'Reacting to the unknown': Experiencing the first birth at home or in hospital in Australia

Dahlen, HG; Barclay, L; Homer, CSE

'Reacting to the unknown': Experiencing the first birth at home or in hospital in Australia

Dahlen, HG

Barclay, L

Homer, CSE

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Midwifery, 2010, 26 (4), pp. 415 - 423
Issue Date:: 2010-08-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Dahlen, HG https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4450-3078	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Barclay, L https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9345-3468	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Homer, CSE https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7454-3011	en_US
dc.date.available	2008-07-24	en_US
dc.date.issued	2010-08-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Midwifery, 2010, 26 (4), pp. 415 - 423	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	0266-6138	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/13817
dc.description.abstract	Objective: to explore the experiences of a small group of first-time mothers giving birth at home or in hospital. Design: a grounded theory methodology was used. Data were generated from in-depth interviews with women in their own homes. Setting: Sydney, Australia. Participants: 19 women were interviewed. Seven women who gave birth for the first time in a public hospital and seven women who gave birth for the first time at home were interviewed, and their experiences were contrasted with two mothers who gave birth for the first time in a birth centre, one mother who gave birth for the first time in a private hospital and two women who had given birth more than once. Results: these women shared common experiences of giving birth as 'novices'. Regardless of birth setting, they were all 'reacting to the unknown'. As they entered labour, the women chose different levels of responsibility for their birth. They also readjusted their expectations when the reality of labour occurred, reacted to the 'force' of labour, and connected or disconnected from the labour and eventually the baby. Implications for practice: knowing that first-time mothers, irrespective of birth setting, are essentially 'reacting to the unknown' as they negotiate the experience of birth, could alter the way in which care is provided and increase the sensitivity of midwives to women's needs. Most importantly, midwives need to be aware of the need to help women adjust their expectations during labour and birth. Identifying the 'novice' status of first-time mothers also better explains previous research that reports unrealistic expectations and fear that may be associated with first-time birthing. © 2008.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Midwifery	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.midw.2008.07.009	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Nursing	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Delivery, Obstetric	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Home Childbirth	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Questionnaires	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Mothers	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Nurse-Patient Relations	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Decision Making	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Midwifery	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Parturition	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Social Support	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Infant, Newborn	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Surveys and Questionnaires	en_US
dc.title	'Reacting to the unknown': Experiencing the first birth at home or in hospital in Australia	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	26	en_US
utslib.for	1114 Paediatrics and Reproductive Medicine	en_US
utslib.for	1110 Nursing	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
dc.location.activity	ISI:000279742400007	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - CHSP - Health Services and Practice
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Strength - WHO CC
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	26	en_US

Abstract:

Objective: to explore the experiences of a small group of first-time mothers giving birth at home or in hospital. Design: a grounded theory methodology was used. Data were generated from in-depth interviews with women in their own homes. Setting: Sydney, Australia. Participants: 19 women were interviewed. Seven women who gave birth for the first time in a public hospital and seven women who gave birth for the first time at home were interviewed, and their experiences were contrasted with two mothers who gave birth for the first time in a birth centre, one mother who gave birth for the first time in a private hospital and two women who had given birth more than once. Results: these women shared common experiences of giving birth as 'novices'. Regardless of birth setting, they were all 'reacting to the unknown'. As they entered labour, the women chose different levels of responsibility for their birth. They also readjusted their expectations when the reality of labour occurred, reacted to the 'force' of labour, and connected or disconnected from the labour and eventually the baby. Implications for practice: knowing that first-time mothers, irrespective of birth setting, are essentially 'reacting to the unknown' as they negotiate the experience of birth, could alter the way in which care is provided and increase the sensitivity of midwives to women's needs. Most importantly, midwives need to be aware of the need to help women adjust their expectations during labour and birth. Identifying the 'novice' status of first-time mothers also better explains previous research that reports unrealistic expectations and fear that may be associated with first-time birthing. © 2008.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/13817