Women's preparation for the childbirth experience

As part of a larger study on women's views of the childbirth experience, this study focused on women's preparation for childbirth. Sixty-one Lamaze-prepared, married multigravidae described their preparations for childbirth during intensive, tape-recorded interviews conducted at 36 to 38 weeks gestation. Qualitative data analysis indicated that women focused their descriptions of their past and expected childbirth experiences on the importance of the quality of their own performance in managing labor and delivery. Women described the ideal childbirth experience as a fast, short labor (84%) and one which they managed well (74%). They focused their review of past childbirth experiences on how well they had controlled their own behavior and evaluated their past performance as (a) managing well, 39%; (b) having difficulty, 31%, or (c) managing poorly, 30%. The majority of women (95%) reported that being informed about labor and delivery was generally helpful. They described information as valuable because it decreased fear which increased relaxation and decreased tension, which in turn increased their chances of managing labor well. Although women wanted to do a good job in managing labor, 59% were confident they would perform well and 41% were uncertain. The study results should help nurses recognize if women under their care also have the need to do a good job in managing labor and delivery and suggest ways for nurses to support women in their efforts, their successes, and their failures in meeting their labor management goals.