father first time
Women and Birth (2011) 24, 129—136
a v a i l a b l e a t w w w. s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/wombi
Fathers’ birth experience in relation to midwifery care
¨
´
Ingegerd Hildingsson a,b,*, Linnea Cederlof b, Sara Widen b a b
Department of Health Science, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden
Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Received 6 August 2010; received in revised form 15 December 2010; accepted 15 December 2010
KEYWORDS
Fathers;
Experience;
Childbirth;
Normal birth;
Support
Abstract The aim was to identify the proportion of fathers having a positive experience of a normal birth and to explore factors related to midwifery care that were associated with a positive experience. Background: Research has mainly focused on the father’s supportive role during childbirth rather than his personal experiences of birth.
Methods: 595 new fathers living in a northern part of Sweden, whose partner had a normal birth, were included in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires. Odds Ratios with 95% confidence interval and logistic regression analysis were used.
Results: The majority of fathers (82%) reported a positive birth experience. The strongest factors associated with a positive birth experience were midwife support (OR 4.0; 95 CI 2.0—8.1), the midwife’s ongoing presence in the delivery room (OR 2.0; 1.1—3.9), and information about the progress of labour (OR 3.1; 1.6—5.8).
Conclusion: Most fathers had a positive birth experience. Midwifery support, the midwife’s presence and sufficient information about the progress of labour are important aspects in a father’s positive birth experience. The role of the midwife during birth is important to the father, and his individual needs should be considered in order to enhance a positive birth experience.
# 2010 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Australia (a
a v a i l a b l e a t w w w. s c i e n c e d i r e c t . c o m
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/wombi
Fathers’ birth experience in relation to midwifery care
¨
´
Ingegerd Hildingsson a,b,*, Linnea Cederlof b, Sara Widen b a b
Department of Health Science, Mid Sweden University, Sundsvall, Sweden
Department of Women’s and Children’s Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Received 6 August 2010; received in revised form 15 December 2010; accepted 15 December 2010
KEYWORDS
Fathers;
Experience;
Childbirth;
Normal birth;
Support
Abstract The aim was to identify the proportion of fathers having a positive experience of a normal birth and to explore factors related to midwifery care that were associated with a positive experience. Background: Research has mainly focused on the father’s supportive role during childbirth rather than his personal experiences of birth.
Methods: 595 new fathers living in a northern part of Sweden, whose partner had a normal birth, were included in the study. Data was collected by questionnaires. Odds Ratios with 95% confidence interval and logistic regression analysis were used.
Results: The majority of fathers (82%) reported a positive birth experience. The strongest factors associated with a positive birth experience were midwife support (OR 4.0; 95 CI 2.0—8.1), the midwife’s ongoing presence in the delivery room (OR 2.0; 1.1—3.9), and information about the progress of labour (OR 3.1; 1.6—5.8).
Conclusion: Most fathers had a positive birth experience. Midwifery support, the midwife’s presence and sufficient information about the progress of labour are important aspects in a father’s positive birth experience. The role of the midwife during birth is important to the father, and his individual needs should be considered in order to enhance a positive birth experience.
# 2010 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Australia (a