Lao Lai Zi—Becoming a Mother

Abstract

Becoming a mother is a culturally significant value of transition for Chinese women. The purpose of this research was to explore the experiences of first-time mothers, 1 year after giving birth. Parse's humanbecoming theory guided the research to illuminate the role transition experience. The research was conducted in a southern medical center in Taiwan using narrative inquiry with 10 first-time mothers over the age of 35. We explored the mothers' experiences in the following areas: the pride and obstacles related to becoming a mother, the excitement and inconvenience in taking care of a baby, the struggling for energy and time in caring for the child, the worry about the child being unsociable, feeling grateful to God for the child, and realizing the inability to have another child. The findings of this research can provide nursing staff with a new perspective on the way first-time mothers experience their world, and it could enable them to offer better care.