Expectations and Experiences of Women in Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Infant Feeding: A Qualitative Research Protocol

Abstract

Maternity and pregnancy involve significant biopsychosocial changes in the lives of women. These changes determine their experience of motherhood and can be a crucial aspect in the choice of parenting style. Women require a source of knowledge and support that goes beyond the technical, clinical environment, led by qualified nurses for holistic and humanized care. The objective of this study is to identify women’s beliefs, expectations, and experiences of their motherhood and its different stages, and their perception of the care they receive, in order to enhance effective management of their new role at a health and social level. A phenomenological qualitative study using thematic analysis will be used, within the theoretical framework provided by the Social Cognitive Theory and the influence of gender. The sample size will be defined by the sampling saturation criterion and should include rural and urban women, with different socioeconomic status. The information will be collected with semi-structured interviews that will be analyzed based on the codification of the texts in three levels and the subsequent triangulation of the results. The biopsychosocial aspects involved in motherhood make it a complex process, with women as the main player. Therefore, mothers’ opinions on the barriers and enablers they encounter in their environment are essential to place them at the center of the process. In addition, knowing the perceptions of women could help improve the work of nurses, having impacts on the humanization of health care and responding to women’s needs during their motherhood.