henderson & Brown, 1987;Liamputtong Rice, 1998;Rossiter, 1992). Jelliffe and Jelliffe (1978) argue that modernisation has led to the decline in breastfeeding in many societies.…”

“…Decisions about infant feeding are often based on the social and economic environment in which women live (Fishman, Evans, & Jenks, 1988;Hull & Simpson, 1985;Jambunathan & Stewart, 1995;Jelliffe & Jelliffe, 1978;Liamputtong Rice, 1998;Manderson, 1982;Rossiter, 1992;Van Esterik & Menon, 1996;Weller & Dungy, 1986;Yimyam, 1998;Zeitlyn & Rowshan, 1997). As a result, women may have to change their patterns of infant feeding when their circumstances change.…”

“…This is particularly marked among immigrant women in many Western countries (Fishman, Evans, & Jenks, 1988;Ghaemi-Ahmadi, 1992;Jambunathan & Stewart, 1995;Rossiter 1992;Serdula, Cairns, Williamson, & Brown, 1991;Tuttle & Dewey, 1994). Rossiter notes in her work with Vietnamese mothers (1992), for example, that although all (70) women breastfed in Vietnam, only 26% breastfeed exclusively and 41% partially after migrating to Sydney.…”

Medicinal plants used in Hmong women's healthcare in northern Thailand

“…As part of this, most cultures have special practices and activities related to women's healthcare, especially such ones that are used in the pregnant and postpartum period. In most cultures, pregnancy, childbirth and peuperium are critical periods of human life (Mathews and Manderson, 1981;Jambunathan and Stewart, 1995;Thi, 2004). Many practices, such as dietary restriction, herbal steam baths, mother roasting, are common during the postpartum period in many Southeast Asian cultures (Mathews and Manderson, 1981;Daviau, 2003;Kaewsarn et al, 2003a,b;Liulan et al, 2003;Thi, 2004;Lo, 2007;Lundh, 2007;Zumsteg and Weckerle, 2007;Barennes et al, 2009;de Boer and Lamxay, 2009;Villamin and Villamin, 2009;Lamxay et al, 2011;Panyaphu et al, 2011) and a number of medicinal plants are practices (e.g.…”