Identifying maternal needs following childbirth: A qualitative study among mothers, fathers and professionals

Abstract

BackgroundPregnancy and childbirth are two critical stages in a woman’s life. Various studies have suggested that psychological distress is common during the year after childbirth. The objectives of this exploratory study were (1) to explore the needs of mothers in the year following childbirth; (2) to compare these needs between mothers who did not have the feeling of living a psychological disorder or a depression and mothers who lived a psychological disorder or had the impression of living a depression; and (3) to compare the needs expressed by mothers with the perception of professionals and fathers about the mothers’ needs.MethodsFirst, we proceeded to 22 individual qualitative interviews followed by one focus group, with mothers, with and without experience of psychological distress. Then, we conducted 2 focus groups: one with professionals and one with fathers.ResultsNeeds of mothers after childbirth have been indexed in four categories: need of information, need of psychological support, need to share experience, and need of practical and material support. Women do not feel sufficiently informed about this difficult period of life. They do not feel sufficiently supported, not only from a psychological point of view but also from a more practical point of view, for example with household chores. They need to share their experience of life, they need to be reassured and they need to feel understood. It seems that some differences exist between mothers’ and professionals’ experiences but also between mothers’ and fathers’ experiences.ConclusionYoung mothers apparently feel a lack of support at different levels in the year following childbirth. This study provides ways to meet women’s needs and to try to prevent the risk of postpartum psychological distress during this period of time.

Identifying maternal needs following childbirth: comparison between pregnant women and recent mothers

“…For example, this previous study showed that primiparous women perceived a greater lack of information from many perspectives (medically, administratively, regarding existing services, feeling unprepared for motherhood, reliability of information, etc.) than did multiparous women [10]. Indeed, the need for information appeared to decrease and become more speci c for subsequent children.…”

“…Indeed, the need for information appeared to decrease and become more speci c for subsequent children. In attempting to meet this need, mothers are increasingly turning to the Internet to help themselves make decisions and manage their postpartum lives [10][11][12][13][14][15][16].…”

First-time mothers’ perceptions of social support: Recommendations for best practice

“…A need for more informational support to be provided by professionals has been identified in previous research (Manuel et al, 2012;Shaw et al, 2006;Slomian et al, 2017), with a corresponding lack of overall professional postpartum care, a lack of continuity of care, a lack of culturally responsive care, and thus low preparedness for the postpartum period (Benza and Liamputtong, 2014;Darvill et al, 2010;Leahy-Warren et al, 2011;Rowe et al, 2013;Tobin et al, 2014). Antenatal classes have been found to provide a good foundation for informational support and knowledge leading up to and including the birth, but in some studies have been found as inadequate for postpartum information and support (Corrigan et al, 2015;Darvill et al, 2010;Razurel et al, 2011).…”

“…Regardless of how social support is categorised, the effectiveness of social support depends on the perceived need and effectiveness and also on the relationship between the giver and receiver of the support (Leahy-Warren et al, 2012;Ni and Lin, 2011). Slomian et al (2017) discuss social support in terms of needs: the need for information, psychological support, a sharing of experiences and the need for practical support. Many aspects of support are indicative of having someone the person feels close to, particularly in terms of emotional and informational support where sources could be either professional or personal.…”

“…Recommendations for increasing social support include improving existing support such as empathetic listening by health professionals, increased home-based services, individualised care and providing community resources with local, consistent support (Dennis and Chung-Lee, 2006;Letourneau et al, 2007;Slomian et al, 2017). Individualised social support provided at the 'right time and of the right type' was highly recommended for mothers postpartum (Barkin and Wisner, 2013;Chavis, 2016;Hong Law et al, 2018;Leahy-Warren et al, 2012, 2018Ni and Lin, 2011).…”