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Parenthood experiences during the child's first year: literature review

Kerstin Nyström1, Kerstin Ohrling

  • 1Department of Health Science, Luleå University of Technology, Boden, Sweden. kerstin.nystrom@ltu.se

Journal of Advanced Nursing
|April 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Parenthood in a child's first year is overwhelming for both mothers and fathers, presenting unique challenges and strains. Child health nurses should provide support to empower new parents during this critical developmental period.

Area of Science:

  • Parenting and Child Development
  • Maternal and Child Health Nursing
  • Psychology of Parenthood

Background:

  • The first year of a child's life is foundational for development and presents significant challenges for new parents.
  • Understanding parental experiences is crucial for child health nurses providing essential support.
  • Parenthood is a demanding responsibility requiring adaptation and coping strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore and describe the lived experiences of mothers and fathers during their child's first year.
  • To identify distinct maternal and paternal perspectives on early parenthood.
  • To synthesize existing research on the challenges and rewards of infant care.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive literature search was conducted for studies published between 1992 and 2002.
  • Keywords included: parenthood, parenting, first year, infancy, and experience.
  • Thematic content analysis was applied to 33 selected qualitative and quantitative articles.

Main Results:

  • Parenthood in the first year was overwhelmingly experienced by both mothers and fathers.
  • Mothers reported satisfaction, confidence, but also strain from primary responsibility, limited personal time, and fatigue.
  • Fathers experienced confidence, strain from new demands, difficulty with closeness, and embraced roles as protector and provider.

Conclusions:

  • A unifying theme of 'living in a new and overwhelming world' emerged from parental experiences.
  • There is a critical need for nurse-led interventions to alleviate parental strain.
  • Empowering parents through enhanced support from child health nurses is recommended.
Abstract

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