The second time around: parity and birth experience

Both patients and professionals generally believe that the easier obstetrical experience of the multipara also characterizes her subjective experiences. Among 249 women, we found that the multiparas had more physical discomfort, but fewer worries, during pregnancy, and that they worried about labor more, but prepared for birth less, than did the primiparas. Although the multiparas had obstetrically easier labors, they received less support from their husbands during labor and there was no significant parity difference in the subjective pain or enjoyment. After birth, the multiparas generally sought less contact with their babies during the hospital stay than did the primiparas. The sample was representative of urban, middle class women. Implications regarding prepared versus nonprepared childbirth were also noted. The findings challenge the conventional emphasis on supportive care mainly for primiparas.