Author(s):
Mendes, Isabel Margarida Marques Monteiro Dias 
Date: 2008
Origin: Repositório Científico da Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra
Document details
Lived experience of first-time fathers to the postpartum period
Description
1. Aim: The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences as lived by the first-time fathers as they adjust in the post partum period. 2. Methods: Background: Postpartum period is a time of transition, of adjustments to the parental role. This transition calls for changes in role relationships, especially in the first- time fathers. Design: Qualitative study using the descriptive phenomenological approach of Participants/Sample: The participant inclusion criteria of the intentional sample were: first-time fathers of a newborn at term; paternal age between 18 and 35 years of age; with at least first degree of education; in a regimen of cohabitation and without mental health disturbance. The inform consent was obtained during the hospitalization of their partner after childbirth. Saturation of data was obtained with a group of 25 first-time fathers, concerning the principle of adequacy (Morse & Field, 2002), using unstructured interviews in the father’s home place. Data analysis/data validation: Data were analyzed using the descriptive-phenomenological Giorgi’s Method (1997, 2003) first we get the sense of the whole descriptions, than emerged the meaning units, and finally it will be described the essential structure(s) with the key constituents. The study was ensured by the four general criteria of Lincoln and Guba’s model trustworthiness: credibility, applicability, consistency and confirmability (Guba & Lincon, 1985). 3.- Outcomes: The data were referred to the concrete descriptions of the fathers’ lived experiences of their adjustment to the paternal role in the different contexts of the postpartum period: interaction with the baby; conjugal relationship; large family and friends relationship and the support of the health professional. Two essentials structures emerged from the meaning units of the experiences of the first-time fathers adjustment to the postpartum, the first described a positive experience and the second one a negative experience. From the positive key constituents we highlighted: the pregnancy and the birth as periods of transition to the parental role; getting to know the baby; the sense of responsibility to the parental role; the sense of fulfilment of masculinity with the integration of the paternal role; the sense of family; the greater cooperation of the couple in the home tasks, greater couple union; the emotional and instrumental support of the paternal grandfather; strengthening of the familiar relationship. As negative key constituents: insecurity and inexperience in baby care; experiencing of parenthood as an exhausting experience with emotional vulnerability that is labelled as a period of lack of time to take care of oneself; less time for the couple and less social activity. The health professional’s support it did not come up to fathers needs/expectations. 4.- Conclusions: This study using the phenomenological method proposed by Giorgi provides the researcher a deep understanding of the needs of first-time parents with the essentials structures of the process of paternal adjustment in the period of the post-partum, and generate implications to midwifery interventions to improve it, specially the postpartum home visit, support groups in the Health Centres and maternities, and a maternity postpartum phone line as suggested by the participants. In the perspective of phenomenology approach further research is needed to map prospectively the evolution of the paternal adjustment process across the first year of life of the child.
1. Aim: The purpose of this study is to understand the experiences as lived by the first-time fathers as they adjust in the post partum period. 2. Methods: Background: Postpartum period is a time of transition, of adjustments to the parental role. This transition calls for changes in role relationships, especially in the first- time fathers. Design: Qualitative study using the descriptive phenomenological approach of Participants/Sample: The participant inclusion criteria of the intentional sample were: first-time fathers of a newborn at term; paternal age between 18 and 35 years of age; with at least first degree of education; in a regimen of cohabitation and without mental health disturbance. The inform consent was obtained during the hospitalization of their partner after childbirth. Saturation of data was obtained with a group of 25 first-time fathers, concerning the principle of adequacy (Morse & Field, 2002), using unstructured interviews in the father’s home place. Data analysis/data validation: Data were analyzed using the descriptive-phenomenological Giorgi’s Method (1997, 2003) first we get the sense of the whole descriptions, than emerged the meaning units, and finally it will be described the essential structure(s) with the key constituents. The study was ensured by the four general criteria of Lincoln and Guba’s model trustworthiness: credibility, applicability, consistency and confirmability (Guba & Lincon, 1985). 3.- Outcomes: The data were referred to the concrete descriptions of the fathers’ lived experiences of their adjustment to the paternal role in the different contexts of the postpartum period: interaction with the baby; conjugal relationship; large family and friends relationship and the support of the health professional. Two essentials structures emerged from the meaning units of the experiences of the first-time fathers adjustment to the postpartum, the first described a positive experience and the second one a negative experience. From the positive key constituents we highlighted: the pregnancy and the birth as periods of transition to the parental role; getting to know the baby; the sense of responsibility to the parental role; the sense of fulfilment of masculinity with the integration of the paternal role; the sense of family; the greater cooperation of the couple in the home tasks, greater couple union; the emotional and instrumental support of the paternal grandfather; strengthening of the familiar relationship. As negative key constituents: insecurity and inexperience in baby care; experiencing of parenthood as an exhausting experience with emotional vulnerability that is labelled as a period of lack of time to take care of oneself; less time for the couple and less social activity. The health professional’s support it did not come up to fathers needs/expectations. 4.- Conclusions: This study using the phenomenological method proposed by Giorgi provides the researcher a deep understanding of the needs of first-time parents with the essentials structures of the process of paternal adjustment in the period of the post-partum, and generate implications to midwifery interventions to improve it, specially the postpartum home visit, support groups in the Health Centres and maternities, and a maternity postpartum phone line as suggested by the participants. In the perspective of phenomenology approach further research is needed to map prospectively the evolution of the paternal adjustment process across the first year of life of the child.
Document Type
Other
Language English
Language English
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