“Being Flexible and Creative”: A Qualitative Study on Maternity Care Assistants' Experiences with Non-Western Immigrant Women

Agatha W Boerleider,Anneke L Francke,Therese A Wiegers,Walter L J M Devillé,Judith Manniën,Merle Van De Reep,Fiona Harris

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0091843

Agatha W Boerleider, Anneke L Francke + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0091843

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Abstract

BackgroundSeveral studies conducted in developed countries have explored postnatal care professionals' experiences with non-western women. These studies reported different cultural practices, lack of knowledge of the maternity care system, communication difficulties, and the important role of the baby's grandmother as care-giver in the postnatal period. However, not much attention has been paid in existing literature to postnatal care professionals' approaches to these issues. Our main objective was to gain insight into how Dutch postnatal care providers - ‘maternity care assistants’ (MCA) - address issues encountered when providing care for non-western women.MethodsA generic qualitative research approach was used. Two researchers interviewed fifteen MCAs individually, analysing the interview material separately and then comparing and discussing their results. Analytical codes were organised into main themes and subthemes.ResultsMCAs perceive caring for non-western women as interesting and challenging, but sometimes difficult too. To guarantee the health and safety of mother and baby, they have adopted flexible and creative approaches to address issues concerning traditional practices, socioeconomic status and communication. Furthermore, they employ several other strategies to establish relationships with non-western clients and their families, improve women's knowledge of the maternity care system and give health education.ConclusionProvision of postnatal care to non-western clients may require special skills and measures. The quality of care for non-western clients might be improved by including these skills in education and retraining programmes for postnatal care providers on top of factual knowledge about traditional practices.

Highlights

Skilled professional care is as important during the postnatal period as during pregnancy and childbirth
A recurrent negative issue was the limited help received from postnatal care providers [3,4]
Another negative issue concerned the traditional postnatal customs which are often encouraged by family members such as the mother or mother-in-law, who are very influential in the postnatal period

Summary

Introduction

Skilled professional care is as important during the postnatal period as during pregnancy and childbirth. Several studies conducted in developed countries have explored the experiences of non-western women with postnatal care, reporting both positive and negative experiences. Women expected support from care providers to look after the baby and allow them to rest, but this contradicted to the Western postnatal care system’s ideas of self-care and mother-child bonding Another negative issue concerned the traditional postnatal customs which are often encouraged by family members such as the mother or mother-in-law, who are very influential in the postnatal period. Several studies conducted in developed countries have explored postnatal care professionals’ experiences with non-western women. These studies reported different cultural practices, lack of knowledge of the maternity care system, communication difficulties, and the important role of the baby’s grandmother as care-giver in the postnatal period.

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion