The implementation process of the Confident Birth method in Swedish antenatal education: opportunities, obstacles and recommendations

Abstract

Summary Antenatal clinics in western Sweden have recently invested in a birth method called Confident Birth. In this study, we investigate midwives’ and first line managers’ perceptions regarding the method, and identify opportunities and obstacles in its implementation. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with ten midwives and five first line managers working in 19 antenatal clinics in western Sweden. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research was used in a directed content analysis approach. Intervention Characteristics—such as perceptions about the Confident Birth method—were found to have equipped the midwives with coping strategies that were useful for expecting parents during birth. Outer Setting—the method was implemented to harmonize the antenatal education, and provided a mean for a birth companionship of choice. Inner setting—included time-consuming preparations and insufficient information at all levels, which affected the implementation. Characteristics of individuals—, such as knowledge and believes in the method, where trust in the method was seen as an opportunity, while long experience of teaching other birth preparatory methods, affected how the Confident Birth method was perceived. Process—such as no strategy for ensuring that the core of the method remained intact or plans for guiding its implementation were major obstacles to successful implementation. The findings speak to the importance of adequate planning, time, information and communication throughout the process to have a successful implementation. Based on lessons learned from this study, we have developed recommendations for successful implementation of interventions, such as the Confident Birth, in antenatal care settings.