The experience of first-time motherhood in rural Indonesia : a phenomenological study

Abstract

A hermeneutic phenomenological study was carried out to explore the experience of being a first-time mother for rural Indonesian women. The purpose of the study were to provide nurses and other health care providers with a greater understanding of these experiences and to examine the care women receive during early motherhood. -- The thirteen Indonesian women who participated in this study described their experiences during their first four to six months postpartum, Data were collected through semi-structured conversational interviews. -- Seven themes were identified: (1) Being a new mother is not easy, (2) A new mother is not as free as she was before, (3) Trying to be a good mother, (4) Being a mother confirms her destiny as a woman, (5) Being a mother is very gratifying, (6) A woman never feels ready for first-time motherhood, and (7) A woman needs help when she becomes a mother for the first time. These themes offer insights, information, and understanding into the experiences of Indonesian women with early motherhood, and provide nurses and others who read the findings of the study with a richer and deeper understanding of what the needs of women are during this period and how women feel about the mothering role. -- The findings also provide information to nurses and other health care providers on the health needs and concerns of these mothers and the support needed during the early postpartum period. Implications for nursing practice, education, and research are discussed.