‘My Mother…My Sisters… and My Friends’: Sources of maternal support in the perinatal period in urban India

Abstract

Objectiveto explore the wide-ranging sources of support that the maternal–infant dyad need or expect throughout the perinatal period in urban India. Designqualitative interviews and ethnographic approach. Settinghomes and community settings in greater metropolitan Bangalore, South India. Participantsusing in-depth interviews of 36 mothers from different socio-cultural and socio-economic backgrounds who had given birth within the past two years in a tertiary hospital, we explored the nature of support, advice and emotional sustenance through pregnancy, childbirth and the early child rearing period available to these women. Findingsthe overwhelming importance of women's own mothers in practical and emotional terms, the connectedness to ‘native’ place or ‘ooru’, the role of the diverse, extensive female network and the more contingent role of the husband emerged as major themes. The family was a major source of support as well as distress. While the support from their own mother was a constant, women used various forms of support throughout the perinatal continuum. Conclusions and implications for practicewe call for a more nuanced understanding of what women in urban India expect and need in terms of support throughout the perinatal period. Clinicians and policy makers need to understand the various players, their different roles at critical times through the perinatal continuum and be able to identify those who are vulnerable and in need of enhanced support. Although the health sector is not a strong player in the socio-cultural milieu in the perinatal period, their role as facilitators of this support is crucial.