The hospital inpatient stay: the experience of first‐time parents

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Abstract
Summary The experience of hospital inpatient stays at childbirth was studied in a longitudinal study of the experiences of 96 first-time parents during the transition to parenthood. For women, the prospect of birth was a major worry during pregnancy. Negative expectations proved in general to be justified by events, with many women reporting predominantly bad memories of the experience. Satisfaction with the hospital inpatient stay is also considered: a major source of dissatisfaction was inadequate help with breast feeding, which produced many difficulties. Middle class mothers were in general more dissatisfied with their hospital stay, as were women who had Caesarean births. Relationships were found between antenatal class attendences and the likelihood of a normal delivery and reported pain during childbirth. The role and experience of fathers was also considered. Most expected to be at the birth from an early stage in pregnancy; more than two-thirds were present for the delivery and half or more at the labour. Their experience at this time was more positive than that of their partners. But during the hospital stay, this role was much more marginal. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for antenatal preparation, breast feeding and paternal involvement.

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