Experiences Of Mothers Research Articles

The Value of Emotional Intelligence in Midwifery: Enhancing Care and Outcomes for Mothers and Infants through Sustainable Development Goals and Leadership

Emotional Intelligence (EI), the ability to recognise, understand, and manage emotions in oneself and others, plays a crucial role in the field of midwifery. This article explores the value of EI in midwifery practice, highlighting its impact on maternal and infant outcomes, professional relationships, and job satisfaction among midwives. Through a comprehensive literature review and case studies, the article demonstrates how high levels of EI contribute to effective communication, empathy, and stress management, leading to improved care experiences for mothers and infants. The discussion includes practical strategies for developing EI skills among midwives and recommendations for integrating EI training into midwifery education and professional development programs. The article also connects the value of EI in midwifery to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), emphasising its importance in achieving gender equality, health, and well-being. Furthermore, the role of leadership in fostering a culture of EI within midwifery practice is examined. The findings underscore the importance of EI as a key competency in midwifery, essential for fostering a supportive and responsive care environment aligned with global development goals.

A Phenomenological Study on The Mothering Experience of Married Women who have given Birth Resulting from Unintended Pregnancy

A Phenomenological Study on The Mothering Experience of Married Women who have given Birth Resulting from Unintended Pregnancy

Tudo começa no hospital: narrativas maternas sobre a hospitalização do bebê cronicamente adoecido

This study investigated mothers’ narratives about their chronically ill babies' hospitalization at a public maternity hospital in São Paulo, during 2022, based on thematic analysis of four semi-structured interviews. The main qualitative data from interviews were analyzed concerning its psychoanalytic contribution, organized by three central themes. Interviewed mothers seemed to have found possible ways to perform the maternal function and bond with their babies. Their experiences were affected by ambivalent feelings and psychic suffering that demands mental health care. The aim was to come closer to this reality, remarking original motherhood experiences and the importance of developing caregiving practices worried about the needs of parental figures and their babies in the context of hospitalization and illness.

Cultural Adaptation of Child Discipline Measures for Puerto Rican Mothers: Enhancing the Cultural Sensitivity of Parenting Assessments.

Puerto Ricans (PRs) face significant challenges in accessing essential parenting resources and support due to language barriers and lack of culturally appropriate healthcare services, perpetuating health disparities. Cultural adaptation of psychosocial measurement tools is crucial for promoting health equity and improving health outcomes. This study describes the cultural adaptation of two parenting discipline assessment measures for use with Spanish-speaking PR mothers of 2-4-year-old children. We used a community-engaged, mixed-methods approach to measurement adaptation that involved independent translations (n = 2), back-translations (n = 2), and an adaptation committee (n = 6, including all translators) who reviewed, appraised, and modified survey versions. We conducted cognitive interviews (n = 20) to pretest the semi-finalized Spanish measures and assess mothers' understanding of survey items. Mothers had a mean age of 28.6 years. Most were married/cohabitating (70%), had a high school diploma or GED (90%), and a household income of less than $40,000 (68%). Indexed children's mean age was 2.9 years, with most identified by mothers as female (60%). Feedback from the adaptation committee and pretesting participants led to specific changes like rephrasing culturally specific terms and adjusting examples to better fit the daily experiences of PR mothers. Most mothers found the Spanish version of the measures to be clear and culturally relevant. This cultural adaptation process addressed translation inconsistencies and design issues, and better captured culturally relevant discipline practices. Engaging communities in measurement adaptations ensures culturally and linguistically tailored measures that respect participant preferences, strengthen partnerships, and enable interventions to address health disparities, thereby promoting child health.

“Mom's a bit different”: The challenges of first-time mothers with cerebral palsy in caring for their children from birth until age three

This qualitative study examines childcare challenges and adaptive strategies among first-time Czech mothers with cerebral palsy (CP) in caring for children aged 0–3. Data obtained from ten semi-structured interviews were analyzed using selected procedures of situational analysis. The results were structured around three major themes: (1) The decision to become a mother and preparation for childcare tasks; (2) Challenges in childcare and adopted childcare strategies; (3) Social support received to manage childcare challenges. Along with findings related to the women with CP preparing themselves for the maternal role and childcare tasks, i.e. by attending a prenatal course to learn a suitable hand grip to safety hold their baby or to choose a suitable pram, the participants identified a number of practical childcare challenges they encountered postpartum. The first-time mothers initially tended to delegate challenging childcare tasks, such as lifting and carrying the newborn child, bathing and dressing or changing nappies, to family members or friends, with this support contributing to gradual development of the women's childcare methods to become an independent caregiver. Our findings underline the importance of sharing the lived experiences of mothers with CP with professional communities as well as the general public through formal education programs and informal community outreach.

MOTHER’S GAZE: FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY AS A WAY TO RE-CLAIM SUBJECTIVITY

I am a mother, photographer and photography researcher. In this article I reflect on the practice of photographing my family with a goal of drawing attention to the role of family photography in re-claiming mother’s agency as subject. By implementing autoethnographic research strategy I analyse photographs and texts shared on my motherhood blog in 2016–2020. An intensive identity transformation takes place upon becoming a mother, which moves the woman’s confidence in herself as a subject with agency. My experience of motherhood was complicated and ambivalent. Yet, whilst photographing my family I create an image of a warm and cosy life. The discrepancy between images and inner experience prompts writing and thereby expanding the meaning of representations through written narrative. By looking for other means to regain subjectivity I review the elements of my photographic experience: the act of photographing, the review of photographs, archiving, sharing on social network in combination with writing. I state that photography allows me to activate my gaze at others and the gaze of others at me, which provides quite a significant sensation of power. The article offers a different perspective on the genre of vernacular family snapshots stressing the therapeutic potential of photography practice.

Reflective Thinking and Growth Through Parent Education: Experiences of Korean Mothers with Young Children

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of Korean mothers in relation to parent education. Parent education was broadly defined in this study to encompass the various educational experiences that parents “try” and “undergo” both before and after becoming parents. Rather than being confined to a single program, we aimed to understand parent education as a cumulative process, comprising diverse experiences that shape parents’ lives and roles. We conducted in-depth interviews with seven mothers of infants and toddlers, followed by a reflexive thematic analysis of the data. Four major themes emerged from the analysis. The first theme, “confusion about becoming a parent,” describes the initial challenges of adjusting to the loss of freedom and the adaptation to new responsibilities. The second theme, “parent education through observation and experience,” highlights how parents learned by observing and engaging with real-life situations before and after the birth of their children. The third theme, “active participation in purposeful parent education,” focuses on structured educational programs in shaping parental roles. The final theme, “reflective thinking and personal growth through parent education,” illustrates how reflective practices as a mother contributed to the parental development. This study underscores the importance of adopting a long-term perspective on parent education, recognizing the interconnected nature of parental and child development and appreciating the experiences of mothers who grow through reflective thinking.

Experiences of Mothers With Hearing Impairment Regarding the Care of Their Children.

Background and Purpose: Hearing loss is one of the most common types of disability in the world. Studies have reported that mothers with disabilities have some difficulties in fulfilling their maternal role in childcare. This study was conducted to determine the experiences of mothers with hearing impairment regarding the care of their children. Methods: This study, which was conducted using a qualitative method in a phenomenological design, was carried out with 10 mothers with moderate, severe, and highly severe bilateral hearing loss in a province in the southeast of Türkiye. Methodologically, inductive coding was followed for data analysis. In the analysis, the Max Qualitative Data Analysis Analytics Pro2022 software was used. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research was used for qualitative research reporting. Results: The data codes obtained were gathered under nine categories, and the categories were divided into subcodes. These categories were respectively related to "difficulties caused by hearing impairment," "tactics developed in coping with difficulties," "difficulties experienced independently of hearing impairment," "approaches to being a mother with impairment," "mother's attitude toward hearing impairment," "issues related to children," "fears and concerns," "experienced advantages and disadvantages," and "expectations and recommendations." Conclusion: The study revealed that mothers had experienced difficulties caused by hearing impairment, received help in childcare, or developed facilitating strategies Implications for Practice: Pediatric nurses should provide training on childcare and safety to mothers with hearing impairment, as well as develop strategies to facilitate childcare by working in cooperation with mothers who have hearing impairment.

Assessing the experiences of teenage mothers in accessing healthcare in Rwanda

Teen mothers are more susceptible to the negative consequences of pregnancy, due to system-wide and socio-cultural barriers to accessing needed services, posing higher pregnancy complications and health risks to the babies and mothers. Understanding their lived experience can inform context-specific health programs and interventions that address their needs and improve the health outcomes. Twenty-three women who had delivered her first child before the age of 18 years were interviewed using semi-structured interview guide. The transcripts were coded, categorized and summarized into four major themes: 1) Many pregnant teen girls were disadvantaged by the system from accessing the healthcare services, 2) Although being judged, many found the health care services positive and important, 3) Faced financial difficulty in accessing health services, despite most medical services are covered by community based health insurance, 4) Health care services focuses mostly on the medical health of pregnancy, the social and psychological needs were mostly not available. The study highlighted the gap in providing mental health services, financial support to the teen mothers as part of a comprehensive health services. Some of them consulted health services for the first time with and did not return for follow up if perceived the services was bad. More sensitive and targeted materials and ANC services can be offered to this unique group of clients. More acceptance training to the health care providers and the public is needed. For health facilities, there is a need to also check their psychological wellbeing when seeking ANC services. Online or mobile phone-based mental health interventions may provide some solutions to the issue. Government should re-evaluate the health insurance system to avoid unintentional exclusion of this group of population. Policy to facilitate men to take responsibilities on teen pregnancy issue is needed.

A Qualitative Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis of Mothers’ Experiences of Parenting Autistic Women and Girls

AbstractThis review systematically explores qualitative evidence of the lived experience of mothers’ parenting autistic women and girls. A SPIDER search strategy was conducted on five databases and in the grey literature. Backward, forward and relevant journal scanning was also carried out. Twenty-two qualitative or mixed-method studies were included and quality appraised using CASP, encompassing over 150 mothers. A thematic synthesis highlighted five super-ordinate themes; ‘The diagnosis process and getting support’, ‘Mother’s role as all consuming’, ‘Experiences of family wellbeing’, ‘Mother as an expert observer’ and ‘The hopes and fears of mothers’. The review highlights areas of motivation to socialise, masking and menstruation needs as key differences in the autistic female presentation from a mothers’ perspective. Implications for practice are discussed.

Maternal perspectives on the intergenerational transmission of eating disorders

BackgroundStudies indicate that the children of mothers who have eating disorders are at an increased risk of developing eating disorders themselves. The aim of this qualitative study was to broaden and extend current understandings of the experiences of mothers with eating disorders. The present report focuses on maternal perspectives, experiences, and support needs in relation to the intergenerational transmission of eating disorders.MethodSemi-structured online interviews were conducted with parents living in the UK, USA, and Australia. Participants were eighteen mothers with a self-reported lifetime diagnosis of one or more eating disorders, who had experienced symptoms since becoming a parent, and who had at least one child aged 2 years or older. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsFour major themes relating to the impacts of having an eating disorder on children and intergenerational transmission were identified. These were: impacts (maternal perspectives on the ways having an eating disorder impacted their children, and their reflections around having been impacted by their own parents); breaking the cycle (strategies employed by mothers in efforts to prevent their children developing eating disorders of their own); communicating about the eating disorder (maternal experiences around disclosing or not disclosing having an eating disorder to their children); and support needs (maternal and perceived familial support needs in relation to breaking cycles of intergenerational transmission).ConclusionsFor mothers with eating disorders, concerns about the potential impacts on their children and fears about intergenerational transmission are salient, and these may vary for children at different ages. The mothers who participated in our study described engaging in a number of conscious strategies in efforts to manage the risks of eating disorder development in their children, but implementing these strategies was not without challenges. Implications for preventative programs to reduce the intergenerational transmission of eating disorders are discussed.

Role of Critical Realism in Uncovering Breastfeeding Experiences of Mothers Affected by Disaster and Displacement: Researcher’s Reflections

Role of Critical Realism in Uncovering Breastfeeding Experiences of Mothers Affected by Disaster and Displacement: Researcher’s Reflections

Impact of respectful maternal care training of health care providers on satisfaction with birth experience in mothers undergoing normal vaginal birth: A prospective interventional study.

To study the impact of respectful maternity care (RMC) training of health care providers on RMC and birth satisfaction in mothers undergoing normal vaginal birth. A prospective interventional study was performed comparing RMC and birth satisfaction in women undergoing vaginal births before and after RMC training of health care providers from November 2021 to March 2023 in a tertiary care center in India. Person-centered maternity care (PCMC) and birth satisfaction scale-revised (BSSR) scales were used to study women's RMC and birth satisfaction, respectively. A total of 100 women undergoing normal vaginal birth were enrolled in pre- and post-intervention phases. The intervention was done through formal and onsite training of health care providers in RMC. The mean total PCMC scale score in the post-training group demonstrated a remarkable increase to 51.95 ± 6.50, significantly higher than the pre-training mean of 32.82 ± 8.47 (P < 0.0001). The mean ± SD of the BSSR scale total score in the post-training group increased significantly to 27.17 ± 3.67, surpassing the pre-training mean of 21.19 ± 5.48 (P < 0.0001). The study showed significant improvement in RMC and birth satisfaction score in the post-training group thereby emphasizing the importance of RMC training of health care providers in the facility.

Moms for liberty and the dispositifs of white motherhood: toward a Black whiteness study of maternal educational biopolitics

This article argues that white motherhood, embodied by Moms for Liberty, enforces a white supremacist educational and political order that materially harms students of color, especially Black students. Moms for Liberty did not emerge ex nihilo. It is part of a longer history of defining American education from the vantage of white motherhood. This argument is introduced by a methodological note that extends Foucault’s discussion of dispositifs to current critiques of critical whiteness studies that redefine this field of inquiry as Black whiteness studies Genealogical integrations of securitizing dispositifs like white motherhood are qualitative ways of doing Black whiteness studies that make possible future critical inquiries. Toward this possibility this article concludes by discussing the material dangers Black mothers experience and how Black mothering counters vitriolic claims of harm espoused by extremist organizations like Moms for Liberty.

Infant feeding for women with an eating disorder: An interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Mothers with eating disorders can face additional challenges with infant feeding, and there is evidence they are likely to cease breastfeeding earlier than intended. However, there is little research exploring this. The present study used interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the lived experience of infant feeding for mothers suffering from or recovering from an eating disorder. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six women-five who had breastfed and one who formula-fed. The women experienced two incompatible worlds-motherhood and an eating disorder. Tensions were sometimes resolved by reducing eating disordered behaviour alongside immersion in motherhood. Two participants did not find infant feeding particularly important for their journey into motherhood. Four recounted a positive shift in their relationship to their body through breastfeeding and felt their embodied experience of mothering provided a route out of eating disordered behaviour. However, doubts about their mothering and infant feeding capabilities could be amplified by feeling mistrusted by others and by the relative silence around eating disorders within maternity care services. Respectful dialogue with health care professionals was particularly valued where this occurred. Although long-term outcomes for the participants are unknown, the study suggests women with a history of eating disorders can form successful breastfeeding relationships and may be motivated to engage in collaborative risk assessment. However, they need support in managing emotional challenges. Training around eating disorders for maternity care professionals is likely to be useful for enhancing confidence in engaging mothers proactively to share concerns about eating, weight and body shape.

Mothers’ efforts to overcome difficult twists and turns in living with children with cancer: a phenomenological study

BackgroundChild cancer impacts the entire family. However, those who identify as mothers may be most negatively affected due to the societal expectations placed upon them in primary caregiving. This study was conducted with the aim of exploring the lived experiences of mothers of children with cancer and their adaptation to their child’s illness.MethodsThis study employed a qualitative and hermeneutic approach using Heideggerian phenomenology as a philosophical framework. Our sampling strategy was purposive. Mothers (n = 14) of children diagnosed with cancer participated in face-to-face semi-structured interviews. The seven-steps of critical hermeneutic analysis were used to summarize and interpret findings.ResultsAnalysis revealed that participants’ adaptation to their child’s illness occurs through comprehensive support and the utilization of empowering beliefs. The theme of comprehensive support included sub-themes of seeking informational support, seeking psychological support, and seeking social support. The theme of utilizing empowering beliefs encompassed sub-themes of resilience against cultural misconceptions and reliance on spiritual beliefs. Furthermore, one constitutive pattern ‘mothers’ efforts to overcome difficult twists and turns in living with children with cancer’ was identified.This related to participants’ striving to navigate the twists and turns of life’s hardships.ConclusionsRelationships and social context are vital and important features of this phenomena. Employing a team approach to provide comprehensive support to mothers of children with cancer involving physicians, nurses, and psychologists can be supportive in their adaptation to their child’s cancer. Additionally, reductions in cultural taboos surrounding cancer could facilitate improved adaptation to childhood cancer for these mothers.

Pregnancy experiences of UK teenage mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological study

Pregnancy experiences of UK teenage mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a phenomenological study

Exploring the lived experience of mothers of children with leukemia: a qualitative study from Iran

BackgroundLeukemia, as one of the most common pediatric cancers, has negatively affected many children around the world. Parents often experience increased feeling of distress shortly after being informed about their child’s diagnosis. The distress experienced by parents can adversely affect various aspects of their life. This study aimed to develop an understanding of the lived experience of the mothers whose children suffer from leukemia in Shiraz, Iran.MethodsThis phenomenological study was performed from April to August 2023, and 10 people were selected as participants by purposive sampling. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were performed for collecting the data.ResultsThe participants’ lived experiences during their children's leukemia were classified into five main categories, namely behavioral problems, spiritual issues, psychological problems, issues related to treatment, and economic matters.ConclusionKnowing the experiences of parents, especially mothers, in managing and planning for the care of these children seems essential.

Unspoken Challenges: Maternal Complexities in Three Asian Short Stories

This study examines the unspoken challenges experienced by Asian mothers through the lens of Asian motherhood as depicted in literature. The research aims to investigate how cultural norms and societal expectations shape the roles and experiences of mothers in Asian societies. Employing qualitative research methods, specifically thematic analysis, this study interprets and classifies the unspoken challenges portrayed in three short stories from Indonesia, China, and Japan. The findings reveal three prominent themes: developing resilience, performing silent sacrifice, and facing individual conflicts. The mothers in these stories exhibit diverse coping strategies in response to the unacknowledged challenges they encounter. This study contributes to the understanding of the enduring nature of traditional gender roles and expectations in Asian societies, highlighting the need for greater recognition and support for mothers facing these unspoken challenges. The results underscore the importance of continued research and dialogue on the experiences of Asian mothers to promote gender equality and the well-being of women in these contexts. The insights gained from this study can inform future research, policy, and practice aimed at addressing the unspoken challenges faced by mothers in Asian societies and beyond.

Using hybrid qualitative analysis to explore lived experience of motherhood and postnatal depression: A thematic-dialogical approach

This paper illustrates a novel hybrid approach to analysis which offers unique insights into the experience of postnatal depression in British Pakistani-Muslim women, through the prioritising of voice. To do so, we combine thematic and dialogical analysis, using data from a study on motherhood and postnatal depression. Participants were part of the birth cohort ‘Born in Bradford's Better Start’. The rationale for developing a hybridised approach is discussed. The ensuing analyses highlight the role of internal voices and chronotope, which give a detailed insight into women's meaning making of psychological distress and motherhood during the postnatal period. We go onto discuss the strength and limitations of hybridising thematic-dialogical analysis in the context of health research.