This thesis explores the relationship between antenatal education and the transition to
motherhood, focusing on the pre-natal expectations and postnatal experiences of a small
sample of first-time mothers in Plymouth. The aims of the study were 1) to investigate
the style and content of statutory and voluntary sector antenatal classes in the Plymouth
area. 2) To investigate factors affecting non-attendance, including non-attenders'
perceptions of them. 3) To examine the role of lay systems of knowledge and support
in the transition to motherhood and 4) to investigate the differential impact of different
patterns of knowledge and support on the experiences of new parents, with particular
attention to the three key areas of maternal wellbeing, parenting skills and parental
relationships. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods was used to obtain
relevant data. The findings suggested that antenatal classes in both sectors focused
mainly on labour and birth. Coverage of infant care skills and other important postnatal
issues like parental relationships and maternal wellbeing were virtually non-existent.
The style of antenatal classes was perceived as overly-prescriptive and directive.
Information about labour and birth often duplicated what women already knew. The
greatest benefit of attending classes was social, rather than informational. Many women
found the classes did not provide them with realistic expectations of new motherhood.
Non-attenders were found not to be disadvantaged by not attending classes, despite the
common concerns of health professionals. Instead, they drew extensively on lay
information and support. In light of these fmdings, it is argued that formal antenatal
classes should have a broader curriculum that is also realistic.
This study is implicitly critical of the biomedical framework in which maternity
services are couched. It contributes to the field by broadening the definition of
antenatal education to include informal and lay sources, engaging with users' (rather
than just providers') views, to help evaluate antenatal education services. Importantly,
it does this by evaluating them in the context of new motherhood.
Date of Award | 2003 |
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Original language | English |
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Awarding Institution | |
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Antenatal education in the transition to motherhood
Burley, S. E. (Author). 2003
Student thesis: PhD